Ingredients:

  • 2 kg (2.6 lbs) Beef Chuck, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil, plus more for searing
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour, divided
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, diced
  • 3 large Carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds
  • 3 Celery Ribs, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste (concentrate)
  • 350 ml (12 oz bottle) Stout (e.g., Guinness)
  • 750 ml (3 cups) Beef Stock (low sodium preferred)
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 250 g (8 oz) Cremini Mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Season the Beef: Pat the beef cubes dry. Toss them with 1 Tbsp of flour, salt, and pepper until lightly coated.
  2. Sear the Meat: Heat the large skillet over high heat with olive oil. Sear the beef in batches (do not crowd the pan) until deeply browned on all sides (2–3 minutes per batch). Transfer the seared beef directly to the slow cooker bowl. Reserve the skillet with the rendered beef fat for the next step.
  3. Sauté Aromatics: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until slightly softened. Add the garlic and dried thyme and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  5. Deglaze: Pour the stout into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  6. Combine Ingredients: Pour the liquid mixture from the skillet over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and bay leaves.
  7. Cook: Cover the slow cooker. Cook on the Low setting for 8 hours or the High setting for 4 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
  8. Cook Mushrooms: Approximately 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, sauté the mushrooms in butter on the stovetop until nicely browned.
  9. Add Mushrooms: Stir the cooked mushrooms into the stew.
  10. Check Consistency (Thickening): Taste the stew and remove the bay leaves. If the gravy is too thin, remove about 1 cup of the cooking liquid, whisk in the remaining 1 Tbsp of flour to form a slurry, and pour the slurry back into the crockpot. Stir well, cover, and cook for the remaining 30 minutes until thickened.
  11. Serve: Adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) if necessary. Garnish generously with fresh parsley before serving.