Beef N Beer

Five minutes of prep, two hours of patience, and enough tender, beer-braised beef to feed a dozen people. Hard to beat that math.

Boneless beef chuck gets browned in a heavy skillet, then onions, green peppers, and mushrooms soften alongside it. Beer goes in with a squeeze of ketchup and a spoonful of mustard, the lid goes on, and everything simmers until the meat practically falls apart.

The beer cooks down into a savory, slightly tangy gravy that coats every piece. It’s the kind of recipe that rewards you for doing almost nothing.

Serve it over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or thick slices of crusty bread to catch the sauce.

Pro Tips

• Use a full-flavored lager or amber ale. Light beers don’t contribute enough body to the sauce, and hoppy IPAs can turn bitter over a long braise.
• Brown the chuck in batches if your skillet isn’t big enough to hold it all in a single layer. Good browning equals good flavor.
• Keep the lid tight and the heat low. A gentle simmer gives you tender beef; a rolling boil gives you shoe leather.
• This is even better made a day ahead. Cool it, refrigerate overnight, and reheat gently. The flavors meld and deepen.