Traditional Guinness Beef Stew

An adaptation of the official Guinness Beef Stew

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3 30

Total Time 3 50

Course lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Irish

Calories 450 kcal

2 1/2 pounds Chuck beef roast, fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Lamb can be substituted. Use high-quality and ideally organic chuck roast.
2 medium Yellow onions sliced (not chopped) If prefer a milder onion flavor you can use sweet onions or pearl onions
3 Celery stalks, chopped
4 Carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 cloves Fresh Garlic, chopped
3 tbsp All purpose flour
1 1/2 can Guiness Draught Stout 15.9 ounces
1 cup Beef stock do not use beef broth
1 tbsp Dark brown sugar
2 tbsp Tomato paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 -3 sprigs Fresh thyme can subsitute 1 tsp dried thyme
2 Bay leaves
Sea salt, add to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, add to taste
10 ounces Baby or red potatoes. Peeling is optional 1.5-inch chunks

In a heavy-bottom lidded ovenproof casserole dish or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches and sear each side until lightly browned on all sides. Place each batch onto a bowl until all the meat is browned. If the pan gets dry add a little more oil as needed.
Add the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften. More oil can be added if needed. Season with some salt and pepper.
Using a small sifter, sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the 1 15.9 ounce can of Guinness Draught beer, stock, brown sugar, tomato paste, and dijon mustard. Bring to a boil, stirring and scraping to dissolve all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Return the meat to the pan, along with the thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and black pepper to your preferred taste and cover with the lid. Bring to a gentle boil then turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 2 hours.
Check the stew occasionally, stirring the pot.
Add the potatoes and continue to simmer for 1 hour, until the potatoes and meat are tender.
At this point, I find adding a bit more beer adds more flavor to the final product. It can be up to half a can but keep a close eye on the consistency. This is optional.
Season with salt and black pepper, remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems, and serve.
The stew can also be done in an oven at 325 degrees for 2 hours before adding the potatoes.

It is important to take the time to sear the beef, to keep the moistness and flavor.
Bacon can be added for flavor. Use 4-5 slices cut into small strips and add to the vegetables while they are sauteing.
You can add additional vegetables if you wish for some variation. Options include mushrooms, sweet potatoes, collard greens, and root vegetables like parsnips. Lamb and mutton can be used in place of beef.
For those who like some grains in their stew, try adding a cup of pearl barley at the same time as the potatoes.
Prefer not to use alcohol? Other options are root beer, beef or
A lovely Guinness
vegetable stock, Coke, apple cider, and even coffee.
Though Guinness beer is best, you can substitute it with a nice porter, stout, or dark beer.
The stew thickness can vary based on your preference. If you prefer thicker you can cook it a bit longer until you reach the desired consistency.
The most important part is the beef is tender. Keep a close eye on that.
Though not traditional sprinkle with some flat-leaf parsley or green onions when serving.
We love to serve the stew with Guinness Brown Bread with Molasses. The recipe can be found on our recipe page.
Guinness beef stew is sometimes served on top of mashed potatoes or in the case of our visit to the Baltimore location on top of the stew. In these cases, you will often not see potatoes within the stew.
Guinness Beef Stew Baltimore

Keyword Beef stew, Guinness, Irish recipe,