How To Make Beef Scouse In Slow Cooker? (Fully Explained)

Are you looking for a hearty and comforting meal that’s easy to make?

Look no further than beef scouse!

This traditional dish hails from Liverpool, England and is typically made with beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions.

The best part? You can make it in your slow cooker for a hands-off cooking experience.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to create a delicious and satisfying beef scouse that will warm you up from the inside out.

So grab your slow cooker and let’s get cooking!

How To Make Beef Scouse In Slow Cooker?

To start, you’ll need the following ingredients:

– 2 pounds of beef stew meat

– 4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

– 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

– 1 large onion, chopped

– 2 cloves of garlic, minced

– 4 cups of beef broth

– 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

– 1 teaspoon of dried thyme

– Salt and pepper to taste

First, brown the beef stew meat in a skillet over medium-high heat until it’s nicely browned on all sides. This will help to lock in the flavor and juices.

Next, add the browned beef to your slow cooker along with the chopped potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.

Once it’s done cooking, give it a good stir and serve hot with some crusty bread or rolls on the side.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make a delicious beef scouse in a slow cooker, you’ll need to gather the following ingredients:

– 2 pounds of beef stew meat: This will be the main protein in your dish. Choose a cut that’s suitable for slow cooking, such as chuck roast or brisket.

– 4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped: Potatoes are a staple ingredient in scouse and add heartiness to the dish.

– 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped: Carrots provide a sweet and earthy flavor to balance out the savory beef.

– 1 large onion, chopped: Onions are a key ingredient in many stews and add depth of flavor.

– 2 cloves of garlic, minced: Garlic adds a pungent and aromatic flavor to the dish.

– 4 cups of beef broth: This will be the base of your stew and provide a rich and savory flavor.

– 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to the dish.

– 1 teaspoon of dried thyme: Thyme is an herb that pairs well with beef and adds a subtle earthy flavor.

– Salt and pepper to taste: These seasonings will help to enhance the flavors of the dish and bring everything together.

With these ingredients on hand, you’ll be well on your way to making a delicious and hearty beef scouse in your slow cooker.

Preparing The Beef

Before adding the beef to the slow cooker, it’s important to properly prepare it. Start by washing your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds. This will help to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Next, thaw the beef in the refrigerator or microwave at a reduced power setting. Never defrost meat on the kitchen counter as this can lead to bacterial growth.

Once the beef is thawed, carefully wash your cutting board with hot, soapy water or a solution of bleach and water. Some cutting boards can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

After washing and drying your cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut the beef into bite-sized pieces. If you’re using larger cuts of beef, you may want to trim off any excess fat before cutting it into smaller pieces.

To add flavor and tenderize the beef, you can marinate it for 15-30 minutes in a mixture of oil, oyster sauce or soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (optional), and cornstarch. Another technique is to add baking soda and water to the sliced beef and massage with your hands until most of the liquid is absorbed. Let it stand for 1-2 hours before rinsing thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear.

Once you’ve prepared the beef, you’re ready to start making your delicious slow-cooked Beef Scouse!

Chopping The Vegetables

Chopping the vegetables is an important step in making beef scouse in a slow cooker. Start by peeling and chopping the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. You can also slice the carrots and celery into similar sizes to ensure even cooking. Finely chop the sweet onion and mince the garlic.

It’s important to chop the vegetables into similar sizes so that they cook evenly and don’t turn mushy. Additionally, chopping the vegetables into bite-sized pieces makes it easier to eat and enjoy the dish.

Once you have all your vegetables chopped, you can layer them on top of the browned beef in the slow cooker. This will ensure that the vegetables are not overcooked and remain tender.

Layering The Ingredients In The Slow Cooker

Layering the ingredients in the slow cooker is crucial to ensure that everything cooks evenly and retains its individual textures and flavors. Start by placing the dense and tougher vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, at the bottom of the slow cooker. These vegetables require more heat to cook, and placing them at the bottom ensures that they receive the most heat.

Next, add the beef stew meat on top of the vegetables. Placing it directly on the bottom heating element can cause it to overcook while the vegetables remain undercooked. By placing it on top of the vegetables, it will cook evenly and retain its juiciness.

Finally, add the delicate vegetables, such as onions and garlic, on top of the meat. These vegetables require less heat to cook and placing them on top ensures that they don’t overcook and become mushy.

Once all the ingredients are layered properly, pour in the beef broth mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Make sure that there is enough liquid to cover all the ingredients but not too much that it becomes too watery.

Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 8 hours or until everything is cooked through. Resist the urge to open the lid frequently as this can cause heat loss and increase cooking time.

By layering your ingredients properly, you’ll have a delicious and perfectly cooked beef scouse that’s full of flavor and texture.

Adding The Liquid And Seasoning

Adding the right amount of liquid and seasoning is crucial to making the perfect beef scouse in a slow cooker. The liquid not only helps to cook the vegetables and beef, but it also adds flavor to the dish. In this recipe, we use beef broth as the main liquid, but you can also use vegetable broth or water if you prefer.

To start, whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. This mixture will be poured over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker. Make sure to mix it well so that all the ingredients are coated evenly.

When adding the liquid to the slow cooker, make sure that there’s enough to cover all the ingredients. You should have about 4 cups of liquid for this recipe. If you find that there’s not enough liquid, you can add more beef broth or water.

In terms of seasoning, we use Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, salt, and pepper to flavor the dish. You can adjust these seasonings to your liking or add other herbs and spices that you prefer. Just make sure not to add too much salt at the beginning as the broth already contains some salt.

Cooking The Beef Scouse On Low Heat

Cooking the beef scouse on low heat is the perfect way to ensure that the meat is tender and the flavors are fully developed. This method allows the ingredients to slowly cook and blend together, resulting in a rich and savory dish.

To start, brown the beef stew meat in a skillet over medium-high heat until it’s nicely browned on all sides. This will help to lock in the flavor and juices. Then, transfer the browned beef to your slow cooker along with the chopped potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic.