This BBQ Beer Beef Stew is rich, savory and flavored with smoky-sweet BBQ flavor, succulent pieces of beef, tender vegetables and potatoes, and tastes like a giant bowl of comfort. When the weather gets chilly, this beef stew is just the thing to make to warm you up from the inside out!

I am so excited to tell you about this cozy recipe.

This BBQ Beer Beef Stew exceeded my expectations big time.

I had been brewing up this brainchild for quite some time. I wanted to do a slow-braised beef stew but with the flavors switched up a bit. I knew I wanted to incorporate the smoky-sweet flavor of BBQ while also having it still feel like traditional beef stew.

I am happy to report that I accomplished just that, and this just might be my favorite beef stew to date. It came out so much better than I could have dreamed up.

The broth is incredibly rich – flavored with BBQ sauce, some classic BBQ spices, brown sugar, and beer. The beer is SO good here.

The beef, along with lots of veggies and baby potatoes, slow cooks in the oven for a couple hours until it is fall-apart tender and the broth thickens and turns almost glossy. The potatoes are super tender.

I highly suggest serving this with a carb for dunking. Like a biscuit or cornbread. YUM.

This is the type of comfort food that you can’t really rush. Sure, you could speed things up with a pressure cooker, and maybe use a slow cooker to keep things simpler, but I think this type of stew ALWAYS tastes better when done the old fashioned way.

Start it out on the stovetop – take the time to properly sear the beef – it makes such a difference in the end flavor. Once everything is in the pot and getting to know one another, transfer the whole thing to the oven for a couple hours.

While it may take a few hours from start to finish, this recipe is mostly hands off during that time, and the results are just too good to do it any other way.

I know people will ask how to do this in a slow cooker or crock pot, and I know that does work better for some people’s schedules, but I HIGHLY recommend you try it this way if you can! It’s so worth it. Save this recipe for a weekend or a day off.

Ingredients to Make This BBQ Beer Beef Stew:

Avocado oil
Beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
Onion
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Tomato paste
Spices: ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, and dried mustard
All-purpose flour
Beer – any lager or pilsner style beer will taste good here
Your favorite BBQ sauce
Brown sugar
Beef broth
Bay leaves
Baby potatoes
Parsley, for serving

How to Make This BBQ Beer Beef Stew:

Sear the Beef:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Pat the pieces of beef dry with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides (I use roughly 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper).
Add the beef to the pot in batches. Sear for 2 minutes per side, or until a golden brown crust forms.
Remove the browned beef from the pot and set aside. Reduce the temperature to medium.

Prep Stew for Oven:

Add in the onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt and sauté for several minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add in the tomato paste, chile powder, smoked paprika, and dried mustard and stir to combine with the veggies.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the veggies and stir to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the flour is golden brown.
Add in the beer, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, and bring to a simmer.
Add in the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, and bay leaves, along with another teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Return the beef to the pot and stir to combine everything. Return the liquid to a simmer.

Braise the Stew in the Oven:

Once the liquid comes up to a simmer, add the potatoes, cover the pot, and transfer the pot to the oven. Bake, covered, for 2½-3 hours, occasionally stirring things around.
The meat is done when a fork easily pierces it and it easily shreds apart. The potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork. The liquid will be slightly reduced and thickened.

Serve:

Remove the bay leaves and discard. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning, as needed. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve garnished with fresh parsley.
This stew is particularly good served with cornbread or biscuits on the side. Something with a touch of sweetness goes well with the savory-rich broth of this stew.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

If there is any recipe you try this soup and stew season, let it be this one! It is incredibly rich and flavorful, and it truly will warm you up from the inside out!

Comfort food at its finest.