When it comes to cosy comfort food, nothing beats a hearty beef stew. This version takes things up a notch with tender beef slow-cooked in rich ale, mingling with root vegetables that turn sweet and buttery as they simmer. The result is a warming, deeply flavoured dish that’s perfect for autumn and winter evenings. Serve it with creamy mash or crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the savoury gravy.
If you love hearty comfort food, you might also like my Beef & Mushroom Stroganoff with Tagliatelle – it’s creamy, rich, and perfect for colder evenings.
🍴 Tools You’ll Need
Casserole dish – perfect for browning the beef and slow-cooking the stew.
Sharp chef’s knife – makes chopping root vegetables and beef chunks much easier.
Wooden spoon – sturdy enough for stirring and scraping up all those flavourful browned bits.
Measuring jug – handy for pouring out stock and ale in the right amounts.
🍷 Wine Pairing
This rich beef stew pairs beautifully with a Malbec – its deep fruit flavours and smooth tannins complement the ale-based sauce and tender beef. If you’d rather go with something classic, a Cabernet Sauvignon also works well, bringing bold structure and a hint of spice to cut through the richness.
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Beef Stew with Ale & Root Vegetables
Ingredients
- 800 g stewing beef cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots cut into chunks
- 2 parsnips cut into chunks
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 500 ml ale such as a good English bitter or stout
- 500 ml beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Dust the beef in seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches until golden. Remove and set aside.
- In the same dish, add the onions, carrots, parsnips, and celery. Cook for 5–6 minutes until softened and lightly golden, then stir in the garlic and tomato purée, cooking for another minute.
- Pour in the ale and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beef back to the dish, along with the beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and simmer gently on the hob or in the oven at 160°C (140°C fan) for 2–2½ hours, until the beef is tender and the sauce rich and thick.
- Remove the bay leaves, adjust seasoning if needed, and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Top Tips for this Beef Stew with Ale & Root Vegetables
Choose the right cut – stewing beef, chuck, or braising steak works best as it becomes meltingly tender with slow cooking.
Brown in batches – don’t overcrowd the pan when searing the beef; this builds deeper flavour in the stew.
Use a good ale – bitters or stouts add richness, but avoid very hoppy beers as they can taste bitter when cooked.
Cook it low and slow – letting the stew simmer gently for a couple of hours ensures the beef breaks down and the sauce thickens beautifully.
