Description
This classic Beef and Guinness Stew is a rich, hearty Irish dish perfect for cozy dinners. Tender chunks of slow-cooked beef simmer in a flavorful sauce made with Guinness beer, bacon, and fresh vegetables, resulting in a deeply satisfying stew with a thick, luscious gravy. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Fats
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2.5 lb / 1.25 kg beef chuck, boneless short rib or any other slow cooking beef (no bone)
- 6 oz / 180g bacon, speck or pancetta, diced
Vegetables
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 onions, chopped (brown, white or yellow)
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1.25 cm / 1/2″ thick pieces
- 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 cm / 1″ pieces
Liquids and Sauces
- 440 ml / 14.9 oz Guinness Beer
- 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock/broth (or beef broth)
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
Dry Ingredients and Seasonings
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp flour (all purpose/plain; use gluten-free flour for GF option)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves)
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Cut the beef into 5 cm (2 inch) chunks. Pat dry with paper towels, then sprinkle evenly with salt and black pepper to season.
- Brown the Beef: Heat olive oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Add the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding, and brown well on all sides. Remove browned beef onto a plate and repeat with remaining beef.
- Sauté Aromatics and Bacon: Lower heat to medium. If the pot is dry, add a little more oil. Add minced garlic and chopped onions, cooking for about 3 minutes until softened. Then add diced bacon and cook until browned.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the carrot and celery pieces, cooking briefly to combine flavors.
- Incorporate Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for about 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste and help thicken the stew later.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Pour in the Guinness beer, chicken (or beef) broth, and tomato paste. Stir well to dissolve the flour completely. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Return Beef to Pot: Return the browned beef chunks, including any accumulated juices, to the pot. The liquid should just cover the beef and vegetables.
- Simmer Stew: Cover the pot, lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for 2 hours until the beef is tender.
- Reduce Sauce: Remove the lid and continue to simmer uncovered for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Finish and Serve: Skim off any excess fat from the surface if desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Serve hot with creamy mashed potatoes for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Guinness Beer adds a unique rich flavor that melds into the sauce without tasting strongly alcoholic. Substitute with 2 cups water + 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce + 2 crumbled beef bouillon cubes if avoiding alcohol.
- Alternate cooking methods: Oven bake covered at 160°C (320°F) for 2.5 hours, then reduce sauce uncovered for 30-45 minutes; slow cooker on low for 8 hours; or pressure cooker on high for 40 minutes.
- Flour is used to thicken the sauce by stirring it in with the vegetables rather than dusting the beef to avoid burnt flour flavor.
- Chicken broth is preferred for a milder flavor that highlights the Guinness, but beef broth works well too.
- Nutrition values exclude mashed potatoes and slightly overstate fat as it does not account for skimmed fat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
