Slow Cooker Beef And Ale Stew Recipe
This is the most delicious, easy slow cooker beef and ale stew recipe! Tender, melt in the mouth slow cooked beef in a rich, warming beer gravy. You just can't beat a bowl of this stew on a cold day!
It's that time of year when we just can't get enough of easy slow cooker recipes. Delicious one pot stews, warming casseroles and pot roasts. And our slow cooker beef and ale stew with dumplings is an absolute winner!
I must admit I love to make slow cooker dinner recipes in the autumn and winter. They're simple, usually low cost and I love that all I have to do at dinner time is cook up some potatoes, rice or pasta to go alongside.
Our extra tasty slow cooker beef and ale stew recipe takes just a few minutes food preparation in the morning and then just leave the slow cooker to do its thing. And that night you'll be coming home to a delicious beef and ale casserole. Proper comfort food!
I like to serve this beef stew recipe with Aunt Bessie Dumplings for speed and some crusty bread for mopping up the juices. One of our favourite slow cooker meals to make!
BEEF AND ALE STEW RECIPE
- Serves – 4 people
- Prep Time – 10 mins
- Cook Time – 8 hrs (slow cooker)
- Total Time – 8 hours 10 minutes
- Our Most Popular Alternative – Slow Cooker Brisket And Gravy
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Chopping board
- Sharp vegetable knife
- Tablespoon (tbsp)
- Teaspoon (tsp)
- Cooking spoon or spatula
- Slow cooker - if your slow cooker pan cannot be used on the hob then you'll need a separate saucepan for sautéing onions and browning the meat.
INGREDIENTS FOR BEEF AND ALE STEW
- olive oil
- onions - roughly chopped
- carrots - peeled and sliced
- sticks celery - sliced
- braising steak (sometimes called stewing steak or stewing beef) - cut into bitesized chunks
- tin of chopped tomatoes
- ale - we use Hobgoblin (you can swap this for beef stock if you prefer)
- bay leaves - these are great herbs to grow in your garden
- dried thyme
- salt and black pepper to taste
For calories and nutrition information see recipe card below
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER BEEF AND ALE STEW
Step One - Preheat the slow cooker
- Preheat the slow cooker on the low setting.
Step Two - Sauté the onions and brown the meat
Cooks note! I use a slow cooker with a removable pan that can be used on the hob to brown the meat - if you cannot do this with your slow cooker then just use a saucepan or frying pan and then transfer to the slow cooker for cooking
- Add the olive oil and gently fry the chopped onions and celery for a few minutes until the start to soften.
- Add the raw meat to the pan and fry gently to brown.
Step Three - Load up the slow cooker
- Add the onions, celery and meat to the slow cooker bowl.
- Tip in the carrots, tinned tomatoes and pour over the ale.
- Add the bay leaves, thyme and season well with salt and pepper.
- Give the slow cooker diced beef casserole a good mix together with a spoon to combine all the ingredients.
Step Four - Cook the beef and ale stew
- Pop the lid on the slow cooker and cook the beef and ale stew on low for 8 hours.
Cooks Note! If the cooked stew needs thickening - add a couple of teaspoons of cornflour to a cup and mix to a paste with cold water - then stir it through the stew and cook for a few minutes to thicken.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BEEF AND ALE STEW
Beef and Ale stew goes with loads of different sides, and they're all pretty easy!
- Mashed Potatoes - try our mustard mash recipe here, or our garlic mashed potatoes, or if you like cheese... our cheesy mash is perfect with a beef stew.
- Pasta - choose a pasta like pappardelle, tagliatelle or rigatoni
- Crusty Bread
- Dumplings - cheat and use Aunt Bessies Dumplings
- Green vegetables - try any mix of green beans, broccoli or peas - grab a bag of frozen veggies and cook them from the freezer so it's less faff.
RECIPE TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT BEEF STEW
What's the best type of beef for stew in the slow cooker?
Here's where cooking slow cooker stews really starts to save you money! Because the absolute best beef for stew is the cheaper cuts.
The best type of beef for slow cooker stew is braising steak (also known as chuck steak) this cut of beef is low cost and becomes super tender in the slow cooker, it will literally melt in your mouth and be bursting with flavour.
And don't be afraid of using some of the fatty parts, the fat will melt into the stew making it more flavoursome.
You can also use beef skirt and shin, both these cuts of beef are wonderful when slowly cooked, tenderising beautifully.
What's the best ale to use in beef and ale stew?
When using brown ale for cooking in a beef stew you really want to opt for a lovely flavourful, full bodied, malty ale. My favourite ale to use in beef stew is Hobgoblin Ruby from Wychwood Brewery
This has a delicious fruity finish which pairs beautifully with beef. The tasty gravy this ale helps to make is fantastic! A total treat to eat.
If you accidentally use an ale in your beef stew that's too bitter in your casserole, you can counter this by stirring through a tablespoon of dark fruits jam or adding a couple of teaspoons of dark brown sugar. This will counteract the bitterness and sweeten up your stew.
How to make beef and ale stew in the slow cooker
It's super easy to make our everyday dinner ideas - just load up your slow cooker with our diced beef recipe - just soften the onions, brown the braising steak, add in the tomatoes, vegetables and ale and cook on low for 8 hours. A simple, tasty slow cook beef recipe.
Can I freeze leftover beef and ale stew?
Yes, of course, just cool the stew down thoroughly and properly and then store in an air tight container in the freezer. I usually use it up within 3 months of freezing.
When using the stew - be sure to defrost it properly and reheat properly.
HOW MAKE A PIE WITH BEEF STEW
Now... I'm not a pie purist! I'm happy to call a dish of stew with a puff pastry lid on top a pie! And I'm happy with that! So to turn our beef and ale stew slow cooker recipe into a pie - just tip the stew into a large oven proof dish - I usually use an enamel roasting tin for this.
And as you know I like my cooking to be low effort... so I top the stew with a sheet of ready rolled puff pastry. I decorate the top a little with the off cuts, brush the top with beaten egg and then bake in the oven until the pie filling is piping hot throughout and the pastry golden brown on top.
HOW TO USE UP LEFTOVER BEEF STEW
Looking for tasty ways to use up leftover beef in ale stew then we've got you covered - try out our tasty leftover stew recipes here.
MORE EASY DICED BEEF RECIPES TO TRY
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Beef And Ale Stew
An extra tasty beef and ale stew slow cooker recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions - roughly chopped
- 4 carrots - peeled and sliced
- 3 sticks celery - sliced
- 600g braising steak - cut into bitesized pieces
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 350ml Ale - we use Hobgoblin
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the slow cooker on the low setting.
- Add the olive oil and gently fry the chopped onions and celery for a few minutes until the start to soften.
- Add the meat to the pan and fry gently to brown.
- Load up the slow cooker - add the onions, celery and meat to the slow cooker bowl.
- Tip in the carrots, tinned tomatoes and pour over the ale.
- Add the bay leaves, thyme and season well with salt and pepper.
- Give the slow cooker diced beef casserole a good mix together with a spoon to combine all the ingredients.
- Pop the lid on the slow cooker and cook the beef and ale stew on low for 8 hours.
Cooks Note! If the cooked stew needs thickening – add a couple of teaspoons of cornflour to a cup and mix to a paste with cold water – then stir it through the stew and cook for a few minutes to thicken.
Notes
Cooks note! I use a slow cooker with a removable pan that can be used on the hob to brown the meat – if you cannot do this with your slow cooker then just use a saucepan or frying pan and then transfer to the slow cooker for cooking
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 546Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 213mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 42g
Nutritional content will vary depending on the exact ingredients you use and how careful you are with measuring - this nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate - you should always calculate your own nutritional information especially if you have specific dietary requirements.
Get more delicious meal ideas and easy recipes here
Disclaimer - in a lot of our slow cooker recipes we use a crockpot where the inner pan in safe to use on the hob as well as in the crockpot. If you don’t have a hob safe slow cooker - then use a pan for any hob cooking then transfer to the slow cooker pan for slow cooking.
Wendy is the creator of Daisies & Pie, a UK food blog sharing easy meals and home lifestyle tips since 2012
