Description

This Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew is a rich, hearty dish featuring tender chunks of beef chuck slow-cooked with bacon, vegetables, and the deep malty flavor of Guinness beer. Enhanced with a touch of bittersweet chocolate for complexity and thickened to a satisfying consistency, this stew is perfect for a comforting meal that warms you from the inside out.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Bacon

2 pounds (907 g) boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 ½ inch chunks
½ pound bacon (about 8 slices)
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Vegetables

3 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large celery ribs, sliced
1 ½ cups (355 g) Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

Liquids and Sauces

1 ½ cups (355 ml) beef broth
18 ounces (510 ml) dark beer (like Guinness)
¼ cup (66 g) tomato paste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Seasonings and Additions

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme (or to taste)
1 bay leaf
1 ounce (28 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
⅓ cup (42 g) flour

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Instructions

Prepare and Season Beef: Cut the beef chuck into 1 ½ inch chunks and generously season with salt and pepper. Set aside to allow the seasoning to absorb while preparing other ingredients.
Cook Bacon: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble it, and set aside. Keep the bacon fat in the pan for browning the beef.
Brown the Beef: In batches, brown the seasoned beef pieces in the bacon fat without overcrowding the pan to achieve a good sear. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker insert. Add the crumbled bacon to the slow cooker once all beef is browned.
Combine Broth and Tomato Paste: Whisk beef broth and tomato paste together until smooth. Pour this mixture over the browned beef and bacon in the slow cooker evenly.
Add Vegetables and Seasonings: Add chopped onions, minced garlic, sliced carrots and celery, cubed potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, ground pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir gently to distribute ingredients.
Add Beer and Chocolate: Pour in the dark beer (such as Guinness) and sprinkle chopped bittersweet chocolate into the stew. Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Slow Cook the Stew: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set to cook on low for 8 hours. This slow cooking tenderizes the beef and melds flavors.
Thicken the Stew: After cooking, remove the lid. Ladle 1 cup of the cooking liquid into a bowl and whisk in the flour until smooth to make a slurry. Pour the slurry back into the slow cooker, stir well, and cook uncovered for an additional 5 minutes to thicken.
Finish and Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir the stew once more and serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

For best flavor, use a good quality dark beer like Guinness.
Be careful not to overcrowd the pan when browning the beef to ensure proper searing.
Browning the beef in bacon fat adds depth of flavor but can be substituted with oil if preferred.
If bittersweet chocolate is unavailable, a small piece of dark chocolate or unsweetened cocoa powder can be used as a substitute.
This stew thickens as it rests; if too thick, add a little water or broth to adjust consistency when serving.
Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors continue to meld.