There are many variations of beef stew surfacing the web. But what sets a traditional Irish Beef Stew from Ireland apart from others is its inclusion of Guinness stout.
The alcohol is evaporated as the stew simmers and you are left with a deep and robust flavor. If you use any other beer besides Guinness EXTRA STOUT you will still get a great stew, but it may not be as robust or as deep. Regular Guinness will work as well.
In addition to the beer we’ve included red wine for a deeper more complex flavor. Pick a red wine you would enjoy to drink as this flavor will infuse into the gravy. Then drink the rest!
Tips to help you get the most flavor out of your Irish Beef Stew:
- Sear the beef over high heat in a hot skillet. Flavor comes from a good sear. Also, scraping up those caramelized brown bits from the bottom of the pan (otherwise known as deglazing) is going to give your stew a deep, rich flavor.
- Another searing tip – make sure you brown the beef in batches. Yes it will take a little more time, but if you crowd the pan the beef will not sear, it will steam resulting in gray unattractive lumps of meat.
- Lastly, don’t throw the onions in raw! Use that hot skillet with all that flavor to your advantage and get those onions nice and brown.
SIMPLE Irish Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 Lbs. Beef Chuck, cubed (purchasing 3 lbs of beef chuck will result in approx. 2 lbs. when all trimmed, cut up and cubed)
- flour for coating
- 3–4 Carrots, washed, peeled and chopped
- 2–3 Stalks Celery, washed and diced (approx. 2 cups)
- 2 Onions, peeled and cut (approx. 2 cups)
- 8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
- 3–4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ Cup Semi dry red wine
- 2 ½ Cups Beef Broth
- 1 bottle Guinness Extra Stout beer
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 oz. Tomato Paste
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- ¼ Cup Parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Allspice
- 1–2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Instructions
- Wash, prep and cut up all the veggies. Place the carrots, mushrooms and celery in the crockpot.
- Heat up a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until hot. Add approx. 1-2 Tablespoons of oil. Let the skillet get VERY HOT.
- Sprinkle some flour on to the beef (or use a Ziploc bag to coat) and place enough of the beef into the pan that it is not crowded. Once the beef has a nice sear on it, flip and sear the other side. Continue on all sides and then place it in the crockpot. Continue until all the beef has been browned.
- Next, add the onions to the pan (add a little oil if necessary) and season again with salt and pepper. Cook approx. 4-5 minutes – or until the onions get a nice charred color on the edges. Add the garlic. Cook another minute more. Add this to the crockpot.
- To deglaze the pan, add the wine and the Guinness scrape up any bits left of the bottom. Add to the crockpot.
- Lastly, combine the broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste in a measuring cup or bowl. Stir to combine and add to the crockpot.
- Add the spices (bay leaf, thyme, parsley and allspice) to the crockpot – give it all a good stir.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, stir the stew and turn the crockpot to LOW. Cook for another 3 hours.
- About 1 hour prior to serving, scoop out about ½ cup of the hot liquid and whisk in the cornstarch. Add it back to the stew and gently stir. The more cornstarch you add, the thicker the stew will become. Taste for seasonings and adjust at this point.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
23 Comments
Anonymous
June 22, 2020 at 7:06 pmThis is simply outstanding!!!!!!
Ron
October 17, 2020 at 4:57 pmThis isnt the simplest recipe but its worth every second. It is outstanding !!!
Anonymous
October 17, 2020 at 4:59 pmThis was the best stew I’ve ever made. Every one of my kids had seconds. There was none left.
Kate
November 14, 2021 at 12:36 pmCan I cook this in my Instapot?
simplepartyfood
November 29, 2021 at 1:11 pmWe have not attempted that Kate, but are quite anxious to know how it turns out if you do decide to try it.
Mikey
December 20, 2021 at 8:33 pmHow many does this recipe serve? It looks great. Would like to make it for Christmas.
Deneeta S
January 7, 2022 at 2:54 pmHow many servings does this make? I plan on making it this weekend but cannot find servings anywhere???
simplepartyfood
January 26, 2022 at 4:52 pmit makes 4 servings
patti
January 17, 2023 at 8:44 amThis was excellent!!! I did everything just as the recipe said except at the end, I used a little more Guinness beer and blended it with the remaining flour to thicken it up. Served over mashed potatoes and YUMMY!!!
kelley
January 17, 2023 at 8:44 amDelish! Big hit with the fam!
outdoor
January 17, 2023 at 8:48 amNow this looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing.
June
February 19, 2023 at 5:57 pmAm wondering on the size of the bottle of Guinness…..how many ml please? Just that the beef stock and red wine is already 3 cups!
Kristin
August 30, 2023 at 3:48 pmDid you figure out the size of Guiness bottle?
Megan
April 1, 2023 at 7:55 pmabsolutely delicious. added a little more red wine and fresh thyme. everyone wanted seconds!!
Sandra Cooper
March 10, 2024 at 12:26 pmOne bottle of Guinness Extra Stout is 11.2 oz.
CB
April 20, 2023 at 7:18 pmPlanning to make this and was just wondering if the carrots come out “mushy” being in the crockpot for so long?