There’s no greater comfort food than a hearty stew and this beef and Guinness stew is one of the best stew you can make today because the gravy sauce has extra incredible flavor from the Guinness beer. Just like any slow cooker beef stew, this beef and Guinness stew is also packed with chunky beef and vegetables. It has large chunks of carrots, potatoes, peas, and celery. Most common veggies you can see in a beef stew. But what makes this recipe a stand out is the popular Guinness beer that makes the gravy sauce out.
For those who are reluctant with anything alcohol in their dish, the rich Irish beer flavor in the beef stew beautifully melds into an amazing gravy sauce as it cooks. Use a chuck roast, seared it well on both sides, then trimmed and cut it into 2-3 inch chunks. Use Yukon Potatoes because they are buttery and rich and won’t fall apart after a long day of cooking. You can also brown the beef in a cast iron skillet and get a good crust on both sides with plenty of kosher salt and black pepper. If you are not using a base, use beef stock instead of broth and its even more important to get a good sear on the meat, then deglaze the pan with the stock to make sure all the beef flavor comes with it.
Instead of crushed or diced tomatoes, use tomato paste because it will minimize liquids and add a bold flavor. In a beef and Guinness stew. you aren’t looking for the consistency to be that of soup, so minimizing added liquids is helpful. In simple terms of this beef and Guinness stew recipe, just prepare your stew base, pour in the entire bottle of Guinness, and let everything simmer for a few hours on the stove until it’s thick and tender and ready to go. Nothing speaks comfort like this beef and Guinness stew.!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 large white or yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 (12 ounces) bottle Guinness beer
- 4 cups beef stock
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions;
- Season beef with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Add half of beef to pan. Cook until seared, turning the beef every 30-45 seconds or so until all sides are browned.
- Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a clean plate.
- Add an additional 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot, and repeat this process with the remaining half of the beef, transferring it afterward to the plate as well.
- Add the onion to the stockpot and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Then stir in the flour until it has evenly coated the onions, and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Gradually stir in the Guinness, and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any of those yummy brown bits. Stir in the beef stock, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and the cooked beef.
- Continue cooking until the stew reaches a simmer.
- Then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer over low for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the potatoes are soft.
- Remove bay leaf and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve warm garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
