Guinness Beef Stew

5 from 6 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!

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Total Time3 30

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: beef, carrots, potatoes, soup, stew

Servings: servings

Calories: 696kcal

Author: Tricia

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.

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