Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (2024)

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This hearty Guinness Beef Stew is deliciously rich and complex with tender bites of beef, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. There’s no need to go to a local pub to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day when you can cook up your own pub grub at home!

Serve this Irish beef stew with warm Cheddar Dinner Rolls or Cheese Beer Bread for dipping.

Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (1)

If you feel like doing something besides corned beef for St Patrick’s Day this year, this comforting Guinness stew is the perfect choice!

The combination of flavors from the Guinness, caraway seed, and raisins come together perfectly to create a rich, complex beef stew. I know what you’re thinking – raisins? Yes, raisins! They melt into the stew in the most pleasing way. No one would ever suspect they were there but they do something really special.

I came across this Cooking Light recipe and thought I’d give it a whirl to satisfy a hankering I had for stew. A stew hankering. Do you ever get one of those? Whenever it drops below 70 degrees outside (hey, I’m from California), I pull out the heavy coats from the back of the closet, throw on my Uggs, and get a pot of stew going on the stove.

It ends up that this isn’t just a St. Patrick’s Day recipe. It is, in fact, some of the best beef stew we’ve ever eaten. And, stew is a big thing here in this house. Check out my Classic Stovetop Beef Stew and Instant Pot Beef Stew that are both on regular rotation on my dinner menu.

This unique stew is thick, rich, and SO flavorful.

Table of contents

  • Ingredient Notes
  • How to Make Guinness Beef Stew
  • Tips for the Best Guinness Beef Stew
  • Storage Tips
Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (2)

Ingredient Notes

  • Beef: While traditional Irish Stew is typically made with lamb, beef is more readily available and widely used here in the states. I purchase beef chuck that has been cut down and labeled as “beef for stew”. A huge time saver.
  • Veggies: A couple of onions, a few carrots, a parnsip, and baby Yukon gold potatoes.
  • Tomato paste: Adds rich flavor to the broth. Have you seen the tomato paste in the tube? It keeps well in the fridge for a good amount of time and works great for recipes like this that call for a small amount.
  • Low-sodium beef broth: I always make my own with Better than Bouillon.
  • Seasoning: Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Caraway seeds add a unique and delicious anise or licorice flavor that perfectly accents, but doesn’t overwhelm the stew.
  • Guinness: This recipe calls for Guinness Stout which comes in a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles which leaves you 5 to serve along with the stew.
  • Raisins: Make sure to use fresh, soft, recently purchased raisins.
  • Fresh parsley: To add a burst of fresh, herby flavor at the end of the cooking time.
Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (3)

How to Make Guinness Beef Stew

Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (4)
  1. Cubed beef: Cut the beef down as needed so they are small bite-size pieces. Even beef stew meat may need to be cut down a bit.
  2. Flour: Season the beef cubes with salt then coat them in flour.
  3. Brown the beef: Brown the cubes of beef in vegetable oil over medium heat, in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Transfer the browned beef to a dish while you repeat the process with the remaining beef and flour.
  4. Saute onions: Add a little more oil to the pan and add the chopped onion. Cook and stir for a few minutes and then add the tomato paste. Cook and stir for a couple more minutes.
Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (5)
  1. Add liquid: Return the meat to the pan and add the beef broth and Guinness. Cook and stir, scraping up the the yummy browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  2. Season and simmer: Add the salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and raisins. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for an hour.
  3. Add veggies: After the long simmer, remove the cover and turn up the heat to bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally for another 30 minutes at a low boil. Add the veggies then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let it go for 30 minutes. It should be at a nice simmer.
  4. Finish: Uncover, bring to a boil one more time, cook about 10 minutes or until veggies are fork tender. Sprinkle with parsley and remove from heat.

Tips for the Best Guinness Beef Stew

Building Flavor: It’s important to follow the cooking process as set out in the recipe. Don’t try to rush it. The mixture will be brought to a boil several times and then simmered. This is important to the final outcome and flavor of the delectable sauce that will be created as the stew cooks down.

Adding Guinness: After the long cooking time, the booziness of the Guinness is long gone but its essence is left behind, adding a depth of flavor you won’t get with beef broth alone.

Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (6)

Storage Tips

  • Refrigerate: Transfer the cooled leftover stew to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze: Ladle the stew into freezer-safe containers. To save space, I use gallon-size food storage bags, press out as much air as possible and seal the bags. Once frozen, they can be stacked to save freezer space. Frozen Guinness Beef Stew should be used within 2 to 3 months for the best quality.

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Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (7)

Guinness Beef Stew

4.83 from 17 votes

This hearty Guinness Beef Stew is deliciously rich and complex with tender bites of beef, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. There's no need to go to a local pub to celebrate St. Patrick's Day when you can cook up your own pub grub at home!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Irish

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Keyword: Guinness Beef Stew, Irish Stew

Print RecipePin RecipeRate Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes minutes

Cook Time:2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Total Time:2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil,, divided
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat, boneless chuck roast trimmed and cut into 1- to 1 ½-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 3 cups chopped yellow onion, about 2 small onions
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 12 ounces Guinness Stout
  • 2 tablespoon raisins
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 carrots, ½-inch thick diagonal slices
  • 2 cups baby Yukon gold potatoes,, halved (about 12 ounces)
  • 1 cup parsnip, peeled, ½-inch thick diagonal slices (about 8 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Place the flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the beef cubes with ½ teaspoon salt.

  • Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and place over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Dredge half of the beef (or as much as will fit comfortably in your pan) in flour and add it to the pan. Cook and stir for a few minutes until nicely browned. Remove the beef to a plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining beef. Transfer last batch of browned beef to the plate and set aside.

  • Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring for a minute or two. Return the browned beef to the pan with the onions.

  • Stir in the beef broth and beer. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, raisins, caraway seeds, and pepper. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to LOW, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

  • Uncover and increase heat as needed to bring to a low boil. Cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrot, parsnip, and potatoes. Cover, reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW, and simmer 30 minutes.

  • Uncover and bring to a low boil once more and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with bread and beer!

Nutrition

Calories: 381 kcal · Carbohydrates: 24 g · Protein: 37 g · Fat: 14 g · Saturated Fat: 8 g · Cholesterol: 88 mg · Sodium: 618 mg · Potassium: 1174 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 4 g · Vitamin A: 177 IU · Vitamin C: 16 mg · Calcium: 68 mg · Iron: 6 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.

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More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
Colcannon Potatoes
Guinness Corned Beef
Sautéed Cabbage with Leeks and Bacon

This post was originally published on March 12, 2012. It has been updated with new text and images.

Adapted from Cooking Light

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Guinness Beef Stew (Irish Stew Recipe) | Valerie's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between beef stew and Irish stew? ›

The main difference between an Irish stew and classic beef stew comes down to the protein. Traditional Irish stew is usually made with lamb, while beef stew is always made with beef. Our version includes beef chuck, which is less traditional, but easy to make and equally delicious.

Why does my beef and Guinness stew taste bitter? ›

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.

What does Guinness stew taste like? ›

This Guinness beef stew is a very simple dish, but at the same time, it has a deep, complex, rich flavor. The maltiness of dark beer really does amazing things for the gravy. I served this in a nice ring of green onion-mashed potatoes.

Why do Irish people eat Irish stew? ›

The origins of Irish stew are somewhat shrouded in mystery, but it's believed to have originated in the 17th or 18th century. At that time, the dish was often made by shepherds and rural farmers who had access to only a few ingredients but needed a nourishing meal to sustain them through long days of work.

How do you thicken Guinness stew? ›

Flour: I typically use all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce. But you can alternately make a cornstarch slurry (with equal parts cold water and cornstarch whisked together) and add it to the simmering broth until it reaches your desired thickness.

How do you get the depth of Flavour in beef stew? ›

Laurence further reveals that "adding wine or other alcohol brings out different flavors (those that are alcohol-soluble) that wouldn't otherwise be expressed in the dish. There are flavors in tomatoes that are alcohol-soluble, so adding red wine along with tomato paste also helps to enhance beef stew."

What makes beef stew tastier? ›

Add Vegetables For More Flavour

Try baby marrows, diced carrots, red onions, cauliflower, and sweet potato for a hearty stew flavouring with a lot of personality. In this Beef and Red Pepper Stew we used red pepper for sweetness, but any pepper will add flavour to your stew recipe.

What is Guinness and bitter called? ›

A black and tan is a beer co*cktail made by layering a pale beer (usually pale ale) and a dark beer (usually stout). In Ireland, the drink is called a half and half. Black and tan.

Why put tomato paste in beef stew? ›

A bit of tomato paste amps up the flavor of beef stew, giving it a richness and a punch of umami that makes the stew truly memorable.

Does Irish stew contain potatoes? ›

While an old-fashioned, traditional Irish stew tended to contain mutton or lamb, potatoes, and maybe a few carrots, modern takes on the comforting dish range widely. While Irish stew (in the modern sense) can be made with mutton, lamb, or beef, beef stew is always made with beef.

What is the real name for Irish stew? ›

Irish stew (Irish: Stobhach Gaelach) or Stobhach is a stew native to Ireland that is traditionally made with root vegetables and lamb or mutton, but also commonly with beef. As in all traditional folk dishes, the exact recipe is not consistent from time to time, or place to place.

Did Guinness change their recipe? ›

Guinness Changes How It's Brewed for the First Time Ever

Following longtime campaigns and online petitions, the makers of the renowned Irish stout have decided to stop using fish bladders in the beer's filtering process.

What is a substitute for Guinness beer in stew? ›

And none of this is to dismiss the notion of Guinness stew, which is delicious. But one could use any type of malty beer such as a porter, a different type of stout, or even a milder type of ale in chili – anything that works with the bolder flavor of beef. Some recipes for Irish stew call for red wine instead.

Why is Guinness so delicious? ›

It's made from a grist (grain) that includes a large amount of roasted barley, which gives it its intense burnt flavor and very dark color.

What is another name for Irish stew? ›

Irish stew (Irish: Stobhach Gaelach) or Stobhach is a stew native to Ireland that is traditionally made with root vegetables and lamb or mutton, but also commonly with beef. As in all traditional folk dishes, the exact recipe is not consistent from time to time, or place to place.

Do you thicken Irish stew? ›

If it's too thin, simmer it, uncovered, at the end of cooking until thickened to your liking. You can also thicken it with a cornstarch slurry made by combining a small amount of cornstarch with a little water to make a thin paste. Add to the stew and simmer until thickened.

What's the difference between stew beef and beef stew? ›

Stew meat is made from cuts of beef with lots of tough connective tissue, namely chuck and/or round. When you simmer it in a liquid, the connective tissue breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. That's why it's traditionally braised in stock and turned into beef stew.

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