Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew (Print-Friendly Version)

Beef, bacon, and vegetables simmer with Guinness, creating a rich and cozy Irish-inspired meal for any cold day.

# What You'll Need:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 907 g boneless beef chuck, cut into 4 cm pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper
02 - 227 g bacon (approximately 8 slices), cooked until crisp and crumbled

→ Vegetables

03 - 3 onions, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
06 - 2 large celery ribs, sliced
07 - 355 g Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2.5 cm cubes

→ Liquids & Flavorings

08 - 355 ml beef broth
09 - 66 g tomato paste
10 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
11 - 510 ml dark beer, such as Guinness

→ Seasonings and Garnishes

12 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - 28 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
17 - 42 g plain flour

# How to Make It:

01 - Cut beef chuck into 4 cm pieces and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
02 - In a Dutch oven over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble, and reserve. Leave bacon fat in the pan.
03 - Working in batches, sear the seasoned beef in the reserved bacon fat until browned on all sides. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker insert as each batch finishes.
04 - Whisk beef broth with tomato paste until fully incorporated, then pour mixture into the slow cooker.
05 - Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, ground black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Return crumbled bacon as well.
06 - Pour dark beer into the slow cooker and add chopped bittersweet chocolate. Stir gently to combine.
07 - Secure lid and cook stew on low heat for 8 hours, allowing flavors to meld and beef to become tender.
08 - When cooking is complete, remove lid and ladle 240 ml of hot liquid from the stew into a bowl. Whisk in flour until smooth, then return mixture to the slow cooker and stir. Allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes to thicken.
09 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve stew hot.

# Additional Tips:

01 - Vegetables can be prepped and stored overnight in cold water to maintain freshness and prevent discoloration, especially the potatoes.
02 - Adjust thyme quantity to taste if a milder herb flavor is preferred.

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