How to Make Guinness Beef Stew

A hearty beef stew is one of the most satisfying dishes you can cook at home during the colder months. If you’ve tried various recipes and found them lacking in depth of flavor, you may need to turn to a reliable stout beer to get the right notes. Guinness in particular is widely used to create an Irish-inspired stew taking cues from a dish known as Stobhach. Whip up this warm dish for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner or an everyday meal to share with loved ones.

What is Guinness Beef Stew?

Guinness beef stew is a rich soup that features chunks of beef, various vegetables like carrots and potatoes, and Guinness beer added to the broth. Guinness is a type of beer known as a stout, which has a dark color and roasted bitter flavor. The alcohol in the beer cooks off as you simmer the stew, resulting in only a depth of flavor left at the end. You can use any variation you like for standard beef stew since most vegetable combinations and seasonings will work well with the beer broth. Only a 12-ounce can or bottle of Guinness is needed to flavor the whole stew, making it an affordable addition to your usual recipe.

Best Cuts of Beef for Guinness Beef Stew

No need to buy expensive steaks like Ribeyes to cut up for your beef stew. Nor should you turn to random cuts of beef only labeled as “stew meat”. Choose a small to medium-sized roast and cut it up yourself for the best results. These roasts offer affordable prices per pound and tend to feature marbled meat that becomes soft but doesn’t fall apart after a long braising. The Chuck roast is an affordable option with the perfect blend of muscle and fat. A Round roast also works well, but you may want to cut that meat up into smaller pieces to keep it tender in the stew. You can get good results from a Sirloin roast if you’re willing to trim the fat away and separate the two parts of the loin before cutting the meat up.

Outside of the usual roasts that are cut up for stewing beef, boneless short ribs offer excellent flavor and a tender texture that can’t be beaten. Don’t use short ribs if you’re using an extended stewing method that involves cooking for over 6 hours since they may fall apart. For long cooking methods that last all day, consider cubing the flat end of a brisket. Half a brisket can produce a double batch of Guinness beef stew, giving you plenty to share with friends.

Best Vegetables for This Beef Stew

Potatoes are a must-have for this stew because they absorb the bitter flavors of the beer and help everything achieve balance. You can use other starchy vegetables like rutabagas or sweet potatoes if you need an alternative. Carrots are a good choice for bringing a little sweetness and a lot of color to the stew. Leave the chunks larger so they don’t get too soft by the time the stewing is done. Onion is a flavoring in this dish, unless you leave the pieces very large or add them later in the cooking process. Parsnips are a great addition that brings more flavor to the mixture. Some people enjoy the color and flavor of red and yellow bell peppers in beef stew, while others may want a hint of heat from Jalapenos, Poblanos, or a single Scotch Bonnet pepper.

Tips and Tricks for Making Your Stew

While you may prefer to cook your meals right before serving this, this kind of stew actually tastes better if you cook it a day ahead of time. Refrigerating it overnight and gently heating it back up gives the flavors a chance to mingle and combine. You’ll also find that it’s easy to avoid overcooking the vegetables if you aim to stop a little before they’ve softened completely. You continue the cooking the next day and add your thickener only after being sure everything is as soft as you prefer.

Don’t skimp on searing the beef. Not only does it improve the finished texture of the stewed meat, but it creates a brown residue known as fond on the bottom of the pot. This fond cooks off into the broth to deliver a richer flavor.

Consider serving the stew over mashed potatoes or white rice for a more filling meal. Alternatively, serve crusty bread or freshly baked dinner rolls on the side. Even cornbread goes well with the flavors of Guinness beef stew. Irish soda bread is a traditional pairing you should try if you’re a baker.

Different Methods of Cooking Guinness Beef Stew

Using your stove top is the classic way of cooking stew, but your slow cooker can make it a nearly hands-off process. The Instant Pot speeds up cooking significantly while still developing the flavor.

Making Guinness Stew in the Slow Cooker

You’ll need to sear the beef separately before adding all the ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook uncovered for the first 1 to 2 hours so the alcohol cooks out. Cover for the rest of the cooking time, which should be about 4 to 6 hours on Medium heat. Extend the cooking time to around 8 hours on Low heat, but you may get mushy vegetables or meat.

Making Guinness Stew in the Instant Pot

Heat the beef broth and beer in a pot on the stove until the odor of alcohol is no longer noticeable. Brown the meat and mushrooms in the Instant Pot on the Saute setting, then add all of the ingredients except for the vegetables and seal the pot. Use the stew function for 30 minutes. Use the quick-release valve, add the vegetables, and cook on the stew setting for another 5 minutes. Quick release the pressure and add the thickener if desired.

Making Guinness Stew on the Stove

The classic way of cooking beef stew is to use a heavy-bottomed pot on your stovetop. You can brown the meat and simmer everything all in one vessel, saving time and requiring only occasional checks during the stewing.

Beef Stew Thickening Options

Flour mixed with butter and cooked into a nut-brown roux is a traditional option for thickening beef stew. However, it’s a little tricky and doesn’t work for people with gluten allergies. Some people can also taste the flour in the finished stew. Corn starch is a reliable thickener that only requires a little cool water to prepare for adding to the stew. Tapioca starch is another good option, but you need to add it when the stew is cooling and not actively bubbling or simmering. If you want to use tapioca starch rather than corn starch, use twice as much by volume. For example, use two tablespoons of tapioca starch if the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

Variations on Classic Beef Stew

If you’re not able to get Guinness beer, you can substitute red wine or just add more beef broth with Worcestershire sauce added to it. Lamb and pork cut into cubes make great replacements for the beef in this recipe. Swap the vegetables for your favorites, including Brussel sprouts, celery, shallots, and turnips. Instead of dried herbs, try fresh thyme and rosemary for an intense burst of flavor in each spoonful.

Guinness Beef Stew Recipe

Making this stew takes a few hours, but you can easily stew it up the night before and then finish the thickening step the next day right before serving.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds of beef roast such as Chuck, Round, or Sirloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 yellow onions, minced (for flavor) or quartered (to remain intact after stewing)
• 4 large carrots, chopped into ½-inch lengths
• 3 large Russet potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 8 ounces of white button mushrooms, sliced
• 12 ounces of Guinness stout beer
• 4 cups of beef stock or broth
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 3 large bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon chili powder

For thickening:

• 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons of cold water

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stew pot. Add the meat and sear it until all the sides are browned. Add in the garlic, spices, and tomato paste. Heat them for a few minutes, then add in the Guinness. Simmer until the alcohol smell has dissipated.

2. Add in the vegetables, salt, and pepper. Pour in the beef broth and simmer the stew for 2 to 6 hours, or until the meat comes apart easily and the vegetables are all tender.

3. To thicken, mix the cornstarch with the cold water. Make sure the stew is nearly boiling and has a steady simmer, then mix in the slurry. Keep stirring and heating until the sauce has thickened slightly and then serve.

Conclusion

Add a new stew to your winter rotation with this flavorful dish. You’ll be surprised at how much the beef flavor is concentrated with the simple addition of Irish beer.