Description
This iconic Irish Beef and Guinness Stew is a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for a comforting dinner. Slow-cooked to tender perfection, the stew features rich chunks of beef simmered in Guinness beer and a blend of vegetables, creating a deeply satisfying sauce with complex flavors. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes for a classic Irish meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2.5 lb beef chuck, boneless short rib or any other slow cooking beef (no bone)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 onions, chopped (brown, white or yellow)
- 6 oz bacon, speck or pancetta, diced
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 440 ml Guinness Beer
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth (750 ml)
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1.25 cm / 1/2 inch thick pieces
- 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 cm / 1 inch pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Prepare Beef: Cut the beef into 5 cm / 2 inch chunks. Pat dry and sprinkle evenly with salt and black pepper.
- Brown Beef: Heat olive oil in a heavy based pot over high heat. Add beef in batches, browning well on all sides. Remove browned beef to a plate and repeat until all beef is browned.
- Sauté Aromatics: Lower heat to medium. Add more oil if needed. Cook minced garlic and chopped onions for 3 minutes until softening. Add diced bacon and cook until browned.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in carrot and celery pieces and cook briefly to combine flavors.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook off raw flour taste.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Pour in Guinness beer, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Stir well to dissolve flour and combine ingredients. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Simmer Beef: Return browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. The liquid level should just cover the beef. Cover with lid, reduce heat so it gently bubbles, and cook for 2 hours until beef is tender.
- Reduce Sauce: Remove lid and simmer uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes or until beef is very tender and sauce thickens slightly.
- Finish and Serve: Skim off excess fat from the surface if desired. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with creamy mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Guinness Beer adds unique rich flavor to the stew; no alcoholic substitute replicates it exactly. For non-alcoholic option, use 2 cups water, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 2 beef bouillon cubes.
- Oven method: Bake covered at 160°C / 320°F for 2 1/2 hours, then uncover and simmer 30–45 minutes to reduce sauce.
- Slow cooker method: Reduce broth by 1 cup, simmer on stovetop, then transfer to slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Reduce sauce on stovetop if needed.
- Pressure cooker method: Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes with following recipe adaptations.
- Flour adds gentle thickening to sauce; adding it to vegetables rather than dusting beef prevents burnt flour taste.
- Chicken broth offers milder flavor letting Guinness shine, but beef broth is also suitable.
- Nutrition facts exclude mashed potatoes and assume some fat skimming was done for accuracy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
