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Beer and Horseradish Beef Stew

Beer and horseradish beef stew is a slow-simmered, dark beer-braised comfort bowl with tender potatoes and carrots. Floured beef is browned first, then simmered until thick and rich, finished with horseradish sour cream for a tangy kick.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck Cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
  • 1.5 salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Aromatics and braise
  • 1 onion Large, chopped.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 12 oz brown ale or amber beer One bottle.
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp prepared horseradish Divided; use 2 tablespoons in the stew and reserve the rest for the sour cream mix.
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Vegetables and finish
  • 1.5 lb potatoes Cubed.
  • 4 carrots Sliced.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef with salt and black pepper, then toss with the all-purpose flour until lightly coated. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over hot heat, then brown the beef in batches until browned on the outside, 2-4 minutes per batch, using a visual cue of deep golden edges.
Build the stew base
  1. Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened and glossy. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant and darker in color.
Braise with beer
  1. Pour in the beer and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits, stirring until the liquid looks cohesive. Stir in the beef broth, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and dried thyme, then return the beef to the pot if any juices separated.
  2. Cover and simmer for 1 3/4 hours (about 105 minutes), maintaining a gentle bubbling rather than a hard boil, until the beef is becoming tender and the broth looks thicker.
Cook vegetables
  1. Add the cubed potatoes and sliced carrots, then stir so everything is submerged. Simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced, with a visual cue of carrots softening and the stew thickening slightly.
Finish with horseradish sour cream
  1. Mix the sour cream with the remaining prepared horseradish until smooth and pale with visible flecks. Serve each bowl with a dollop of the horseradish sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh chives.

Notes

For the richest stew, keep the simmer gentle once covered so the beer reduces without breaking the meat apart. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; reheat until steaming. Freeze up to 2 months, but add the horseradish sour cream after reheating for the best texture. For a lighter option, use low-fat sour cream and replace beef broth with reduced-sodium broth while keeping seasoning balanced.