Description
This hearty Beef and Guinness Stew is a rich, comforting Irish-inspired dish featuring tender chunks of slow-cooked beef simmered in a flavorful sauce made with Guinness beer, bacon, and vegetables. The slow simmering melds the deep flavors for a perfect winter meal, traditionally served with creamy mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Beef and Veggies
- 2.5 lb / 1.25 kg beef chuck, boneless short rib or any other slow cooking beef, cut into 5cm/2" chunks
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 onions, chopped (brown, white, or yellow)
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1.25 cm / 1/2" pieces
- 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 cm / 1" pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves)
Liquids & Seasonings
- 440ml / 14.9 oz Guinness Beer (or substitute with 2 cups water + 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce + 2 beef bouillon cubes, if no alcohol)
- 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock/broth (or beef broth)
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp all-purpose/plain flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
Fats & Additional Flavors
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 oz / 180g bacon, speck or pancetta, diced
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Cut the beef into 5cm (2″) chunks. Pat the beef dry with paper towels then sprinkle evenly with salt and black pepper for seasoning.
- Brown the Beef: Heat olive oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Add beef pieces in batches, browning well on all sides to develop rich flavor. Remove browned beef onto a plate and repeat until all beef is browned.
- Sauté Aromatics and Bacon: Reduce heat to medium, add a little more oil if the pot is dry. Sauté minced garlic and chopped onions for about 3 minutes until they start to soften. Add the diced bacon and cook until browned.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the carrot and celery pieces with the bacon mixture, cooking briefly to combine flavors.
- Incorporate Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well for about 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste and slightly thicken the base.
- Add Liquids and Herbs: Pour in the Guinness beer, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the flour into the liquid smoothly. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs to infuse flavor.
- Return the Beef: Return all the browned beef chunks along with any accumulated juices to the pot. Ensure the liquid just covers the beef and vegetables.
- Simmer Slowly: Cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 hours until the beef is tender but still holds shape.
- Reduce the Sauce: Remove the lid and continue to simmer for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and the beef to become very tender and fall apart slightly.
- Finish and Season: Skim off any excess fat from the surface if desired. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Serve the stew hot, ideally with creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the rich sauce.
Notes
- Guinness Beer is crucial for authentic flavor but if avoiding alcohol substitute with 2 cups water, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 2 beef bouillon cubes crumbled for a classic beef stew taste.
- Oven method: After browning and mixing ingredients, bake covered at 160°C (320°F) for 2.5 hours, then uncover and cook 30-45 minutes more to reduce sauce.
- Slow Cooker method: Reduce broth by 1 cup, transfer all ingredients after simmering briefly in pot, cook on low for 8 hours, and reduce sauce on stove if needed.
- Pressure Cooker method: Use slow cooker ingredient prep, pressure cook on high for 40 minutes to achieve tender beef.
- Flour is added during cooking to thicken sauce; avoid dusting beef before browning to prevent burnt flour flavor.
- Chicken broth is preferred for milder flavor that lets Guinness shine, but beef broth works fine too.
- Nutrition values may be overstated as some fat is skimmed off surface before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe excluding mashed potatoes)
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
