This tender Beer Beef Stew has it all — tender chunks of beef, soft glazed carrots and potatoes, in a rich, amazing, robust beer and beef sauce. Slow cooked for extra tender goodness, it fills your home with wonderful, savory smells throughout the day, it’s a one pot meal and you can fix and forget it. The longer it stews, the more intense & tender it will be.
Tender Beer Beef Stew
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Our Spring Break is this week and we’re lying low because our oldest is in Drivers Ed classes all week and because my youngest and I have been hit hard with the flu. I’ve had lots of quality time with my pillow and couch this past week, but on the flip side I’ve also had some sweet times with my 13-year-old who still likes to snuggle! I’ll take it, even if it meant feeling lousy all week-long. Thankfully we’ve had some cooler weather this week, I don’t like being sick when it’s nice out, it just feels wrong, so I’ve been thankful for cloudy, dreary, chilly, and rainy days that have matched how I’ve felt.
Nothing says curl up on the couch and wait for me like this wonderful beef stew. This is my all time favorite beef stew and is inspired by none other than the Pioneer Woman’s Beef Stew.
TIP: Double or even triple this recipe and freeze leftovers and pull out for another wonderful comfort food kind of day and make Shepherd’s Pie or Beef Pot Pies!
Gather these fine ingredients, any beer will do, though I like darker beers, they yield richer flavors.
Get out that old cast iron pot or dutch oven. My mom gave me the one she used while I was growing up — oh the stews, soups and spaghetti sauces she made. Sure it weighs a 100 lbs; but it makes everything you cook in it taste better! Oh and it’s a huge perk if it’s in harvest gold!
Searing the Beef
Drizzle in your olive oil, toss in a pat of butter and bring to a medium-high heat.
Chop your beef into bite size pieces, it might take a few batches, but this part is worth it to get a nice crust on your beef bites. Don’t crowd the pieces and keep your temp on the higher side, turning after a few minutes when it’s nice and brown and crispy. Give bison a try as well, I’ve made it both ways, delicious BOTH ways!
As batches are crisp on all sides, remove with slotted spoon to plate and repeat until all your meat has been browned.
Assemble the Beer Beef Stew
Next, toss your onion slices into the hot pot and cook until soft and they start to caramelize; about 7-10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add your chopped garlic and wait for it…oh that wonderful smell, stir around for a minute or so until you smell that beautiful, pungent fragrance wafting up to greet your senses.
Next pour in your beer, deglazing the bottom of your pot and getting all of those wonderful crispy bits of beef back into the stew, then add your beef broth. Have you ever made your own beef broth? Oh MY! Give it a whirl, easy recipe here.
Add in all of your spices (if you haven’t tried smoked paprika I highly recommend it), tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Give it a good stir…
Pour your beef back into the mixture, making sure to get all of those juices that have settled onto the plate.
Stir well, COVER and return to a simmer. At this point, you can keep it on the stove on low and simmer for several hours, but personally, I like to throw it in my oven at 250 ° all day. Or you can put in your crock pot, I don’t think it’s quite as rich or tender, but if you aren’t comfortable, cook on low for 8 hours in your crockpot.
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Isn’t that lovely, that harvest gold pot!? Let it bubble throughout the day, checking on the liquid levels every couple of hours. If needed add a cup or two of hot water or more beef broth.
About two hours before you are ready to eat, toss in several handfuls of baby carrots (or carrots cut into nice size chunks) and a small bag of fingerlings potatoes or another small potato cut into quarters. I have used all sorts, red potatoes, new potatoes, Yukon gold, assorted fingerlings potatoes. If you made enough to make a Shepherd’s pie or Beef Pot pie, you might want to cut your carrots a little smaller and give your potatoes a chop as well.
Give it another stir and put the lid back on and back in the oven it goes.
Remove from oven, remove about a cup of liquid. This part is optional, keep it gluten free and enjoy the lighter broth consistency. The longer it simmers, the more the liquids will reduce making an AMAZING rich, thick sauce.
Add your flour to the reserved liquid and mix well. Got yourself a mini whisk? I love mine, they get into small corners better than a fork or spoon.
Stir back into your stew to thicken, you may omit this step if you prefer a thinner stew or prefer it gluten-free.
Spoon into generous bowls and serve with a hearty bread, such as this Beer Bread which pairs beautifully with this stew.
Consider tripling this recipe, because it makes a wonderful Shepherd’s pie or Beef Pot Pie or simply reheat and enjoy again.
How to make EASY Puff Pastry Triangles
Thaw one package of puff pastry (I love all butter puff pastry, available at WholeFoods, Natural Grocers, Trader Joe’s and gourmet stores).
Unroll and cut into 4×4 inch squares, then across diagonally for a triangle (or keep as squares). Cut as many as you need, reroll and seal any leftover dough and refrigerate. Lay triangles on a parchment lined cookie sheet and preheat oven to 400° oven.
Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with your favorite herbs (try dill, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper) and sea salt, but personally I love Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning! Bake 10-12 minutes, until puffed and golden.
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Tender Beer Beef Stew
A tender, delicious, slow cooked beef stew loaded with tender carrots, potatoes, caramelized onions, swimming in a rich, savory gravy.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 lbs stew meat, cut into bit size pieces
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 12 oz can or bottle of beer (substitute with beef broth if preferred)
- 1 carton (32 oz) beef broth (additional if simmering all day)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 new or red potatoes, quartered or small bag of fingerling potatoes
- 4-6 carrots, roughly sliced or 2 cups baby carrots
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (optional) for thickening, or a GF flour
- OPTIONAL | 1 package all-butter puff pastry, 1 egg for wash, Herbs or Everything Bagel spices.
Instructions
- Preheat oven 250°. Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat in dutch oven or large pot. Brown stew meat without being crowded (may take a couple batches)
- Remove with slotted spoon to plate, while browning the rest of the meat. Toss in sliced onions, stirring until soft and caramelized, about 7-10 minutes.Toss in minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pot by pouring in beer and stirring to get all those flavorful chunks off bottom. Pour in beef broth. Add spices, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, sugar and stir to blend. Return meat, give it a good stir to incorporate spices and return to simmer
- Place lid on dutch oven and place in oven. May keep on stove on low in place of putting in oven, but watch liquid levels. Cook 5-6 hours, less will work, but the longer you cook the more tender the stew meat. 2-3 hours before serving add carrots and potatoes and return to oven
OPTIONAL | Prior to serving remove 1 cup of liquid, whisk in flour, pour back into stew and stir to thicken.
Serve with a crisp salad, some Beer bread or other crusty bread or try these puff pastry triangles.
- Thaw one package of puff pastry (I love all butter puff pastry, available at WholeFoods, Natural Grocers, Trader Joe's and gourmet stores).
- Unroll and cut into 4x4 inch squares, then across diagonally for a triangle (or keep as squares). Cut as many as you need, reroll and seal any leftover dough and refrigerate. Lay triangles on a parchment lined cookie sheet and preheat oven to 400° oven.
- Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with your favorite herbs and salt, but personally I love Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel seasoning! Bake 10-12 minutes, until puffed and golden.
Notes
This may be cooked in a slow cooker, in my opinion you will not achieve the same richness and tenderness of the beef, but if you are more comfortable, place in slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
This recipe is adapted from the Pioneer Woman's Beef Stew.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 569Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 144mgSodium: 434mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 45g
The nutritional information is estimated and may not be entirely accurate, at times it pulls information for suggestions and options which may increase calories, etc.
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EDITORS NOTE: Oops, missed a couple of steps in the recipe (I’ll blame it on flu brain), now amended. Be sure to add your spices, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and tomato paste after you add the beer and broth, then return your meat to the pot, give it a good stir and return to simmer before placing in oven.
Dear Ms. Cooky. We have had this beef stew and the beer bread and it is truly scrumpdillishes!
Thank you Joy, um, Mom, you taught me everything I know and then some!
Stop it–it’s all TOO good!!!?
I hope you are making some for your beautiful bride Mr. K!
Kathleen: Tuesday April 12, 2017
Thanks for such a great recipe, I made it today for dinner, along with the bread and it was scrumptious.
I noticed the flu brain you have already been notified, but figured it out anyways.
Love you, and thank you again.
Thank you Nancy, so glad you figured it out! And super happy you enjoyed it, especially coming from a great cook like you!
We made this stew for a church dinner and everyone loved it! So tasty and very simple to make. Thanks for sharing your tasty recipes, Kathleen!
Not sure if my other response went through, but thank you Violet! So glad you loved it! More to come!