Slow Cooker Sourdough Beef and Stout Soup

Name: Slow Cooker Sourdough Beef and Stout Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1¾ lb (800 g) Beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes; 2 tbsp (30 ml) Olive oil; 1 large (200 g) Yellow onion, finely diced (about ¼ inch); 4 medium (450 g) Carrots, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; 3 cloves (9 g) Garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (30 g) Tomato paste; 6 cups (1440 ml) Beef broth or stock; 1 cup (240 ml) Stout beer; 3 sprigs (10 g) Fresh thyme sprigs, 3–4 fresh sprigs, or 1 tbsp (3 g) dried thyme as substitute; 2 whole (1 g) Bay leaves; 8 oz (225 g) Sourdough bread, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; 1 tsp (6 g) Kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) Freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rich, slow-cooked beef and stout soup thickened and enriched with toasted sourdough bread. Irish-American in spirit, this soup combines deeply browned beef chuck, root vegetables, and a full cup of stout beer for complex flavor, finished with cubes of toasted sourdough that soften into the broth, adding body and subtle tang. Perfect for cooler evenings and best served with crusty bread for dipping.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 8 hr 20 min
Total: 9 hr 10 min
Makes: About 10 cups; serves 6

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Ingredients

6 servings

1¾ lb (800 g) Beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
2 tbsp (30 ml) Olive oil
1 large (200 g) Yellow onion, finely diced (about ¼ inch)
4 medium (450 g) Carrots, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
3 cloves (9 g) Garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (30 g) Tomato paste
6 cups (1440 ml) Beef broth or stock
1 cup (240 ml) Stout beer
3 sprigs (10 g) Fresh thyme sprigs, 3–4 fresh sprigs, or 1 tbsp (3 g) dried thyme as substitute
2 whole (1 g) Bay leaves
8 oz (225 g) Sourdough bread, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
1 tsp (6 g) Kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) Freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Equipment (7)

Slow cooker (5–6 quart / 5–6 liter)
Large skillet (12-inch / 30 cm preferred)
Baking sheet
Wooden spoon
Cutting board and knife
Paper towels
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Trim excess fat from beef chuck before cubing
Read the full timing: about 9 hours total, mostly passive slow-cooker time
Remove slow cooker crock to room temperature if it's been stored in a cool place, as cold ceramic heats slowly
Have all ingredients prepped and measured before you start (mise en place)

1
Toast the sourdough breadOven 350°F / 175°C
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Toss sourdough cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil on a baking sheet, spreading them in a single layer.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and starting to crisp at the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly on the sheet.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: bread cubes are golden brown and crispy at the edges
Tip: Don't over-toast or the bread will taste bitter. Day-old or slightly stale sourdough works best; very fresh bread breaks down too quickly in the hot soup.
2
Prep vegetables and beef
- While the bread toasts, pat beef cubes dry thoroughly with paper towels—moisture prevents a good brown crust.
- Dice the yellow onion into ¼-inch pieces.
- Cut carrots into 1-inch chunks and potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
- Mince garlic.
- Arrange all ingredients within reach, organized and ready to use.
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Ready when: all ingredients are cut, organized, and ready to cook
Tip: Drying the beef ensures it develops a deep brown crust during browning. Wet meat steams instead of sears.
3
Brown the beef
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (12-inch preferred) over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add beef cubes.
- Let them sit undisturbed for 3–4 minutes to develop a crust, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes.
- The beef doesn't need to be cooked through; browning is what matters.
- Transfer each batch to the slow cooker.
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Ready when: beef is deeply browned on multiple sides, with a dark mahogany crust
Tip: Crowding the pan steams the meat instead of browning it. Use a large skillet and brown in two batches if needed. Resist the urge to stir constantly—let the meat sit to develop flavor.
4
Build the flavor base
- Add diced onion and carrot chunks to the same skillet (don't wipe it clean—those browned bits are liquid gold).
- Sauté over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
- Add minced garlic and tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
- Pour in 1 cup stout beer and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom (deglazing).
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes to slightly reduce the beer and cook off the strongest raw alcohol flavor.
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Ready when: vegetables are tender, browned bits are fully incorporated, beer is slightly reduced and aromatic
Tip: Don't skip the deglazing step. Those caramelized bits on the pan bottom are concentrated beef and vegetable flavor. Work methodically around the pan to loosen everything.
5
Combine in slow cooker
- Pour the vegetable and beer mixture into the slow cooker with the browned beef.
- Add beef broth, potato cubes, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
- Stir well to combine.
- Season with 1 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
- Taste and adjust if desired.
- Cover the slow cooker.
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Ready when: all ingredients are well combined and covered
6
Slow cook until beef is tender
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, though LOW is preferred).
- The slow cooker should bubble gently around the edges.
- At the 4-hour mark, give it one stir to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom, but otherwise leave it alone.
- The soup is done when a fork easily shreds a piece of beef.
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Ready when: beef shreds easily with a fork; broth is rich and deep amber in color
Tip: Don't peek constantly—lifting the lid adds 15–20 minutes to cooking time. The low, gentle heat of a slow cooker is what makes the beef so tender.
7
Add bread and finish
- Stir in the toasted sourdough cubes, distributing them throughout.
- Cover and cook for 20 more minutes.
- The bread will soften, absorb broth, and help thicken the soup.
- Taste and adjust seasonings with more salt and pepper as needed.
- Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves if you prefer (they're not meant to be eaten), or leave them for additional flavor.
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Ready when: sourdough is soft and partially broken down; broth is slightly thickened and creamy in color
Tip: Some bread will break apart completely—this is fine and adds body. If you prefer a brothier soup, reduce this step to 10 minutes or skip adding bread entirely. The soup is delicious either way.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip browning the beef. Searing creates a flavorful crust through the Maillard reaction, adding depth that slow cooking alone won't achieve.
Use day-old or slightly stale sourdough for toasting. Very fresh bread breaks down into mush; you want some structure to remain so the bread adds body without dissolving completely.
If you prefer a brothier soup with more defined chunks of bread, reduce the sourdough to 4–6 oz or skip Step 7 entirely. The soup is delicious and rich either way.
Serve with crusty sourdough or Irish soda bread on the side for dipping, and a cold stout or pale ale to drink.

Make ahead

You can brown the beef and prepare the flavor base up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely, transfer to a container, and refrigerate. In the morning, transfer everything to the slow cooker, add the remaining ingredients (potatoes, broth, seasonings), and proceed from Step 5. This does not change total cook time, just spreads the work across two days.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator: Cover and store for up to 4 days. Freezer: Cool completely, transfer to freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat: Gently warm in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through (15–20 minutes). Or reheat in the microwave in smaller portions. The soup may thicken slightly as it sits; thin with beef broth or water if desired.

Substitutions

Beef chuck → Beef brisket, bottom round roast, or other braising cuts. All benefit from low, long cooking. Chuck is ideal due to its fat content, which keeps the meat juicy.
Stout beer → Irish red ale, porter, or non-alcoholic beef broth (if avoiding alcohol). Stout provides richness and subtle chocolate notes. Ale is lighter; omit beer entirely for a simpler, more straightforward beef soup.
Sourdough bread → Crusty wheat bread, rye bread, or Irish soda bread. Any hearty bread works; sourdough's tang is ideal but not essential. Avoid soft sandwich bread, which becomes too mushy.
Fresh thyme sprigs → Dried thyme (1 tbsp / 3 g) or 1–2 tsp (3–6 g) fresh rosemary. Fresh thyme is most flavorful. Dried is a fine substitute at half the measure. Rosemary is more peppery but still appropriate for Irish cuisine.