Guinness Beef Stew
A hearty stew with tremendous flavor! Our Guinness Beef Stew will warm you up and leave you wanting more! The meat is so tender it will fall apart in your mouth with every bite. The order of cooking the ingredients gives this stew extraordinary depth of flavor and keeps the vegetables firm. And don’t forget the Guinness beer! Even if Guinness beer isn’t your fave, you’ve gotta try this, as it adds a whole other layer of flavor! You’re going to love this!
Hearty Beef Stew
There’s nothing like a good hearty beef stew on a cold day! I actually love a good beef stew anytime of years, really. There’s just something about the bold, deep, meaty flavor of it that is so satisfying. It’s one of the ultimate comfort foods!
I remember as a kid my father making beef stew and I always got excited when he made it. Now that my culinary skills have surpassed his, I have taken that childhood flavor memory and improved on it.
So let’s get start on the Guinness Beef Stew!
Guinness Beef Stew
Next is the garlic and mushrooms. Garlic burns easily if you’re not careful, so it usually gets added in after the veggies are mostly cooked. Mushrooms need to be cooked before the liquids are added as well to release their flavor, However, mushrooms shrink a lot, so we just want to cook them slightly so the retain their texture for the stew.
Tomato Paste. I love tomato paste! But it has to be cooked. Uncooked tomato paste tends to be a little bitter. By letting it cook first you lose the bitterness and develop a sweetness.
Adding the Guinness. Before the beef stock will allow the alcohol to cook off and leave the flavor. By adding it at this stage, you also get the veggies to absorb a concentrated dose of the Guinness flavor. At this point, you want to scrape the brown yumminess off the bottom of the pot.
The Bacon. Many beef stew recipes tell you to cook the bacon first then use the bacon fat to cook everything else. But the bacon fat tends to burn, even if it’s slightly. This burnt flavor will permeate everything and detract from the flavor. You may not say, “Ah! that’s the burnt bacon fat,” but the end results will be lacking. The stew may taste “Okay” but certainly not as good as if you didn’t use the bacon fat to cook with.
The Potatoes. Add the potatoes after the stew has been cooking for an hour. When potatoes cook too long, they fall apart and become mushy. Letting them cook for only the last hour will allow them to keep their integrity. They will still release their starch to help thicken the stew and they will still adsorb the awesome flavor from the broth, but they will remain solid and delicious!
What Ingredients Are in Guinness Beef Stew?
- Chuck Roast
- Cooked Bacon
- Olive Oil
- Carrots
- Sweet Onion
- Celery
- Fresh Garlic
- Baby Bella Mushrooms
- Yellow Potatoes
- Tomato Paste
- Guinness Draught Stout Beer
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Lemon Juice
- Beef Stock
- Bay Leaves
- Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
- Fresh Thyme
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- All Purpose Flour
How Is Guinness Beef Stew Made?
- Cook the bacon and set aside on a plate with paper towel to drain the grease.
- Cut off the excess fat from the chuck roast and cut the meat in 1 inch cubes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock over medium heat. I recommend using a Dutch Oven if you have one as this is the perfect stew pot.
- Cooking in batches, brown the chuck roast. Season each batch with salt and pepper. If needed, add some olive oil between batches. Don’t worry if the meat is fully cooked as it will finish cooking later. Set the meat aside on a plate. You want to keep the juices so don’t use a paper plate.
- Next, in the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant and soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, mushrooms and carrots. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until a fork can slightly pierce the carrots. You don’t want them too soft.
- Crumble the bacon and add it and the tomato paste and stir them in to the vegetables. You want to cook the tomato paste so release the sweetness of it. Cook for about 2-3 minutes,
- Now add the Guinness beer and let simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and let cook for another 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
- Pour in the beef stock and add in the bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Return the beef with the juices to the pot as well. Raise the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Keep stirring to prevent burning. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
- Allow to simmer 1 hour and add the potatoes. Adding the potatoes now. will cook them without becoming mushy or disintegrating. Simmer for another 1 hour. Taste the stew to see if you need to add any more salt or pepper.
- If you would like to thicken the stew, add some of the flour to a small bowl with some water. Mix it well so that there are no clumps. This is called a “slurry”. Gradually add some to the stew and mix thoroughly. keep adding small amounts and mixing until it reaches your desired thickness. Be careful as the heat will gradually cause the flour to thicken, so be patient before adding too much.
FAQ’s for Guinness Beef Stew
There are a number of cuts of beef you can use for stews. Many grocery stores even have what they call “stew meat” pre-cut and packaged. Since you’ll be braising the meat for 2 hours, this is fine as it will become tender.
Pretty much anything that says “Chuck” will typically be the best. I use Chuck Roast for my Guinness Beef Stew as it has loads of flavor and melts in your mouth when the stew is done. However, chuck roast can get a little pricey.
Here are some other options:
Anything that says “Chuck'” – Chuck Shoulder, Chuck Roast, Chuck-Eye Roast
Bottom Round Roast
Bottom Eye Roast
Rump Roast
Eye Round Roast
Top Round
Round Tip Roast
2. What Tips Will Help Me to Make Sure I Cook This Correctly?
Please visit our post 6 Beef Stew Mistakes to Avoid to learn how to make the perfect beef stew every time!
3. What Pot Should Be Used?
You can use any large stock pot. But the best choice is a Dutch Oven. Yes, they’re heavy and may be a little costly, but if you want to cook amazing meal like stews, this is a go to! “Stew” is a loose term that can refer to many things and we use our Dutch Over quite often.
Typically made of cast iron with an enamel coating, Dutch Ovens conduct heat more evenly than a regular stock pot. This helps with more even temperatures that go up the sides. So the cooking is not done just from the bottom, but you’re heating everything thoroughly with the bottom and sides.
If you don’t have one and you love to cook, I highly recommend saving up for one!
4. What Can I Do with the Leftovers?
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can even do meal prepping with this. To reheat, pour the stew in a saucepan and heat on the stove for the best results. You can also use the microwave, but be careful not to overcook it as the meat will become chewy.
5. Can Guinness Beef Stew Be Frozen?
Absolutely! You can freeze this in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw it on the counter or in an adequately sized saucepan on the stove.
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Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chuck Roast, fat trimmed cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup Cooked Bacon, crumbled
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
- 1 1/2 cup Carrots, sliced about 4 carrots
- 1 cup Sweet Onion, diced 1 medium
- 1 cup Celery, sliced about 4-6 stalks
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic 4-6 cloves
- 8 ounces Baby Bella Mushrooms, quartered
- 1 pound Yellow Potatoes, cut in 1 inch cubes
- 3 ounces Tomato Paste
- 1 12 oz bottle Guinness Draught Stout Beer
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 4 cups Beef Stock
- 4 Bay Leaves
- 2 stalks Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
- 6 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2-4 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour (optional)
Instructions
-
Cook the bacon and set aside on a plate with paper towel to drain the grease.
-
Cut off the excess fat from the chuck roast and cut the meat in 1 inch cubes.
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock over medium heat. I recommend using a Dutch Oven if you have one as this is the perfect stew pot.
-
Cooking in batches, brown the chuck roast. Season each batch with salt and pepper. If needed, add some olive oil between batches. Don't worry if the meat is fully cooked as it will finish cooking later. Set the meat aside on a plate. You want to keep the juices so don't use a paper plate.
-
Next, in the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant and soft, about 5 minutes.
-
Add the garlic, mushrooms and carrots. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until a fork can slightly pierce the carrots. You don't want them too soft.
-
Crumble the bacon and add it and the tomato paste and stir them in to the vegetables. You want to cook the tomato paste so release the sweetness of it. Cook for about 2-3 minutes,
-
Now add the Guinness beer and let simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and let cook for another 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
-
Pour in the beef stock and add in the bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Return the beef with the juices to the pot as well. Raise the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Keep stirring to prevent burning. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
-
Allow to simmer 1 hour and add the potatoes. Adding the potatoes now. will cook them without becoming mushy or disintegrating. Simmer for another 1 hour. Taste the stew to see if you need to add any more salt or pepper.
-
If you would like to thicken the stew, add some of the flour to a small bowl with some water. Mix it well so that there are no clumps. This is called a "slurry". Gradually add some to the stew and mix thoroughly. keep adding small amounts and mixing until it reaches your desired thickness. Be careful as the heat will gradually cause the flour to thicken, so be patient before adding too much.
