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Guinness Beef Stew in a bowl.

Guinness Beef Stew

5 from 3 votes

Tender chunks of beef cooked in a rich, thick flavorful gravy with plenty of onions, carrots and potatoes. Green peas are optional but I love them in this stew!

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Enjoy this exceptional Guinness Beef Stew with tender chunks of beef cooked in a rich, thick flavorful gravy with carrots, onions, potatoes and peas. Serve with your favorite crusty bread to sop up all the sauce.

An overhead view of a bowl of Guinness Beef Stew.


 

Guinness Beef Stew

A good hearty beef stew is always a good idea no matter what time of year. Whether it’s autumn, winter, a cool spring weekend or St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness Beef Stew is warming, deliciously filling and richly satisfying.

A collage of ingredients needed to make Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients Overview

  • Boneless chuck roast trimmed of any visible fat. Chuck roasts are typically well marbled so the beef cooks up tender, juicy and full of beefy flavor.
  • salt
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • vegetable oil
  • large white onion
  • tomato paste
  • garlic cloves
  • all-purpose flour
  • bay leaves
  • low-sodium chicken broth
  • Guinness Draught Beef (or replace with additional chicken or beef broth)
  • dark brown sugar
  • fresh thyme leaves
  • boiling potatoes like Yukon Gold potatoes
  • large carrots
  • frozen green peas
  • fresh minced parsley for garnish
A Dutch oven with diced and sautéed onions.
A pot with onions, tomato paste and garlic.
Beef cubes added to a mixture of broth, onions, garlic and bay leaves.
Carrots and potatoes being added to a pot of beef stew.
Guinness Beef Stew with carrots, potatoes and peas.

How to make Guinness Beef Stew

1. Preheat the oven

  • Move the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 325 degrees F.

2. Prep the ingredients

  • Blot the beef dry with paper towels and trim away any visible fat. Cut into 1 and 1/2-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Finely chop the onions and garlic and set aside.

3. Make the stew

  • Warm a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the beef cubes taking care not to crowd the meat. Cook in two or three batches as needed until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a clean bowl and repeat with remaining beef.
  • Add the remaining oil to the now empty Dutch oven. Once shimmering, add diced onions and a little salt. Cook until softened and starting to caramelize.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook until darkened in color. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour in the flour and cook for a few minutes or until a fond starts to form on the bottom of the pot.
  • Pour in the broth scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Add 3/4 cup of the beer, brown sugar and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and bay leaves then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 90 minutes stirring halfway through. While the stew is cooking prep the potatoes and carrots.
  • Add the potatoes and carrots then cover and continue cooking until the vegetable are tender, about 60 minutes more. Remove from the oven and add the remaining splash of Guinness and the peas, if using. Stir to combine and check the seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.
  • For a thicker gravy, stir together a tablespoon of cornstarch with a little water. Drizzle and stir the cornstarch slurry into the stew until you reach the desired consistency. Serve in bowls topped with fresh parsley and a hunk of crusty bread for sopping up the sauce. Don’t forget to pour a cold Guinness to enjoy with the stew!
A bowl of Guinness Beef Stew with a baguette for dipping and a Guinness Beer.

Storing and freezing Beef Stew

Cool the stew completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This stew will keep well for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop.

If you plan to freeze the entire recipe I recommend slightly undercooking the potatoes. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on low. Add a little chicken broth if needed to thin the gravy. Don’t get carried away however, the gravy should be thick and rich, not watery.

Make ahead for entertaining

If needed, you can make this stew ahead and refrigerate for up to three days. The flavor stays true and may even get better after sitting for a while. Rewarm gently taking care you don’t overcook the potatoes.

Guinness Beef Stew in a bowl with a piece of crusty bread in the broth.

Yes, you can skip the beer

It’s not a deal breaker if you decide to skip the beer. However, I love the mildly spicy notes Guinness adds to this stew. Simply use equal parts chicken or beef broth in place of the Guinness.

The best variety of Guinness beer for this recipe

We use Guinness Draught for this beef stew recipe. Guinness Stout or Foreign Extra both can leave the broth bitter. If you accidentally buy Guinness Foreign Extra beer, use it to make our amazing Guinness Chocolate Cake recipe!

Why chicken broth instead of beef broth?

Chicken broth is a little more mild in flavor than beef broth. For the recipe you want the Guinness flavor to come through so using a mild chicken broth is the best option.

However, if you plan to skip the Guinness altogether, feel free to substitute all low-sodium beef broth or stock for the chicken broth and beer.

A bowl of beef stew with a spoon.

Guinness Beef Stew is hearty, meaty and rich with flavor

Beef Stew always takes me back to the last time we were in Ireland. There’s a pub in Killarney named Murphy’s, which is one of about 10 other pubs named Murphy’s all in Killarney. This pub has the best Irish breakfast and a phenomenal Guinness Beef Stew.

This homemade pot of stew is a great substitute if you can’t make it to Murphy’s!

A bowl of Guinness Beef Stew with a spoon and hunk of crusty bread.

Serve Beef Stew with plenty of bread for dipping

We always serve our stew with some crusty bread, or warm, soft buttery rolls for sopping up the gravy. It’s also a great idea to serve this stew with an ice cold Guinness on the side. Turn on some Irish Music and enjoy your mini-vacation!

A bowl of Guinness Beef Stew with a spoon and hunk of crusty bread.

Guinness Beef Stew

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Course: Main, Main Course
Author: Tricia
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5 from 3 votes
Tender chunks of beef cooked in a rich, thick flavorful gravy with plenty of onions, carrots and potatoes. Green peas are optional but I love them in this stew!

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds boneless chuck roast trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (42g)
  • 1 large white onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (24oz)
  • 1 cup Guinness Draught Beer divided *
  • 1 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar (20g)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 ½ pounds boiling potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pound large carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups frozen green peas (do not thaw)
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Place the oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Blot the beef dry with paper towels. Trim away any fat and discard. Cut into 1 and 1/2-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  • Warm 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add one-third to one-half of the beef cubes taking care not to crowd the meat. Cook in two or three batches until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a clean bowl and repeat with remaining beef cubes
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the now empty Dutch oven. Heat until shimmering then add the onion and a little salt. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelize.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens in color. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes or until a fond starts to form on the bottom of the pot. Pour in the chicken broth scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Add ¾ cup of Guinness, brown sugar and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the seared beef and bay leaves and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven and cook for 90 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and return the stew to the oven and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 60 minutes more, stirring halfway through cooking.
  • Remove from the oven and add the remaining ¼ cup of Guinness and the frozen peas. Stir to combine then season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a thicker gravy, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with cold water. Drizzle and stir the mixture into the stew until you reach the desired consistency. Serve in bowls garnished with parsley.

Recipe Notes

  • Use anywhere between 3 and 4 pounds of chuck roast for this recipe. If the beef has large sections of fat, purchase a bigger roast.
  • Ingredients originally adapted from a recipe published in the February / March 2013 Cook’s Country Magazine.
  • Use Guinness Draught in this recipe. Guinness Stout or Foreign Extra can leave the broth bitter.
  • Peas are optional but I love them for the color and flavor.
  • If you prefer to skip the beer, simply add an additional cup of broth.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 338mg | Potassium: 1834mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 13176IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 7mg

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SaveSaveOriginally published January 2016, updated March 2025

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5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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36 Comments

    • Tricia Buice

      Bev would never know it has beer in it Larry! You can also make it with all beef broth in place of the chicken broth if omitting the beer. Hope you are both doing great!

      Reply

  2. Colleen

    This delightful stew is in my oven right now. Just added the potatoes and carrots. My house smells so good! First time to make this version of stew and I already know it is going to be a favorite. Joined by a pan of hot loaded cornbread and tall glass of sweet iced tea…. yummy!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Oh my goodness Colleen! This all sounds wonderful – cornbread is perfect and of course that sweet tea will be enjoyed. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and visit! I am so happy you tried the recipe and hope you love it as much as we do. Yeah!

      Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Perhaps you will need two pots to double this recipe Wendy. If all in one pot, it will also take a very long time to cook. Maybe make two recipes at two different times and re-warm? Hope it turns out great for you.

      Reply

  6. Kate

    I love cooking with Guinness! It creates such a depth of flavor in the dish…. Your stew looks delicious and would be perfect in this cold, wet weather. Ireland is on my bucket list…one of these days it will happen!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      I hope you get to go to Ireland Kate – it is lovely and the food is great 🙂 The beers not so bad either 🙂 The best thing about Ireland is the people. They are so sweet and helpful. I also hope you get to make this stew – so delicious!

      Reply

  8. Pam

    Woo hoo! This is perfect for our 9 degree weather! It looks delicious! We lived in Germany and traveled all around, but not to Ireland. I could kick myself for that. 🙂 Love that chuck roast in this and have to give it a try. thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  9. Dom

    I just love how juicy and chunky this stew looks. It’s so ideal for this cold weather we’re FINALLY having over here and this colours are so summery! This is what I want now please!

    Reply

  13. Larry

    Now this is the way beef stew is supposed to look and on a 16 degree morning it seems like the ideal meal for the weather. Nice job Tricia and as a fan of Guinness, I know I would love it.

    Reply

  15. Betty

    This is worthy of a splurge, for sure! I can just imagine the aroma of this cooking on a cold and snowy Saturday afternoon- maybe we’ll have one soon and I’ll give it a try! 🙂

    Reply

  18. Chris Scheuer

    Oh yum! Just the colors alone in this dish are magnificent! And I love that you don’t have to brown the beef, I hate the mess that it makes :). I’m going to pretend I’m in Ireland!

    Reply