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This GUINNESS BEEF STEW RECIPE is absolutely what you would want when walking into an Irish pub. This stew is rich and hearty, the beer gives that perfect bittersweet flavor.
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GUINNESS BEEF STEW
This Guinness Beef Stew Recipe has so much flavor! The mushrooms add extra umami, the onions and carrots bring a little sweetness along with the brown sugar. The stew is not sweet by any means but has enough sweetness to balance the bitterness of the beer, letting you just enjoy the comforting and complex flavors of Guinness! The fresh herbs give that little floral note that just makes it feel special.
Instead of cooking chunks of potatoes in the stew, we are serving fluffy mashed potatoes alongside or on top. Use this CREAMY MASHED POTATOES recipe.
INGREDIENT OPTIONS:
You can make this as a traditional stew and instead of serving over mashed potatoes, you can add cubed potatoes into the stew about 30-45 minutes before serving.
Extra Stout Guinness can be used. Add an extra teaspoon of brown sugar to counter the bitterness of the extra stout. You can absolutely add as much or little brown sugar as you would like!
I used ¼ cup of flour which made a nice soup-stew thickness… if you prefer more of a gravy-stew thickness add more flour, try ⅓ cup.
You can sub dried herbs for the fresh if you wish, I would recommend starting with 1 teaspoon of each.
CAN THIS STEW BE MADE IN THE SLOW COOKER?
Yes!After step 8 just add everything to your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH STEW:
HOMEMADE OAT ROLLS – COLCANNON POTATOES –
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat or cubed beef chuck roast
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 2 cups chopped carrot
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 pint sliced baby bella mushrooms
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 16oz Guinness beer
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- 1 large sprig thyme
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2-3 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 4 Tablespoons Olive oil (divided)
- Salt/Pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Pat the pieces of beef dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
- Add the carrots, onion, celery, and mushrooms to a dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute over medium high heat until softened and just beginning to brown. Remove the vegetables from the pot and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, sear the pieces of beef in the pot in batches until all of the beef has been seared. Place all of the beef back into the pot.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of flour to the beef, stir to coat the beef. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Deglaze the pot with 16 oz of Guinness beer, scraping up any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, bay leaves, tomato paste, chicken bouillon, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Add the beef broth and water and mix to combine.
- Add the cooked vegetables.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, cover with lid and let simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- About halfway through, give the stew a taste, add any additional salt, pepper or brown sugar as needed.
- Once the beef is tender you can serve the stew at any time. Serve over a large scoop of mashed potatoes.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 561Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 172mgSodium 800mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 4gSugar 7gProtein 58g
Nutritional information on WonkyWonderful is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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FAQs
Stouts, like Guinness, are known for their bitterness. If the stew is cooked too quickly or if it doesn't include ingredients to balance the bitterness, this flavor can be very pronounced. This recipe includes a couple of simple steps to tame that bitter flavor and ensure it doesn't overwhelm the stew.
How to make the perfect beef stew and the common mistakes to avoid? ›
Avoid These Common Mistakes When Making Beef Stew
- Using the wrong cut of meat. ...
- Not searing the meat. ...
- Cooking your veggies for too long. ...
- Dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning. ...
- Over-thickening the stew. ...
- Using water as a base. ...
- Not enough or wrong seasonings. ...
- Adding salt at the end of cooking.
The most important key to making stew meat tender is being sure to cook it for a long time. If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours.
How to make beef stew even better? ›
Other Popular Recipes Call For Tomato Paste
After you brown the meat and cook your aromatics, simply stir in a few tablespoons of tomato paste and heat it gently to amplify its flavors before continuing with your recipe—it's a budget-friendly, simple trick that makes all the difference.
How do you fix bitter Guinness stew? ›
Definitely add sugar, it needs something sweet to counteract the bitterness. Redcurrant jelly is lovely in stews. The recipe I use for this which is very old has a spoonful of sugar.
How do you get the bitter taste out of Guinness stew? ›
Add a little brown sugar to this Guinness beef stew to help get rid of some of the bitterness that can come from the Guinness when it is cooked. Use a slow cooker instead to make this recipe even easier.
What gives beef stew the best flavor? ›
Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.
Why put tomato paste in beef stew? ›
I contacted Laurence to get the lowdown on why she adds tomato paste to her beef stew. "I include tomato paste in many braised recipes because it adds a depth of flavor without increasing the liquid quantity in the dish," Laurence explains.
What adds richness to a stew? ›
If were talking while it's being made; garlic, onion, various herbs, “horse chester sauce” tomato paste, stone ground mustard, or even a small splash of A1 sauce will all “rich up” the broth. So will sauteing the veggies in butter before adding to the stew.
What is the most tender meat to use for beef stew? ›
Next time you're shopping for stew beef, look at your options and see what cuts of meat will work best for your recipe. For example, chuck is a lean and tender cut of beef that works well in stew. However, if you would prefer a thicker and more flavorful stew, short ribs or oxtail may be better choices for you.
Go for the chuck
The most common beef used for stew is chuck steak, also known as gravy beef or braising steak. Beef chuck comes from the forequarter of the animal consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm. It is easy to find and it's affordable, making it a great choice for your stew.
How to make super tender stew meat? ›
Dust the beef with flour and shake off the excess. Add some oil to the pot and sear the meat until it is well browned. Add 1.5 cups of beef broth and 1 LBS of stew meat into an InstantPot and pressure cook for 20 minutes (with quick release). Meat will be superbly tender, juicy, and delicious.
Why add vinegar to beef stew? ›
Forgetting the Acid. The paradox of beef stew is that all that braised goodness can be a little bit heavy on the palate. It's easy to forget to add some sort of wine, vinegar, or yes, even lemon juice, to brighten things up. Adding some fresh thyme in the last 30 minutes of cooking can help brighten things up as well.
Why does my beef stew have no flavor? ›
Not browning the beef enough would be the first possible problem. That adds a lot of flavour to the finished stew. You can toss the beef in seasoned flour before browning it which will also help thicken the stew. Not adding enough seasoning would be the second potential issue.
Why do you put brown meat in stew? ›
"Creating that Maillard reaction, where you are caramelizing the proteins and natural sugars in your meat, is building flavor. That flavor will then slowly make its way into the braising liquid and create a depth of flavor you just can't achieve otherwise."
Why does my Guinness taste bitter? ›
Hops is a plant (related to hemp), and is responsible for the bitterness of the beer. The more hops the more bitter the beer. What does Guinness beer taste like? Guinness tastes wet and milky at first (depending on how well it is poured).
Why does my beef taste bitter? ›
A bitter aftertaste in meat could indicate a few different things. Overcooking meat, especially poultry, can produce compounds that leave an unpleasant taste. Certain cuts like organ meats may have a natural underlying flavor some find bitter.
Why does some Guinness taste bitter? ›
Isohumulones are the primary source of bitterness in Guinness and, generally speaking, in beers. The more humulone available during boiling, the more likely it is to isomerise and thus produce isohumulones.
What makes beef taste bitter? ›
Bitterness is likely due to hypoxanthine, anserine and carnosine as well as some amino acids (MacLeod, 1994).
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