Slow Cooker Guinness Braised Beef

March 12, 2012

Guinness braised beef with fluffy mashed potatoes is the ultimate St. Patrick's Day meal.  A beef roast is cooked low and slow with onions, carrots , sherry and Guinness beer.  The secret ingredient to this recipe (besides the Guinness) is the tablespoon of cocoa powder which adds richness and depth of flavor to the meat.  After 6-8 hours, your beef roast will be absolutely tender and delicious.  When you are about to serve, pile on the Guinness braised beef over a bed of mashed potatoes and reserve plenty of the cooking liquid for a sauce.

Guinness Braised Beef

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless beef pot roast, tied with kitchen twine
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound onions, chopped roughly
1 pound carrots, cut into 1- inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sherry
12 ounces Guinness
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
4 thyme springs
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
 
Directions:
 
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, then transfer to the slow-cooker.
 
To the leftover oil in the skillet, add the onions and carrots, salt, freshly ground pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 20 seconds. Deglaze with the pan with the sherry, scraping up any brown bits. Let the sherry cook until the liquid reduces by about half, then add the vegetables to the slow-cooker.
 
Add the Guinness, broth, thyme, cocoa, teaspoon salt, and bay leaves to slow-cooker; cook for 9-10 hours on low, or 6-7 hours on high.
 
When almost ready to eat, transfer the roast to cutting board and loosely tent with foil while preparing the sauce.
 
Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the braising liquid and puree the juices and vegetables with an immersion blender (or transfer to a stand blender in batches).
 
Slice beef in ½-inch thick slices, then pour the sauce on top.
 
Serve with a Guinness. Enjoy!
 
Note: Image is only a representation of this dish.

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