Beef stew with beer
- Preparation 50 min
- Cooking 4 h
- Servings 6
- Freezing Absolutely
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🍂 When winter inspires the kitchen
I love when winter is about to settle in! It makes me want to cook comforting dishes like this beef stew with beer. It’s the kind of recipe that fills your whole house with aroma and welcomes you with incomparable warmth after a day outside. Serve it over couscous or simply in a big bowl with a slice of bread to catch every drop of sauce!
🍖 A rich, flavorful and comforting recipe
It’s a rich and creamy stew, with meat that falls apart at the fork. The beer brings depth, a slightly bitter and malty flavor that balances the sweetness of carrots and parsnips. The caramelized onions and garlic create a savory base, and the rosemary adds that touch of winter you need. It’s not complicated, but it’s truly delicious.
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🔪 The crucial step of browning
Don’t skip the step of browning the meat and vegetables in a pan before putting them in the oven or slow cooker. It’s this caramelization reaction that creates the depth of flavor and rich color of the sauce. It’s the difference between a bland stew and a stew that really has character.
🍺 The choice of beer
A double ale or strong amber beer brings notes of spice and red fruit. If you can’t find the exact beer, opt for another strong amber or Belgian double. Avoid beers that are too bitter (like IPAs) which could make the sauce unpleasant after reduction. It’s the heart of the dish, so choose well.
📐 Vegetables that hold their shape
Slice your carrots and parsnips thick. Since they’ll cook for 8 hours or 3-4 hours, a thin slice would turn them into mush. We want to keep some texture with each bite. That’s what makes a stew really satisfying.
🔥 Oven cooking: minimal surveillance
The oven maintains a stable and regular temperature. Just stir halfway through to make sure everything cooks evenly. No need to check constantly. That’s the beauty of it. You can go do something else and come back to a perfect stew.
❄️ Slow cooker cooking: master the moisture
Unlike the oven which lets some moisture escape, the slow cooker keeps everything sealed in. If your sauce is too thin after 8 hours, pour it into a pot and let it reduce over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. This concentrates the flavors and it’s perfect. It’s a small trick that makes all the difference.
🍅 The tomato paste trick
Tomato paste adds umami and naturally thickens the sauce. Don’t dilute it too much when pouring it in. Mix well to dissolve it properly and it will do its work during cooking. It’s subtle but it really works.
🥔 Sides that change everything
Couscous is classic, but also try mashed potatoes, rice, or simply toasted bread for dipping in the sauce. It’s up to your mood and it completely changes the experience. The stew is good on its own, but with a good side dish, it’s magic.
⏲️ Oven vs slow cooker: timing
In the oven at 325°F, count 3-4 hours. In the slow cooker, count 8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. The slow cooker is gentler, the oven is more intense. Both give an excellent result. Choose based on your schedule and how much you want to supervise.
❄️ Storage and freezing
This stew freezes without any problem for 3 months. Let it cool completely before freezing in portions. On reheating day, thaw in the fridge the day before and reheat gently in the oven or on the stove. It’s almost better the second time, seriously.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 kg stewing beef cubes
- Olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 cups carrots, halved lengthwise then sliced thick
- 2 cups parsnip, halved lengthwise then sliced thick
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cup Maudite beer by Unibroue
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups baby potatoes cut in half
- 2 cups butternut squash cut in cubes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- A small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Fleur de sel
- Salt and ground pepper
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Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, pour the flour, paprika, salt and pepper generously then mix. Place the beef cubes in the bowl then mix well with your hands to coat the meat well. Remove the beef cubes from the flour and shake to remove excess. Set aside on a plate.
- In a large cast-iron Dutch oven heated over medium-high heat, add about 2 tbsp olive oil then place beef cubes. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side to brown well. Cook a small quantity at a time and add oil as needed. Place the cubes in a bowl.
- In the same Dutch oven, add the onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips and rosemary then salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, mix well and cook for 8 to 10 minutes to caramelize well.
- Put the meat back in the Dutch oven. Deglaze with beer then add tomato paste. Scrape the bottom well to get all the flavors! Mix to dissolve the tomato paste.
- Add the remaining ingredients then salt and pepper generously. Mix well. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and place in oven. Cook for 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, until the meat falls apart at the fork. Stir at halfway point. Serve over couscous and garnish with fresh parsley and fleur de sel!
Slow cooker option
- Do the same preparation steps (flour, browning the meat and caramelizing the vegetables) in a pan.
- Pour everything into your slow cooker with the beer, tomato paste and remaining ingredients.
- Cover and cook on LOW temperature for 8 hours. Stir at halfway point. Serve over couscous and garnish with fresh parsley and fleur de sel!
Yes, it’s even better the next day! The flavors have time to marry. Reheat it gently over low heat so you don’t shock the meat. And honestly, day 2 and 3 are really better than day 1.
If you don’t have beef, grain-fed veal (shoulder or shank) is a delicious and very tender alternative. For a more game-like flavor, venison or moose work wonderfully with the dark beer, but make sure to brown the meat well at the start to seal in the juices.
The flour coating the meat serves as a natural thickener. If you prefer an even richer texture, remove the lid from the oven or slow cooker for the last 45 minutes of cooking. This lets moisture escape and concentrates the flavors.
Both give an excellent result. The oven at 325°F takes 3-4 hours and is more intense. The slow cooker takes 8 hours on low and is gentler. The end result is similar, but the slow cooker really requires zero supervision. Choose based on your timing and how much you want to watch.
That’s normal, the slow cooker keeps all the moisture. Simply pour the sauce into a pot and let it reduce over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. This concentrates the flavors and your sauce becomes perfect. It’s quick and very effective.
Absolutely. Let it cool completely, then freeze in portions. It keeps for 3 months. On reheating day, thaw in the fridge the day before and reheat gently in the oven or on the stove. It’s almost better the second time!
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