Description
This classic Irish Beef and Guinness Stew is a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for slow cooking lovers. The Guinness beer lends a deep, rich flavor to the sauce, resulting in tender beef chunks simmered with vegetables and herbs. This recipe yields a thick, comforting stew ideal for a cozy dinner, traditionally served with creamy mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2.5 lb beef chuck, boneless short rib or any slow cooking beef (cut into 5cm chunks)
- 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 (or beef broth)
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1.25 cm thick pieces
- 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves)
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Cut the beef into 5cm chunks, pat dry, and sprinkle with salt and pepper evenly.
- Brown the 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.
- Sauté Aromatics: Lower heat to medium, add more oil if pot looks dry. Cook minced garlic and chopped onions for 3 minutes until softened, then add diced bacon and cook until browned.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the carrots and celery pieces, cooking briefly with the bacon mixture.
- Incorporate Flour: Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stirring continuously for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Add Liquids and Herbs: Pour in Guinness beer, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the flour completely. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Combine Beef and Simmer: Return the browned beef with its juices to the pot. Ensure the liquid just covers the beef. Cover the pot and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
- Slow Cook the Stew: Let the stew cook gently for 2 hours until the beef is tender.
- Reduce the Sauce: Remove the lid and simmer for an additional 45 minutes until the beef falls apart easily and the sauce thickens and reduces.
- Final Adjustments: Skim off any fat from the surface if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Serve: Serve hot with creamy mashed potatoes for a traditional accompaniment.
Notes
- Guinness beer is essential for authentic flavor; it melds into a rich, dark sauce without tasting overwhelmingly like beer.
- For a non-alcoholic substitute, mix 2 cups water with 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 crumbled beef bouillon cubes, though it won’t replicate the flavor exactly.
- Alternative cooking methods include baking in the oven at 160°C for 2 ½ hours plus additional sauce reduction, slow cooking on low for 8 hours, or pressure cooking on high for 40 minutes.
- Flour is used to thicken the sauce; it’s stirred in after sautéing the vegetables rather than dusting the beef to avoid burning.
- Chicken broth is preferred for a milder background to allow the Guinness flavor to shine, but beef broth can also be used.
- Nutrition values are estimated per serving excluding mashed potatoes and may overstate fat content since fat is skimmed off before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
