Guinness Beef Stew boasts meltingly tender beef cubes, creamy potatoes, and carrots in a rich, stout-infused gravy. Slowly cooked in a Dutch oven, this hearty stew is a cozy dinner for any winter night, or as an alternative to corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day.
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Guinness Beef Stew: Irish-Inspired Comfort Food
My family loves warming up with a bowl of beef stew when the weather’s chilly. Whether it’s a pot of Beef Bourguignon, an All-American Beef Stew, or Daube Provençal, beef stew is quintessential cozy comfort food.
A few years ago, I bought a paperback cookbook in the checkout lane at the grocery store called Irish Pub Food (Publications International, 2019). The photo of Guinness Beef Stew on the cover caught my eye, and I found myself flipping through the book for the recipe as I waited in line.
I’ve since made several versions for my family, and the recipe I’m sharing today is inspired by a combination of the beef stew in that book and my Stout Braised Short Ribs.
Note: While inspired by Irish Stew (“Ballylamoe”), this Guinness Beef Stew is not an authentic Irish recipe. Irish Stew is traditionally made with lamb or mutton, slowly-cooked with root vegetables to thicken the gravy. Read more about authentic Irish Stew and how the recipe has evolved in, Irish History in a Long-Simmered Stew, from The Spruce Eats.
What You’ll Need for Guinness Beef Stew
- Boneless Beef Chuck Roast. For the best flavor and texture, look for a roast that’s well-marbled. Cut the beef into 1-1/2 to 2 inch cubes. Trim off any excessive fat on the sides of the roast, but leave the intramuscular fat in the meat.
- Bacon. Adds richness, salt, and a bit of smokiness to the stew. I use hickory-smoked bacon.
- Vegetable Oil. For crisping the bacon and browning the beef.
- Guinness Draught. Be sure to buy the “Draught” version of Guinness rather than “Extra Stout”. The more assertive bitter notes of the latter will overpower the reduced gravy.
- All Purpose Flour. Helps to thicken the gravy as it reduces in the oven.
- Dark Brown Sugar. Offsets any bitter notes that the stout adds to the gravy. I picked up this tip from Cooks Illustrated.
- Tomato Paste. Adds a umami base that boosts the stew’s beefy flavors and complements the stout.
- Worcestershire Sauce. Adds another layer of umami.
- Beef Stock. I love to use homemade when possible. If buying stock from the grocery store, look for low-sodium or unsalted varieties.
- Herbs. Dried bay leaf and fresh thyme infuse the stew as it cooks, while fresh parsley adds bright color and flavor just before serving. I like to tie the thyme sprigs and bay leaf into a bouquet garni to make them easy to remove from the pot.
- Aromatics. Yellow onions, celery, and garlic form a classic stew base.
- Root Vegetables. Sweet carrots and buttery Yukon gold potatoes are hearty accompaniments to the rich beef. Cut both into 1-inch pieces. For the best results, use carrots that are on the “fatter” side. Thin-skinned potatoes can be cooked peeled or unpeeled.
- Cornstarch Slurry. A mixture of equal parts of cornstarch and beef stock stirred into the cooked stew to thicken the gravy, if needed.
Equipment Note: This recipe is cooked in a Dutch oven. Le Creuset’s Round Wide 6-3/4 Quart Dutch Oven is pictured (and is my go-to for stews and braises). Le Creuset’s 5-1/2 Quart Round Dutch Oven is also a good choice, as is Staub’s 5-1/2 Quart Round Cocotte.
How to Make Guinness Beef Stew: 6 Steps
Slowly cooking this beef stew is an all-afternoon process. Don’t be deterred by the time commitment! After the initial prep, the recipe is largely hands off for the bulk of the cooking time. With a little work at the start, you’ll be rewarded with a richly-flavored gravy and perfectly tender beef.
Here’s how I make my Guinness Beef Stew, broken down into 6 key steps.
Building the Flavor Base
- Render the Bacon Fat. Cook the bacon with a splash of vegetable oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove. When crisp, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon (save it for later!) and leave the rendered fat in the pot.
- Brown the Beef Cubes in Batches. Pat the beef cubes dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Brown them in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat on at least two sides (for the best flavor, go for all sides, if you have the time!). Be mindful not to crowd the beef cubes in the Dutch oven, or they’ll steam instead of sear. Caramelizing the beef forms the first layer of flavor in your stew, so don’t skimp here!
- Sauté the Aromatics. After removing the browned beef from the pan, cook the onions and celery until softened and starting to brown. Then, stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and flour, cooking the mixture for for just a couple of minutes more. The tomato paste will change from bright red to a rust color, caramelizing and concentrating its flavors.
Cooking and Serving the Stew
- Deglaze the Pan and Assemble the Stew. Pour the Guinness into the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the “fond” (the flavorful brown bits on the bottom and sides of the Dutch oven). Add the beef cubes and their released juices back into the pot with the crisped bacon, stock, Worcestershire Sauce, brown sugar, and bouquet garni.
- Move from the Stove to Oven. Bring the stew to a simmer on the stove, cover the pot, and move it to a 325 degree F oven to cook for 1-1/2 hours, stirring halfway through. Add the root veggies to the Dutch oven, and continue cooking for about an hour. The meat will be lusciously fall-apart tender, and the vegetables will be fork tender, but not mushy.
- Skim, thicken, season, and serve. Use a spoon to skim the fat off of the surface of the stew and remove the bouquet garni. If needed, thicken the gravy by stirring in a cornstarch slurry by the teaspoonful, simmering it on the stove. Gently stir in fresh parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serving, Storing, and Reheating The Stew
We love to serve Guinness Beef Stew in deep bowls with homemade Irish-American Soda Bread on the side. I usually make a loaf with just caraway seeds or plain (without raisins) to dip into the gravy.
Humorously, we had a little debate in my house when I was photographing this recipe about whether stew should be eaten with a fork or spoon. We’re evenly divided. Personally, I’m “Team Spoon,” so I can scoop up all of the luscious gravy in the bowl. (What do you like to use? Tell us in the comments, below!)
Reheating the Stew
While the texture of the root vegetables is best on the first day, you can store leftover stew, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3-4 days.
Remove the stew from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before reheating. Use a spoon to skim off any solidified fat that’s risen to the surface.
Warm the stew on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring gently so you don’t break up the tender meet and root vegetables. Alternately, you can pop the stew in the Dutch oven into a 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes to heat through.
As the stew is heating, add additional beef stock, if needed, to loosen the gravy. (The potatoes do tend to soak up the liquids and thicken the stew as it sits.)
I do not recommend freezing this Guinness Beef Stew recipe. The texture of the potatoes will degrade and give the gravy a grainy texture. Also, the cornstarch and flour can separate from the gravy in the freezer.
Guinness Beef Stew FAQ’s
Q. I can’t find Guinness Draught locally. Can I use another stout?
A. While Guinness Draught is pretty widely distributed in the United States, if your local store doesn’t carry it, I recommend Murphy’s Irish Stout as an alternative.
Murphy’s is creamier and less bitter than both Guinness Draught and Extra Stout. With coffee and chocolate undertones, it’s also a good choice if you want to dial down the bitter notes in the gravy. When using Murphy’s in this stew, I usually don’t need to add the brown sugar.
If you have a source for craft beer, I also love Atlantic Brewing Company’s Cadillac Mountain Stout, a dry, Irish-style stout that’s fantastic in braised and stewed dishes (and for sipping!).
Q. Can I use other root vegetables in my stew?
A. Absolutely! The recipe that inspired me in the Irish Pub Food cookbook included turnips with the potatoes and carrots. They add a delicious sweetness to the stew.
You could also substitute parsnips for some of the potatoes, which are popular in Irish cooking. I’d go light-handed with parsnips, though, as I find that their spicier, licorice-like flavor can be a little too assertive with the stout.
Cut any root vegetable you use into 1-inch cubes and add them to the Dutch oven during the last hour of cooking.
Q. Can I make Guinness Beef Stew in a Crockpot or Instant Pot?
A. As of the first publication of this recipe, I have not tested it in a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker. I will update the post and recipe card when I’ve fully tested alternate cooking methods and can definitively advise on cooking times and any changes to ingredient quantities needed.
More Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day
- Beer Braised Corned Beef with Whiskey-Mustard Glaze
- Roasted Cabbage Wedges
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Stout-Braised Short Rib Cottage Pie
- Colcannon
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Guinness Beef Stew
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven (5-1/2 to 6-3/4 quarts)
Ingredients
- 3 pound well-marbled boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 ounces bacon , diced
- 2 medium onions , chopped (2 to 2-1/2 cups)
- 2 large celery stalks , cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3/4 cup)
- 3-4 large garlic cloves , minced (1 tablespoon)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar , packed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 12 ounces Guinness Draught (not "Extra Stout")
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large dried bay leaf
- 3 to 4 cups low sodium or unsalted beef stock , as needed
- 4-5 large carrots (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1-1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes , peeled or unpeeled (your choice), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (if needed to make a slurry)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prep the Beef
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F with the rack in the lower middle position. Tie the thyme sprigs and bay leaf together into a bundle (a bouquet garni) with kitchen twine and set aside.
- Trim the chuck roast of excess fat on the sides and cut the meat into 1-1/2 to 2-inch cubes. Dry the cubes well with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper just before searing.
Saute and Sear
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven (5-1/2 to 6-3/4 quarts). Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Leave the rendered bacon fat and oil in the pan.
- Sear the beef cubes in the Dutch oven in batches over medium-high heat until well browned. (Brown the beef on at least two sides, or on all sides for additional flavor.) Be mindful not to overcrowd the pan so that the meat browns without steaming. Remove beef cubes to a clean plate and set aside.
- Add onions and celery to the Dutch oven with a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and flour. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring, until the tomato paste develops a rich rust color. (Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.)
Assemble the Stew
- Deglaze the pan with the stout, scraping the fond (the brown bits) from the bottom and sides of the Dutch oven for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the beef cubes back into the pot with any accumulated juices. Stir in the reserved bacon, 3 cups of beef stock (to cover the beef cubes; add additional, if needed, depending on the dimensions of your pot), Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and the bouquet garni.
Cook the Stew
- Bring the stew to a boil on the stove. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 90 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Stir the potatoes and carrots into the stew. (Check the liquid level at this point. If it's reduced significantly and looks dry once the root vegetables are added, stir in a little more stock.) Cover and continue cooking for 60-80 minutes, until the beef is fall apart tender and the potatoes and carrots are fork tender.
Thicken the Stew (If Needed) and Serve
- Remove the stew from the oven and use a spoon to skim fat from the surface of the gravy. (There might be a significant amount, depending on the marbling in the beef.) Discard the bouquet garni.
- The defatted gravy might need thickening, based on how much stock you used, and your personal preferences. Whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of room temperature beef stock in a small bowl (a "slurry"). Gently stir the slurry into the stew by the teaspoonful as you bring the stew back to a boil on the stove, until your desired gravy consistency is reached.
- Stir in the parsley and season the stew to taste with salt and pepper. (The amount of salt will depend on the sodium content of your stock.)
- Serve Guinness Beef Stew hot in deep bowls with Irish Soda Bread on the side to dip into the gravy.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
Want to see a preview of this recipe? Check out our Guinness Beef Stew Web Story.
Amazing!! The only thing we changed is after sautรฉing the celery and onion we threw everything into the instant pot for 35 min and it was delicious!! Saved some time and was still so flavorful and tender!
Gosh this was absolutely delish! Amazing recipe – whole family loved it. Thank you!