Beef and Ale Stew

A hearty British pub classic made easy in the slow cooker. Rich, dark, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

• 600g diced stewing beef
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 carrots, chunked
• 200g mushrooms, halved
• 330ml bottle of ale (bitter or brown ale)
• 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 200ml water
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Toss the beef in flour and season well.
2. Place onions and carrots in the slow cooker.
3. Add the beef and mushrooms on top.
4. Mix together the ale, stock, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and thyme. Pour over everything.
5. Cook on Low for 8 hours until the beef is meltingly tender.
6. Stir well and serve with mashed potato or crusty bread.

Tips

Use a decent ale — nothing too hoppy. A traditional bitter or brown ale works best. Newcastle Brown is a solid choice.