Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Guinness Beef Stew
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Guinness Beef Stew is a hearty, savory stew that is guaranteed to warm you up on a cold day. Chock-full of tender beef pieces and vegetables.
If there is a better way to warm up on a cold, rainy day than a steamy bowl of stew, then I’ve never seen it. The savory broth. The hearty vegetables and the tender bites of meat that practically melt in your mouth combine together to create a cozy stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal that everyone is sure to love.
This Guinness Beef Stew is a take on traditional Irish Stew. Like Irish Stew this one is made with loads of fresh onions, carrots and celery and Guinness Beer. However, instead of lamb or mutton, Guinness Beef Stew is made with, you guessed it, beef.
Let’s talk about everything you’ll need to get it on the table:
Guinness Beef Stew Ingredients:
One of the things to keep in mind about stews is that they tend to have a lot of ingredients. That being said most of the ingredients that you find in stew recipes you might even have on hand as they are kitchen staples.
- OLIVE OIL: Or other neutral flavored oils, like canola or vegetable to brown the beef.
- CHUCK ROAST: Chuck roast comes from the shoulder area of the cow. Chuck roast has a ton beefy flavor and cooking low and slow lets that flavor shine (eg. Pot Roast). For this recipe, you’ll cut into bite sized pieces.
- SALT/PEPPER/GRANULATED GARLIC: Use this blend of spices to season the beef pieces before browning.
- CARROTS: Peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces.
- CELERY: Cut into bite sized pieces.
- ONION
- GARLIC
- TOMATO PASTE: This is going to add a rich tomato-y flavor.
- DRIED THYME: Adds an earthy, peppery flavor. It is one of my favorite herbs!
- FLOUR: Flour will help thicken the stew as it cooks.
- BEEF BROTH: Using low-sodium beef broth will allow you to control the final saltiness of the dish.
- GUINNESS BEER: It wouldn’t be Guinness Beef Stew without Guinness beer.
- SUGAR: Beer can be a bit bitter, the sugar will help balance it out.
- WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: Adds a depth of umami flavor.
- POTATOES: I prefer russet potatoes in my stew as they hold up well to cooking and also thicken the stew as it cooks.
Step by Step Photos and Instructions:
Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list, making stew is actually really easy to make. Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions guiding you through the process.
- STEP #1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat oil in a large oven-proof dutch oven. Season beef pieces with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Brown beef pieces in batches. Use a slotted spoon to transfer beef to a paper towel lined plate, reserve pan drippings.
- STEP #2: Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook 2 – 3 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and thyme. Cook 2 minutes.
- STEP #3: Sprinkle flour over the top of the veggies and stir. Cook for 1 minute. This will help prevent the stew from having a floury taste.
Brown beef pieces. 
Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Cook just until softened. Add tomato paste and cook until darkened. 
Add flour, stir and cook 1 minute.
- STEP #4: Slowly add in the beef broth and Guinness being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any of the brown bits that have stuck to the bottom. Whisk in the sugar and Worcestershire.
- STEP #5: Return the beef to the pot and cover. Cook in preheated oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- STEP #6: Uncover the stew and add in the potatoes, cook for 30 more minutes.
- STEP 7: Remove the stew from the oven and skim the fat from the top. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley if desired and serve.
Return beef to the pot, cover and cook at 325 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 
Remove from oven, add potatoes and cook another 30 minutes uncovered until potatoes are tender. 
Skim fat from the top.
The only way to make this Guinness Beef Stew any better is to serve it with Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits to soak up all that broth.
Storage and Leftovers:
Like any stew, this stew might be even better the next day! Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop.
Recipe FAQ:
Guinness beef stew is very similar to traditional Irish stew with one key difference. Irish stew is made with mutton or lamb. In the US those proteins aren’t as easy to find so I used beef.
Flour is added to thicken stews. The starch from potatoes will also help.
Beer is bitter so adding it to stew can sometimes make that bitterness stand out, that is why I add sugar in this recipe. It will help balance it out.
Looking for more hearty soup recipes? Here are some of our family favorites:
If you’re looking for a more traditional beef stew, try my Beef Stew with Red Wine.
Split Pea Soup with Ham Hocks is one of my favorite soups of all time. It’s hearty and comforting!
Creamy Steak and Mushroom Soup is comfort in a bowl!
If you love pasta in your soup, you’ll love this Sausage Tortellini Soup.
Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast excess fat trimmed, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teapoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 3 whole carrots diced into 1 inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup Guinness beer
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 3 Russet potatoes peeled, diced into 1 – 1 1/2 inch chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven (or other oven proof pot). Season beef with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. In batches, cook beef pieces until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a papertowel lined plate. Repeat until all meat is browned.
- In the same pot add carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook just until softened slightly 2- 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and thyme. Cook just until tomato paste starts to darken, about another 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the mixture. Stir and let cook 1 minute.
- Add in Guinness and beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to scrape up any brown bits. Return beef to the pot and add in sugar and worcestershire. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Meat should be very tender.
- Uncover and add in potatoes. Cook uncovered for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and stew has thickened.
- Use a spoon to remove some of the fat from the top of the stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.