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A face-on closeup of a spoonful of Guinness Stew and mashed potatoes.
Sacha Hirschfeld

Guiness Stew

5 from 2 votes
The mother of all stews! There's no greater comfort food than a rich, complex, and hearty stew! Incredibly straightforward to make, this recipe only requires a bit of patience to cook low and slow. Unnecessary bonus points for being an excellent freezer-friendly recipe!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 8
Course: Mains, Soups
Cuisine: Irish
Calories: 425
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2½ lb beef chuck may use lamb to make it traditional; cut into large 2" pieces of meat; do NOT buy pre-cut stew meat
  • kosher salt for salting the meat and seasoning
  • black pepper for salting the meat and seasoning
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 yellow onions may sub white; chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 6 oz thick cut bacon or pancetta; diced
  • 4 carrots large-size; peeled and cut into 1½" pieces
  • 4 celery stalks large-size; trimmed and cut into 1½" pieces
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour may use less or skip if you like a soup-like consistency
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 14.9 oz Guinness Beer 1 can
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce optional but I really love the flavor it brings
  • 4 cups beef stock may sub chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven
  • 1 pair of tongs
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • paper towel
  • 2 large plate one to hold raw beef and the other for cooked

Method
 

  1. Cut the beef into large 2" chucks. Pat the chunks of beef dry with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides generously with kosher salt and black pepper. I mean generously! Go ham!
    Err on the bigger side for this recipe; you do not want small cubes of meat. Larger pieces are necessary so they can hold up during the cooking process and remain tender. Small pieces will overcook and/or breakdown in the stew.
  2. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven. Add beef in batches and brown aggressively on all sides. I did this in 2 batches in a 6.75 quart Dutch oven. Remove seared beef onto a clean plate. Repeat with remaining meat. Set aside cooked meat for later.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Add a little more oil if the pot is dry. Don't be scared if it looks like the pot is now burnt on the bottom. All that gunk will remove itself during the cooking process and turn into MAJOR flavor! Cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes until they begin to soften.
  4. Add bacon; cook until browned.
  5. Add celery and carrots; stir to combine.
  6. Sprinkle flour overtop; stir until flour cooks off, about 1 minute.
  7. Add tomato paste, Guinness beer, and beef stock; stir until well combined (to disperse flour).
  8. Add bay leaves and thyme. Return seared beef (plus any juices) to the pot. The liquid should just cover the meat. Cover, turn heat to the lowest setting (we're aiming for a gentle bubble). Cook for 2 hours.
  9. Remove lid, stir, and then simmer for a further 30-45 minutes ,until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
  10. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
  11. Garnish with chopped parsley and thyme leaves (optional). Serve over mashed potatoes or straight up with thick bread.