Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Irish Stout

There’s nothing like a pot of beef stew on a cool fall day. This one starts with a quick balsamic marinade, then the beef gets seared in a seasoned cornstarch dredge before it goes into the slow cooker with stout, sun-dried tomatoes, and a little ranch seasoning. Mushrooms go in near the end, and the result is a rich, glossy gravy and beef that falls apart. Serve it with crusty bread and you’re set.

Prep time: 45 minutes (including marinating) | Cook time: 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high | Serves: up to 6

Ingredients

Beef and marinade

• 2 lbs beef roast (blade or stewing beef, something that holds up to long cooking), cut into 1-2″ pieces
• Salt, pepper, and Montreal steak spice
• Balsamic salad dressing, enough to coat (marinate at least 20 minutes)

Slow cooker base

• Olive oil, to coat the bottom
• A knob of butter
• 1 to 1½ lbs potatoes, cut into 1-2″ chunks (about 3-4 medium)
• ½ to 1 lb carrots, cut into 1-2″ chunks (about 3-4 medium)
• Garlic, diced
• 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes, diced, plus a little of their oil to taste
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ to 1 packet dried ranch seasoning
• 1/4 – 1/2 each of Dried thyme and rosemary (to your taste)
• Season with salt and pepper
• 1 cup Irish stout

Dredge and finish

• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tbsp flour (leave out for GF option)
• 1/4 each Salt and pepper
• Olive oil and butter for searing
• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ cup Irish stout
• Beef stock, enough to bring the liquid up to (but not over) the ingredients
• 1 package sliced mushrooms

Instructions

1. Marinate the beef. Cut the roast into 1-2″ chunks. Season with salt, pepper, and Montreal steak spice, then toss with balsamic dressing and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. Prep the slow cooker. Turn it on high to preheat. Drizzle olive oil over the bottom and add a knob of butter. Add the potatoes, carrots, and garlic.
3. Add the flavour. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and a little of their oil, the tomato paste, ranch seasoning, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour in 1 cup of stout and stir to combine. Cover and set aside.
4. Dredge and sear. Heat a frying pan over medium (about 4-6 on the dial). Mix the cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper, and toss the beef in it. Keep any leftover dredge. Sear the beef in olive oil and butter for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown, adding each batch to the slow cooker as it’s done. Don’t crowd the pan.
5. Deglaze. In the same pan on medium/low heat, cook the diced onion scraping up the browned bits, 2-5 minutes. Stir in the leftover dredge, then add ½ cup of stout, then add the mixture to the slow cooker.
6. Add the stock. Pour in enough beef stock to bring the liquid up to, but not over, the ingredients. You can always add more later.
7. Cook. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until the beef is tender and falls apart. I like to start on high for the first 1-2 hours, until bubbles break the surface, then turn it to low for the rest.
8. Add the mushrooms. About an hour before the stew is done, stir in the sliced mushrooms. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Tips

• Chuck or blade roast is best here. The connective tissue breaks down over the long cook and makes the beef tender.
• Searing the beef in the dredge is what gives you a thick, glossy gravy without a separate thickener.
• Need a thicker gravy? Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the stew. Cook on high for 15-20 minutes with the lid off or slightly ajar until it thickens
• Use more or fewer vegetables depending on how meaty you like your stew.
• Serve with crusty bread or buttered biscuits to soak up the gravy.