Spiced Beef Stew

As usual, Corwynn's recipe was outstanding. You're an All-Recipes superstar, Corwynn - my favorite recipe submitter! (If you haven't tried Corwynn's other recipes, head straight to her list!) Delicious, hearty dish with a complex, savory flavor; must be the combination of the thyme and the beer. To mix it up a little, I added a packet of dry onion soup and used fresh veggies (sweet potato, carrots, and celery). Since I used sweet potatoes, I did not add the brown sugar. And as much as I love butter, I decided to cut back on the saturated fat by browning the meat in a few tablespoons of olive oil instead. These changes made the stew a little healthier but still tasted rich, even decadent. This was a hit with my family, even my picky 6 year old. This is definitely our new family stew recipe.

This recipe was easy to fix and tasted delious. I increased the oven to 450 degrees to speed up the cooking time. I don't buy canned vegatables, so frozen vegatables work just as well. They seem to keep their firmness during cooking time.

Very good, loved the different flavor the beer gives although not too overpowering. I did add extra water, I thought it was a little too thick.

This recipe is so beautiful! I used olive oil instead of margarine, 1 bottle of beer (Budweiser) and I simmered everything in a covered pot for 1 1/2 hours. Added potatoes in the last half hour. I served this with steamed rice and roasted red peppers. Will make again!!

It wasn't what we expected, however it wasn't terrible either, I thought it was too sweet and my husband didn't thing it was "hearty" enough. I prefer my stews to be more brothy, I like dipping rolls in the juices, but this had hardly any juice. We used a dark beer which I didn't care for too much. I have to add though that we ate the leftovers for dinner the next night and we added V8 tomato juice to it and it was definately alot better, I was able to dip my leftover rolls in it!

A rich, hearty stew that I'd make again! I added 6 medium-sized red potatoes cut in fourths, 1 rib of sliced celery, and 6 sliced carrots in place of the canned veggies. Add them to the pot when you first put it in the oven or they won't cook through. I also had to add 1 T. cornstarch mixed w/1 T. water to the gravy, as it wasn't as thick as I like. Oh, and salt! It needed at least 1 tsp. salt as well as some pepper. I thought this stew was really tasty, but no one in my family raved. They all ate it, but it wasn't like "More, more, more!" Actually, it was much better the next day. In the future, I think I'll make it ahead of time and reheat it.

This stew has a wonderful flavor. The only changes I made were to add 2 cubed potatoes, salt, and pepper. I also cooked it on the stovetop, not in the oven. I'm not normally a big stew fan, but I'll make this often! Thanks so much for the recipe... It's the best I've ever made!

This is the best stew I have ever made, and I have been making stew for 30 years. Bear in mind--it is very rich. This one is a keeper!

The Basic stew was full of flavor. It was very easy to prepare but I added some of my favorite vegies - Corn, green beans, potatoes, cabbage. Served it with corn bread. Delicious!

Good stew. Nice consistency. The only thing I would change next time is to reduce the brown sugar slightly. I thought it was too sweet. Used a full bottle of Bud Light and thought it tasted just fine. Also, used frozen vegetables, which we didn't really care for in this recipe. We like straight potatoes and carrots. Next time, I will use this recipe and forgo the mixed veggies and put in those that I like. Corwynne always has the best soup recipes.

This stew was awesome!! I only tweaked the amounts of liquid as I wanted a bit more stew with my meat. I added an extra half cup of beer and probably around an extra cup of beef broth. I threw everything in the crock pot, without browning the meat, then melted the called for butter, mixed in the flour and put that in the crock pot once everything had warmed up. I had to add an extra mixture of butter and flour for a number of reasons: one, I use a gluten free flour mixture, two, I added extra liquid, three, I wanted my stew a little more thick than how it was coming out. I also went without the canned vegetables and added a chopped up sweet potato (probably could have used two), 10-15 baby carrots, and baby peas (added half an hour before I was ready to serve). I thought this was perfectly seasoned as is, but my husband added some salt to his bowl.

This stew was pretty good in the crockpot all day on low. I added a packet of brown gravy mix and used fresh potatoes, onions, and carrots. I also used almost an entire bottle of Coor's (all I had on hand). I was a bit concerned that it might be bitter, but the beer taste wasn't really there at all. 'Course that could have been the choice of beer I used. Next time I will use a dark beer. I like this stew for its brown gravy; next time I might thicken the gravy a bit, but my family loved it all the same! Thank you for a good recipe.

The best stew I have ever had. What a great recipe. I think the beer and the brown sugar really adds a nice taste. I did add some potatoes to this. After all, it is stew right? I also used frozen vegetables versus canned veggies. Ive made this 3x so far and have many compliments and requests for the recipe. I sent them your recipe link. Great job Corwynn Darkholme. You did great!!!

The butter/beer/beef broth/dried thyme make an incredible gravy which serves as the base to this recipe. I added diced new potatoes (left the skins on), fresh cracked black pepper, and sea salt along the way. I made this on the stove top instead of in the oven. The brown sugar adds a nice background sweetness. Awesome recipe.

my boyfriend adored this recipe. I found the stew a little thick so just added another cups beef broth an hour before it was done and it thickened up beautifully while still leaving it thick enough to coat the biscuits.

Perfect. Next time I'll use less boilon

This was a good traditional beef stew. this reminded me of pot roast with gravy more than anything. This isn't as good as my favorite recipe, but it is still really good. I used a can of beef consomme since I didn't have broth and a can of french onion soup since I didn't feel like cutting up onions and it was sitting there next to the consomme in my pantry. The beer made this smell odd (to me anyway) but I couldn't taste it.

Very disappointing. Bland and very beery tasting. Also seemed like something was missing. Didn't like using canned veggies either.

I really like this stew recipe but use it only a guide. I use fresh carrots, potatoes and celery. I try a different beer every time I cook, so far the favorite is Blue Moon. I up the liquids to 3 cans of broth and 1 1/2 to 2 beers. The potatoes and celery soak up the juices. The next day this stew is divine, the flavors really come out. And it thickens up a lot so I add water as needed to thin it out a bit.

This is more a soup than a stew, but it is still one of the best recipes I have ever tried. I made this a year ago and have been dreaming about it ever since. The only change I made was using fresh carrot and potato instead of frozen veggies. I can't wait to make this again!

What a keeper! Loved the deep, sweet flavor of the broth. Thanks Corwynn. I simmered mine on the stove top and used fresh vegetables. Remember - when adding the flour to the pot, add some of the beef broth to break up the flour rue. I will make this again and again. Even my 3 1/2 and 9 1/2 ate it, and they are very, very picky eaters. :-)

This recipe was great, though i did leave out the beer. I did add my own spices and my own fresh veggies, it was great...this recipe either by mistake or intentionally leaves out salt and pepper, but add your own to your liking. I defintely recommend

terrific! I'm stuffed but could easily go back for thirds. Used the crock pot about 6 to 7 hours which was plenty of time. Used the whole beer (Bud) yet there was no bitter taste I think it gave a bit of a barley flavor. I also used 3 garlic cloves rather than 2. Salt and Pepper on meat before browning and added celery. Thanks for a great one!

This recipe wasn't as good as I expected after reading everyones review. I did this recipe in a crock-pot and it came out very bland. it needs more spices or at least some salt. When I had the leftover the next day it wasn't any better. I won't be making it again.

My husband LOVED this, and the kids even seemed to enjoy it. Great for a cold evening! I made it in the crockpot, subbed more broth for the beer, and used frozen veggies instead of canned. I have been looking for a basic, classic stew recipe for a long time. (Still learning the basics of cooking) I am SO happy to have found it!

PERFECT! I used fresh cut up veggies and left out the butter, used olive oil instead. It was sooooo yummy. Unfortunately I used the only beer in the house "Fin du Monde" a Quebec micro-brewery I think. The beer by itself is one of the best I've ever tasted and my husband was a little miffed that I used the good one to cook with, hee hee. I'd like to make it again with a cheaper beer and see if there is much of a difference.

This stew was so rich and delicious! The grocery store was out of beef broth, so I used a can of french onion soup in its place and omitted the sugar. I also used a dark beer, which added a ton of flavor.

Very tasty! I did leave out the beer! When seeing the recipe, I had never heard of brown sugar in a stew before, so I followed everything except for the beer. The brown sugar added a nice flavor. I added extra beef bullion in place of the beer. Along with big, fluffy biscuits, it was an excellent dinner!

Not sure why this is called "spiced" since it doesn't have many spices, but it is truly delicious. We followed the recipe exactly, but instead of adding mixed vegetables, I added chunks of peeled red potatoes, carrots, and some frozen peas at the end. As well, I seasoned the meat with kosher salt and black pepper before browning. Delish!!

I adapted this recipe to make it even more low carb! I used Splenda instead of brown sugar, less onion, green beans only instead of mixed veggies, & Michelob Ultra. This is a yummy beefy stew with a thin but flavorful gravy! I did add a few grinds of pepper. Thanks, Corwynn!!!

So we changed the recipe a bit - crock potted it instead of the dutch oven. Instead of the mixed veggies from a can we put in potatoes and carrots, if I had corn and celery we would have done that too! The base is just soooooo good and we will definitely do it again! Oh and we spiced it up a bit with some added pepper. Wonderful recipe!

I thought it was very good. It could use some more seasoning though I'm just not sure what!

this is good...impressed myself by making it. I used Ultra light beer, potatoes, carrots, celery, and a can of peas(drained). Very good!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!

The whole family as well as the neighbor boys gave this recipe 5 stars. It was very hearty and flavorful. The only changes I made were to omit the beer, added potatoes, used fresh mixed veggies, and cooked in the crock-pot on low for 9 hours. Definitely a keeper and will be making again.

I've finally found a beef stew recipe! This was sooo good, we couldn't stop eating it. I cut back on the onion, just as a preference, but next time, will probably use the full amount. The meat had a wonderful flavor. This will become a stand-by at our house.

This is a great quick and easy stew. Everyone, even the kids, loved it! It also is great for getting rid of leftovers. I threw in left over roasted potatos and carrots, and I used the onion soup mix. Excellent!

This is an awesome recipe. I know it as "Beef and Beer", though! I have been making this recipe for years for my family. It has a lot of flavor and great gravy. The only suggestion I have is after trying several different kinds of beer with it, I like Sam Adams the best because it makes the best flavored gravy.

I omitted the browning step. I put all the ingredients into the crockpot. Turned out very nicely. I used fresh carrots, potatoes, onion & celery for the vegetables.

Loved this stew. I made it for dinner with friends & had no leftovers!The only change I made was to use fresh vegetables and potatoes. Definately a keeper! Thanks!

This recipe makes a great stew which can be served over rice or eaten as a complete meal. I added potatoes and carrots and it tasted even better the next day. I agree with the suggestion to add water to thin the gravy. Yum, I'll be making this again.

I double this for my brood and make a few changes. I use 3 lbs. of diced potates, 2 lbs. of diced carrots and 4 small parsnips also diced after the meat has cooked for an hour and a half. I then let the veggies cook for another hour and a half. I also use a full bottle of beer, 2 cups beef broth, and double the thyme. It's a keeper at my house!

wow, does this stew taste yummy! i browned the beef in butter instead of margarine, used coors beer (what i had but bet dark beer would enhance the flavor) & put in a 16 oz. bag of mixed vegetables. my house smelled absolutely wonderful while this was baking! one note: i'd say we ended up with 4 servings instead of 6 but maybe i'm thinking american proportions. thanks again corwynn, we're also fond of your delicious french beef stew!

I thought it was an unusual stew recipe, but my husband and daughter didn't like it. The thyme overpowers all other flavors in the recipe. I thought it was okay over noodles. The sauce has a wonderful, thick consistency and the onions are a nice touch.

This recipe is really, really simple and tastes and smells like you've slaved all day over the stove. The beef becomes really tender, and the gravy is incredible. I added a small can of sliced mushrooms, and served this over white rice. I'll double the batch next time .... everyone wanted seconds!

I used Guiness (Ale) to give this more kick and I really loved the result...so does everyone else who eats it. Thanks!

Excellent! I sprayed pot with no fat cooking spray instead of margarine and cooked lean stew meat. I used Natural Light beer. I sprinkled 1/4 cup of flour, stirred as I sprinkled so it would not get chunky. Covered pot and cooked on a low setting for 1 and 1/2 hours on stove top. The pot I used has a non-stick coating. The only regret I have is that I did not make more. My 6 year old son nearly ate the whole pot of stew.

The beer is a must have for this recipe. I tried it without and subbed in more broth, it didn’t turn out near as good. Something about those bubbles. Gonna try with a Pepsi sometime too. Like many others I also used fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned.

Yes it has been the best yet. My family ate all of it. I have made it two times and all gets gone, making it again, it really is good.

My husband, kids and company loved this recipe, its a keeper, it was delicious!!

Wonderful stew! I think you could skip the veggies and serve over noodles or rice as well.

Was actually a little scared about trying this recipe, but it was really good.

this recipe turned out great! My two toddlers loved it! The only thing that I did different is add patatoes. Thanks for the great recipe. I will be making this one again for sure!

Very taste...I love to cook with beer! I was running short on time so I boiled the vegs in another pot, still turned out tasty. Added some extra garlic and also dried onion soup mix makes a good "throw in".

I like real veggies in my stews so I added baby carrots, celery, and potatoes and used a whole can of beer and additional beef broth. DELICIOUS! Hubby gobbled it up as fast as I did!

My husband and I really liked this stew. Unfortunately, my sons did not. I don't use canned vegetables so used a combination of fresh & frozen and threw in some potatoes. Good stuff!

This was a good recipe. You have to have a lot of time to make it but it's worth the effort.

I made a gluten free version of this and it was delicious. When I saw that it was a stew, I cringed because I remember stews being bland with tough meat when I was growing up. I ended up doubling the recipe, using chicken broth because I ran out of beef broth, used fresh carrots, celery, and added potatoes for some bulk. It was very filling and the meat was very tender.

This was so delicious! and I'm not usually a big beef stew fan. I gave it four stars only because I changed it a little. I put a chopped up sweet potato and diced fresh carrot in right before I put it in the oven. The sweet potatoes were a great compliment to the meat and the slightly sweet sauce. GREAT recipe!

Excellent flavor! A big hit at my house. Thanks.

I made this for the family in the crock pot. It was nice and tender, but the flavor wasn't my favorite and the amount of gravy/broth/sauce could have been increased by 1/4 - 1/2 to improve the end result. With those changes, this would have been really good.

Changed up to use what was on hand -- 1 C veggie broth, 1 1/2 C beef broth + 1/2 cup red wine. Fresh carrots & Yukon Gold potatoes chopped and added at the start. Aroma was heavenly, and the sauce/gravy was perfect at the end of cooking. Served over cauliflower rice to amp up veggies. Not a drop was left -- the least beef-loving family member packed some for tomorrow's lunch!

OMG! Awesome recipe! I made it today and it does not compare to any beef stew I have ever had. Tastes AWESOME! 5 Stars

So easy and soooooo tasty. Only added a little cayenne.

This recipe would’ve been 3 1/2stars instead of 5 if I didn’t make changes. You need more seasoning! Thank God for the reviews and suggestions! Instead of using a can of mixed vegetables, boil and season a can of green beans, cut up carrots and put frozen carrots after 30 minutes of cooking on the oven. Add whole can of beer and entire, huge container of beef broth. Thicken with flour and cornstarch. Add 2 bay leaves and more garlic cloves. Also season the beef stew meat with season salt, black pepper and garlic before browning in butter. Delicious stew! We are it over rice and I made cabbage with bacon and corn bread as side dishes.

This was great! Instead of a can of beef broth, I used 4 cups of water and 2 TBSP of beef base. I didn't have an onion so I used a packet of dry onion soup mix and also used chopped up potatoes and carrots instead of canned veggies. Almost forgot to add- I cooked this in a crockpot all day set on low. Definately a keeper!

Was great with Guiness. Really easy to make as well. ( for a beginner). Will be keeping this one.

I make this from time to time, but use fresh carrots, celery, mushrooms. The beer snd douce is what separates this from the gazillions of other beef stew recipes.

I'm not a stew person but loved this recipe with the following changes:braised the beef with flour and s &p, deleted the mixed canned veggies and added sweet potato chunks and raw carrots instead. Also added more dried thyme, some rosemary and savory. I put all the raw vegetables in the oven with the rest of the ingredients and foujnd after 1.5 hours, it was perfectly done.

I made this exactly as written. I was very disappointed. Had very little beefy flavor. I added brown gravy packets(2) as was suggested I couldn’t get rid of the “too sweet” taste. Omit the sugar for sure. After multiple repairs I eventually was able to serve it. Sorry, but this was sad

I put a cut up sweet potato with the stew in the oven, then later added cut up green beans instead of the mixed vegetables. The base recipe is fantastic and putting it in the oven really makes a difference.

Rich and yummy.