Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2.5 lb beef chuck, boneless short rib, or any other slow-cooking beef (no bone)
- ¾ tsp each salt and black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 onions, chopped (brown, white, or yellow)
- 6 oz bacon
- 3 tbsp flour (all purpose; see notes for gluten-free)
- 14.9 oz Guinness Beer (see notes)
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth (or beef broth—see notes)
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½" thick pieces
- 2 large celery stalks, cut into 1" pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves)
Directions
Cut the beef into 2" chunks. Pat dry then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a heavy based pot over high heat. Add beef in batches and brown well all over. Remove onto a plate. Repeat with remaining beef.
Lower heat to medium. If the pot looks dry, add a little oil.
Cook garlic and onion for 3 minutes until softening, then add bacon.
Cook until bacon is browned, then stir through carrot and celery.
Add flour and stir for 1 minute to cook off the flour.
Add Guinness, chicken broth, and tomato paste. Mix well to ensure flour dissolves, then add bay leaves and thyme.
Return beef to the pot (including any juices). Liquid level should just cover the beef.
Cover and lower heat so it bubbles gently. Cook for 2 hours—the beef should be pretty tender by now. Remove lid and simmer for a further 30–45 minutes until the beef falls apart at a touch and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
Skim off fat on surface if desired. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves and thyme.
Serve with creamy mashed potatoes!
Recipe Notes
Directions
Guinness Beer is a dark, rich Irish beer and the key flavoring for this stew's sauce. You cannot taste it in the finished dish—it simply melds into an amazing sauce. If you cannot consume alcohol, substitute with 2 cups water + 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce + 2 crumbled beef bouillon cubes. This makes a classic beef stew—it tastes wonderful, it's just not Irish Guinness Stew!
Other cooking methods:
Oven: Cover and bake for 2½ hours at 320°F. Remove lid and cook a further 30–45 minutes to reduce sauce.
Slow cooker: Reduce chicken broth by 1 cup. After adding Guinness and broth, bring to a simmer and scrape the bottom of the pot well. Transfer everything to slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Pressure cooker: Follow slow cooker instructions, cook on HIGH for 40 minutes.
Flour: Adding flour slightly thickens the sauce. I prefer stirring it in after the vegetables rather than dusting the beef before browning—dusted flour can burn and affect the whole stew.
Beef vs. Chicken Broth: Chicken broth has a slightly milder flavor that lets the Guinness come through more. Beef broth works just as well.
