Description

This hearty Guinness Beef Stew is a comforting dish perfect for chilly evenings. Tender chunks of chuck beef are browned and then slowly simmered with Guinness beer, beef broth, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs to develop rich, deep flavors. The stew is thickened with a cornstarch slurry to create a luscious, satisfying texture, making it an ideal meal for family gatherings or cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Coating

2 lbs. chuck beef (stewing beef, or lamb shoulder, trimmed and cubed)
¼ cup flour (all-purpose)
sea salt and pepper (to taste)

Vegetables

1 onion (roughly sliced)
1 celery stick (sliced)
4 medium carrots (peeled and cut into 1-2” pieces)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 lbs. yellow potatoes (cut in half)

Liquids and Seasoning

3 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup tomato paste
4 cups beef broth
1-½ cups Guinness beer
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme (dried)
2 Tbsp parsley (fresh, chopped)

Thickening

2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

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Instructions

Prepare and Brown Beef: In a bowl, combine flour, sea salt, and pepper. Coat the cubed beef evenly with this flour mixture. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Shake off excess flour from the beef and brown it in small batches in the heated oil, ensuring a good sear on all sides. Remove the browned beef and set aside.
Sauté Onions and Deglaze Pot: Add sliced onions to the pot and cook until they start to soften, approximately 3 minutes. Remove them and add to the browned beef. Pour the Guinness beer into the pot, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom with a spatula or wooden spoon, which adds depth to the stew. Stir in the beef broth and tomato paste, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 45 minutes.
Add Vegetables and Simmer: After 45 minutes, add celery, carrots, potatoes, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and chopped parsley to the pot. Continue to simmer the stew, covered, for another 45 minutes or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Thicken the Stew: Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering stew, continuing to cook until the stew reaches the desired thickness. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed before serving.

Notes

For best flavor, use fresh herbs if available.
Make sure to brown the beef well to enhance the stew’s depth of flavor.
Simmer gently to ensure the meat becomes tender without drying out.
This stew can be made a day ahead; flavors improve after resting overnight.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.