I took a package of small tri-tip steaks out of the freezer and into the fridge to defrost. When it was ready, I was at a total loss what to do with it. Then a light bulb went off in my head, Heeeeeey. You have that can of Guinness in the cupboard! Make something with that!
Not to mention we always have red potatoes, onion and carrots lying around – plus I recently made my own beef stock out of marrow bones. It was serendipity telling me to try my hand at Guinness Beef Stew. Now, notice I am using both “stew” and “soup” to describe this concoction. That’s because while I stewed this as the method of cooking, my liquids were kept thin and not thickened like many stews are.

I made this very late (after midnight) on Wednesday/Thursday so that I would have it readily available for my lunch on Thursday. Since I knew I was going to keep the kitchen busy with Christmas cookie baking, I needed to have this meal already prepared.

Meat:
1 lbs. tri-tip steak, chopped into stew sized bites
Season meat with salt, pepper, thyme, turmeric & garlic powder

From Bottom to Top: Add in the Slow Cooker:
Sliced & scrubbed red potatoes (I used six)
Scrubbed and chopped carrots (I used six, chopped in 3′s)
Coarsely chopped sweet (yellow) onion
Smashed garlic cloves (I used three cloves)
Meat
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Mushrooms, halved or kept whole
1 can of Guinness (14 fl. oz)
2 cups beef stock (I used homemade)
2 bay leaves

Set on low for 8 hours

At the 7 hour mark, add a TBS of “Better than Bouillon” or two low-sodium beef bouillon cubes.

When it was done I let the soup cool completely before storing it – save for a bowl for myself at lunch time! It was delicious! Light, not overwhelmingly beefy or boozy and I loved the extra bite that the red pepper flakes gives the broth.

Enjoy this on a rainy or snowy winter night! This post is part of Wanderfood Wednesday