It’s a perfect Sunday afternoon here in Heek—the kind with a cool breeze rustling the autumn leaves, inviting you to stay inside and cook something truly special. On days like these, I love a recipe that can simmer away on its own, filling the house with the most incredible, comforting aroma. My absolute favorite for the job is this soul-warming Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew Recipe.
This is the ultimate easy version of the beloved Irish pub classic. We’re talking impossibly tender, fall-apart chunks of beef and a medley of hearty root vegetables, all slow-cooked to perfection in a deep, dark, and incredibly savory gravy made rich and complex with Guinness stout. It’s a meal that tastes like it took hours of careful watching, but our trusty slow cooker does all the hard work for us.
This is the perfect “set it and forget it” meal to prep on a lazy Sunday for a spectacular dinner, or even to start on a weekday morning for a hero’s welcome home. Get ready for a bowl of the richest, most satisfying comfort you can imagine.
The Ultimate Cozy Pub Meal, Made Easy
The secret to a truly memorable beef stew often lies in its braising liquid, and this is where Guinness stout works its magic. Unlike a wine- or broth-based stew, a beer-braised stew, or Biergulasch as we might call a similar dish in Germany, has a unique, malty depth. The Guinness provides a rich, dark color and a wonderfully robust flavor with notes of coffee and caramel that are balanced by a pleasant bitterness.
This recipe is inspired by the cozy, welcoming feeling of a traditional Irish pub on a rainy day. I wanted to capture that authentic, rustic flavor in a recipe that was almost entirely hands-off. By taking the time to build a deep flavor base in a skillet first—searing the beef and sautéing the aromatics—and then letting the slow cooker take over for hours, we create a stew that is both effortless and profoundly delicious.
Why Your Slow Cooker Was Made for This Stew:
- Deep, Robust, and Unique Flavor: The Guinness (or other dark stout) creates a one-of-a-kind gravy that is rich, malty, and incredibly savory.
- Meltingly Tender Beef: The long, slow, and gentle heat of the slow cooker is the perfect environment for turning tough chuck beef into fork-tender perfection.
- “Set It and Forget It” Convenience: After about 20-25 minutes of prep in the morning, your work is done! You can go about your day and come home to a perfectly cooked dinner.
- A Hearty, All-in-One Meal: Packed with beef and a generous amount of root vegetables, this is a complete, nourishing meal in one pot.
Ingredients & Equipment
For the Guinness Beef Stew:
- Bacon (Speckwürfel): 115g (4 oz), diced.
- Beef Chuck (Rindernacken / Schmorfleisch): 1.2 kg (about 2.5 lbs), patted dry and cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
- All-Purpose Flour: 60g (¼ cup), seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Yellow Onions: 2 large, chopped.
- Carrots: 3 large, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces.
- Celery: 2 stalks, chopped.
- Garlic: 4 cloves, minced.
- Tomato Paste (Tomatenmark): 2 tablespoons.
- Guinness Stout (or other dark beer): 440 ml (1 can / 14.9 oz). A German Schwarzbier or Doppelbock also works beautifully.
- Beef Broth (Rinderbrühe): 500 ml (2 cups).
- Brown Sugar: 1 tablespoon, packed. This balances the bitterness of the beer.
- Worcestershire Sauce: 1 tablespoon.
- Fresh Thyme: 3-4 sprigs.
- Bay Leaf: 1.
- Potatoes: 700g (1.5 lbs), waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5-inch chunks.
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped, for garnish.
Helpful Equipment:
- A 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker (
Schongarer). - A large skillet for searing.
Time Estimates
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours on LOW
- Total Time: Approximately 6.5 – 8.5 hours (mostly inactive cooking time)
Step-by-Step Instructions
A little bit of prep work in the skillet is the secret to a spectacular slow cooker stew.
Step 1: Cook Bacon and Sear Beef In a large skillet, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until it’s crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to the basin of your slow cooker, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Toss the beef cubes in the seasoned flour. Increase the skillet heat to medium-high. Working in batches, sear the beef in the hot bacon fat on all sides until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Step 3: Deglaze and Build the Liquid Base Pour the Guinness into the hot skillet to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble for a minute.
Step 4: Combine Everything in the Slow Cooker Transfer the vegetable and beer mixture from the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the beef broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, and the bay leaf. Add the potato chunks and the reserved crispy bacon. Stir everything together gently.
Step 5: Cook Low and Slow Secure the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on the LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours, or on the HIGH setting for 4 to 5 hours. The stew is ready when the beef is fall-apart tender.
Step 6: Finish and Serve Remove the thyme sprigs and the bay leaf. Taste the gravy and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the hot, hearty stew into bowls and garnish with a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes, Tips & Variations
- Don’t Skip the Sear! I know it’s tempting to just dump everything into the slow cooker, but that initial 15-20 minutes of browning the bacon, searing the beef, and sautéing the vegetables builds the deep, complex flavor base that makes this stew truly exceptional.
- Balancing the Beer: Don’t skip the brown sugar! The sweetness is essential to balance the natural, pleasant bitterness of the Guinness or dark beer, resulting in a perfectly rounded gravy.
- For a Thicker Gravy: This stew should have a nicely thickened gravy from the flour on the beef. If you prefer it even thicker, you can whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Stir this into the stew during the last 30 minutes of cooking on the HIGH setting.
- Serving Suggestions: This rich, savory stew is a dream served alongside or on top of creamy mashed potatoes. It’s also fantastic with some crusty bread (like an Irish soda bread) for mopping up every last drop of the incredible gravy.
The Best Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 115 g 4 oz bacon, diced
- 1.2 kg 2.5 lbs beef chuck, in 1.5-inch cubes
- 60 g ¼ cup all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
- 2 large onions 3 large carrots, 2 celery stalks, all chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 440 ml 1 can Guinness stout
- 500 ml 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 thyme sprigs & 1 bay leaf
- 700 g 1.5 lbs waxy potatoes, in 1.5-inch chunks
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prep Meats: In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer bacon to the slow cooker, leaving the fat in the skillet. Toss beef cubes in seasoned flour.
- Sear Beef: Sear the beef in batches in the hot bacon fat until deeply browned. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Veggies: In the same skillet, sauté onions, carrots, and celery for 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze: Pour the Guinness into the skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Combine: Transfer the vegetable/beer mixture to the slow cooker. Add the beef broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, potatoes, and the cooked bacon. Stir to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is tender.
- Serve: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Searing the beef first is a critical step for developing deep flavor.
- A German Schwarzbier or Doppelbock can be used instead of Guinness.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Will my stew taste bitter from the beer? This is a common concern, but the answer is no, not if you balance it correctly! The long, slow cooking process mellows out the harshness of the alcohol and the bitterness of the stout. The addition of a tablespoon of brown sugar is also key, as its sweetness perfectly counteracts the beer’s bitter notes, leaving you with a deep, rich, and complexly savory gravy.
2. Do I really have to sear the beef before putting it in the slow cooker? I know it’s an extra pan to wash, but I promise this step is absolutely worth it. Searing the meat creates a deep brown crust through the Maillard reaction, which develops hundreds of flavor compounds. This is the difference between a stew that’s just “okay” and one that is deeply, unforgettably flavorful.
3. Can I make this on the stovetop or in the oven instead? Yes, absolutely. This recipe works perfectly in a Dutch oven. Simply follow all the searing and sautéing steps in the Dutch oven itself. Then, instead of transferring to a slow cooker, just bring it all to a simmer on the stovetop, cover it, and either let it simmer on your lowest stove setting or place it in a preheated 160°C (325°F) oven for about 3 hours, until the beef is tender.
4. What are the best side dishes for Guinness Beef Stew? This stew is a rich, dark, and savory meal, so it’s perfect with something that can soak up all that incredible gravy. My top recommendations are a big pile of creamy mashed potatoes (like a classic Irish Colcannon) or a loaf of rustic, crusty bread (like an Irish soda bread) for dipping.
Ready for the Coziest Bowl of Stew?
There is truly nothing better than coming home to the incredible smell of a slow-cooked meal waiting for you. This Guinness Beef Stew is the epitome of low-effort, high-reward cooking. I hope it brings warmth and comfort to your table. If you make it, I would absolutely love it if you left a comment and a star rating below!
For more soul-warming recipes perfect for a chilly day, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram. Happy cooking! Nad Try out my Red Wine & Mushroom Beef Stew.