Guinness Beef Stew in a Crock Pot

By jedrew_52

Ingredients

• 8 -10 red potatoes , skin on, quartered
• 6 carrots , peeled, sliced into thick chunks
• 2 stalks celery , cut in chunks
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 lbs stew meat , cubed (I used chuck)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 dash garlic powder
• 2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion , diced
• 4 large garlic cloves , minced
• 8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms , halved
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 10 3/4 ounces beef broth (I used consomme)
• 1 (13 g) envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's)
• 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning (Mrs. Dash)
• 12 ounces beer (Guinness, draught or stout)
• 1 cup frozen peas , if desired

Preparation

Step 1

1
Put potato, carrot, and celery chunks in the bottom of crock pot. Top with 2 bay leaves.
2
Season flour with a dash of salt, pepper and garlic powder and coat the beef with the flour mixture. Heat a couple of tbsp of olive oil over med-high heat in a large skillet and add 1 bay leaf. Sauté beef in batches, just until browned.(It took me about 3 batches in a 12" skillet). Add more oil to pan as necessary for each batch. Remove and set aside.
3
Add onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over med heat for a few minutes, then add about half the can of beef broth to deglaze, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. (That's Flavor!).
4
Add meat and onions to crock pot, top with mushrooms.
5
Mix remaining beef broth with tomato sauce, onion soup mix, remaining seasonings, and add to crock pot. Pour in most of bottle of beer (whatever fits, I had a few sips left for me).
6
Cook 8 hours on low heat. Stir in frozen peas when done, they'll heat up on their own.
7
Serve with crusty French bread!
8
*Tony Chachere's and Mrs. Dash are my "go-to" seasonings for everything. You can use your favorite if these are not available.


Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/guinness-beef-stew-in-a-crock-pot-259913#ixzz1pCEP6fq9