Slow Cooker Beef Guinness Stew and Colcannon

Recipe tags

• Family Favourite
• Dinner
• Slow Cooker
• Slow Sundays

Ingredients

• 750 g Diced Stewing Beef
• 330 ml Guinness
• 1 tbsp Sunflower Oil
• 150 g Kale
• 250 g Carrots
• 1 item Beef Stock Cubes
• 1 pinch Black Pepper
• 40 g Butter
• 2 tbsp Plain Flour
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 kg White Potatoes
• 100 ml Semi Skimmed Milk
• 2 tbsp Fresh Chives

Method

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and black pepper, sprinkle over the plain flour and toss until lightly coated. Add the beef to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning until browned on the outside. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
2. Peel the carrots and cut them into thick slices, then add them to the slow cooker. Pour the Guinness into the frying pan and stir for a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour this over the beef, add the beef stock and stir everything together. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours, until the beef is really tender and the gravy is rich and thick.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized chunks. Put them into a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, remove any tough stalks from the kale and finely chop the leaves. Add the kale to the potatoes for the final 3-4 minutes of cooking.
4. Drain the potatoes and kale well, then return them to the pan for a minute to let any excess moisture steam away. Add the butter and milk and mash until creamy, with the kale running through it. Finely chop the fresh chives and stir most of them into the colcannon.
5. Spoon the colcannon onto four plates or into shallow bowls, then add the tender beef, carrots and plenty of Guinness gravy alongside. Finish the mash with the remaining chopped chives.

Notes

• Tender slow-cooked beef and carrots in a rich Guinness gravy, served with creamy colcannon mash with kale and fresh chives. It’s a hearty, comforting dinner that’s ideal for colder days, with the slow cooker doing most of the work.

Tips

• Brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker. It adds much more flavour to the finished gravy.
• Use the Guinness to loosen any browned bits from the frying pan before pouring it into the slow cooker. That flavour is worth keeping.
• Let the potatoes steam for a minute after draining before mashing. This helps stop the colcannon becoming watery.
• If the stew is thinner than you’d like at the end, leave the slow cooker lid off on High for 15–20 minutes if your model allows.

Swaps and substitutes

• Stewing Beef: Braising steak or chuck steak works well.
• Guinness: Another stout can be used if preferred or even the alcohol free version.
• Kale: Savoy cabbage or spring greens are good alternatives for the colcannon.
• Fresh Chives: Spring onions can be used for a slightly stronger flavour.

Equipment and cleaning

• A removable slow cooker pot makes serving and cleaning much easier. Once the stew is served, soak the pot in warm soapy water before the rich gravy dries around the edges.
• Using the same frying pan for browning the beef and reducing the Guinness keeps the washing up down and captures all the flavour from the pan.
• Rinse the potato pan soon after mashing, as dried potato starch can be stubborn once it sets.

No-waste tips

• Extra colcannon: Shape into patties and pan-fry the next day for an easy lunch or side.
• Remaining kale: Add it to soups, pasta, curries or stir-fries. Look for other recipes that use this and add to your planner.
• Extra carrots: Add them to soups, tray bakes or another slow cooker meal.