Guinness Beef Stew
This Guinness Beef Stew recipe is rich and hearty, with a robust gravy-like sauce that is flavored by Guinness. A must for St. Patrick’s Day!
We have a couple of weeks until St. Patrick’s Day and I kicked things off a little early last week with my grasshopper chocolate bark, and today I want to share with you this absolute favorite stew of mine.
This Guinness beef stew hails from Cook’s Country magazine; it’s incredibly easy to prepare, and nearly all of the cooking time is hands-off. The meat is exceptionally tender, there are tons of potatoes and carrots, and it’s all drowning in a perfectly smooth and rich Guinness-spiked gravy. Absolutely delicious!
One of the best parts of this stew is that, unlike most stew recipes, you don’t have to brown the meat first – WIN! Instead of browning the meat, it is stirred into the sauce and then the whole pot is transferred to the oven and cooked, uncovered. By using this method, the uncovered meat browns and caramelizes, and the sauce thickens up perfectly. I have to admit that when I stirred the stew part way through cooking, I thought the sauce seemed a little on the thin side. I was completely amazed at how perfectly rich and thick it was once it was ready to serve. Magic!
I use my favorite Dutch oven to make this stew, and I’ve had some people ask if it’s possible to make it a slow cooker. While I’ve never done so, I’ve received feedback from some who have, and their assessment is that the stew is fine in a slow cooker, but nowhere close to as good as it is in a Dutch oven made as directed.
My husband isn’t the biggest fan of stew so I sort of gave him a heads up when I made this, but he couldn’t stop eating it… he said it was the best stew he’d ever had. I, on the other hand, have always loved stew (my hearty beef stew with a nice piece of crusty bread to soak up that fabulous sauce is total comfort food for me!), and I can confidently say that this Guinness beef stew is absolutely the best, ever.
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Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3.5 to 4 pound (1.6 to 1.8 kg) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled apart at seams, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup (31.25 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (720 ml) chicken stock
- 1¼ cups (287.5 ml) Guinness Draught, divided
- 4½ teaspoons (4.5 teaspoons) dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1½ pounds (680.39 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound (453.59 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 325 degrees F.
- Season the beef with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the onions and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Whisk in the chicken stock, ¾ cup of the Guinness, brown sugar and thyme, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beef and return to a simmer.
- Transfer the pot to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 90 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
- Stir in the potatoes and carrots and continue cooking until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour, stirring halfway through cooking. Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the remaining ½ cup of Guinness and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I’ve made this countless times in the winter and for St. Patrick’s Day. Bad weather is called for the next few days so I’m planning to make once again. It really is perfect! I don’t think I’ve ever commented on a recipe but I make several of your recipes. Your Rice Krispie treats are my friend’s favorite!
I meant to put in my previous comment that I do follow the recipe except adding probably an extra hour or 1.5 hours on. I will stir about every 30 minutes. I’m putting this note here in case I don’t have my printed recipe to go by. My veggies are always still hard when I check at an hour. I’m not sure if I just cut my veggies too big or what. It is always so so good though!
Hello I made this before a long time ago and it was delicious and I’m going to make it again thank you so much. I also want to know if you have a recipe for chicken stew thank you.
I have made this countless times. It’s one of my family’s favorite winter dinners. I make homemade bread to go with it. The house smells amazing. The beer gibes such a delicious gravy! Don’t shy away from this recipe if you don’t like beer. I hate it but love this! Just made this today. DELICIOUS
This is my go to beef stew, I give this recipe to people all the time. It is so flavorful and it’s easy. I make it often during football season, pop it in the oven and dinner is ready at the end of the game
This recipe is great! I’ve made it twice now. I’ve found that an extra 30 minutes beyond what the recipe calls for is helpful for making the potatoes and carrots more tender. After adding the potatoes and carrots and cooking for 60 minutes (stirring halfway) I put the lid on and cook for another 30 minutes. After 1.5 hours of letting the potatoes and carrots cook, I then remove from the oven and add the remaining Guinness, parsley, and some frozen peas. You definitely don’t want the frozen peas to simmer in the oven. The stew is hot enough they quickly warm up and are ready to serve. This tastes like what you would be served in an Irish pub! Highly recommend!
Hello, can you please tell me if the flavor you speak about that the beer gives to this dish tastes like beer?
You see, I really don’t like the taste of beer. I do use it when cooking my brats though, but you can’t really taste the beer itself. Especially by my adding an entire cut-up onion to the pot.
Hi Joy, No you can’t taste the actual flavor of the beer. I hope you enjoy the stew!
I have made this recipe many times. It’s one of my family’s favorites. I HATE beer but love thus stew. It makes for THE BEST gravy. Hope this helps.
In the Guinness beef stew recipe you don’t mention adding the beef. Do I add it with the onions and salt?
See step 5
Very good
Looks so delicious and mouthwatering. I really love this kind of food and with combination of rice. Its perfect.
Made this MANY times before. Always a winner! Love this because you do not have to brown the beef and the stout is fantastic!