Slow Cooker Irish Ale Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Irish Ale Beef Stew – Make your beef stew even better by adding Irish beer and bacon to it! This slow cooker stew is the perfect comfort food.

Slow Cooker Irish Ale Beef Stew

Stew is one of my absolute favorite meals to make.  About once a week it shows up on my menu and I make one of my favorite varieties.  The one that has been popping up the most for me recently has been my slow cooker irish ale beef stew.  I had always thought it would be impossible to top how amazing beef stew was but when I tried adding bacon and beer to it, I have never looked back.  This beef stew is perfect! It has such a nice, strong savory flavor that tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had even longer to all melt together.  I serve it with a batch of dinner rolls and it’s the perfect meal!

Common Questions About Making Irish Ale Beef Stew

What is beef stew?

Beef stew is a hearty, thick soup made with various vegetables and roots such as carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes.  You can adjust the vegetables in it as need be by adding others such as peas or skipping those that you don’t enjoy.  This is a flexible stew that can be adjusted for anyone’s taste and preferences.

What kind of beer should I use?

I suggest using a dark stout such as Guinness but I think so long as you use a dark beer, it should turn out good.

What else can I add to beef stew?

There is a wide variety of additional things you can add to beef stew including –

• Celery
• Sweet potato
• Butternut squash
• Zucchini
• Peas
• Mushrooms
• Beans

What cut of beef is best for stew?

Generally, I go for the pre-cut stew meat but you can also use chuck or round.

How long does pork stew last in the fridge?

Generally, 3-4 days is about as long as you want to keep beef stew in the fridge.  If you have leftovers that you want to save for longer, you can freeze it by transferring the cooled stew into an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.

Looking for more cozy soups and stews? Check out these recipes!

• Venison Stew
• Slow Cooker Pork Stew
• Ham and Potato Soup
• Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
• Venison Barley Soup

Need a side dish to serve?

• Cornmeal Dinner Rolls
• Beer Bread
• Skillet Cornbread
• Herb Quick Bread
• 30 Minute Dinner Rolls

Slow Cooker Irish Ale Beef Stew

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Slow Cooker Irish Ale Beef Stew - Make your beef stew even better by adding Irish beer and bacon to it! This slow cooker stew is the perfect comfort food.

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Ingredients

• 3 slices of bacon
• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2-3 large carrots (sliced)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cups Irish stout beer
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

1. In a large pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and then add in the beef stew meat and onion. Cook until beef has browned before transferring it into a slow cooker along with all of the remaining ingredients. Chop the bacon and add that in too.
2. Place the lid on top and cook for 4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW.
3. Remove bay leaf and serve.