Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 6 slices bacon, cut into pieces
• 2 pounds beef shoulder roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Sea salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 8 baby red potatoes, quartered
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 (16 ounce) can of Guinness beer
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, optional

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, brown the bacon until it is cooked and crumbly. Transfer the bacon to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon.
2. Remove all but two tablespoons of the bacon fat from the sauté pan and return it to the stove over medium-high heat. Liberally season the beef pieces with salt and black pepper.
3. Cook the beef in the bacon fat until it is well browned on all sides, three to four minutes per side. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon. Add the onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic cloves, and dried thyme to the slow cooker. If including mushrooms, add them at this time.
4. Return the sauté pan to the stovetop on medium-high heat once more. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes. Add the beer and red wine vinegar, using the spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, and then pour all the liquid in the pan into the slow cooker. Stir all the ingredients to combine them.
5. Turn the slow cooker on to low. Cover and cook for ten hours.
6. Remove the lid from the slow cooker. Stir in the parsley just before serving. Serve with buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes.