Whether it’s for St. Patrick’s day, or a warm and hearty stew for a cold winter night, my Guinness Irish Beef Stew is savory and loaded with flavor.   It goes well with some sour dough bread, which is ideal for dipping in and mopping up every last drop of the thick and rich Guinness stew broth.

Guinness Irish Beef Stew

My Irish Stew Recipe uses hearty ingredients like potatoes, onions, and celery which add depth and character.  Green peas and carrots help balance the slight bitterness of the ample Guinness Draught that I add to create a rich and hearty stewing broth.  Click the link for the complete Guinness Irish Beef Stew recipe and HD video.

High Definition Video Presented Here on How To Make Guinness Irish Beef Stew

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1.5 hours

Serves: 6 generous portions

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs (1.5 kg) of stewing beef or other tough cut of beef that requires stewing, like chuck steak, beef shoulder, or brisket, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 medium yellow onions, chopped into stew-sized pieces
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp of flour
• 3 sprigs of rosemary, stem removed and finely chopped
• 5 sprigs of thyme, stem removed and finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper or chili pepper
• 2 large yellow potatoes
• 3 celery stalks, chopped into 1/2″ slices
• 3 carrots, pealed and chopped in 1/2″ cubes
• 2 cups of green peas
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pint / 2 cups (500 ml) of Guinness stout, or Guinness draught
• 2 cup ml of beef stock
• 1 tbsp of brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Old cheddar cheese like Guinness Cheddar or Applewood smoked cheddar (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat a small splash of oil in a deep stewing pot.  Once the oil is hot and working in small batches, sear (brown) the outside of the beef in the stewing pot.  Remove all the beef from the pot and set it aside for reintroduction to the stewing pot later
2. In the same pot, add the onions and saute until soft for 5-7 minutes
3. Add garlic to the onions and saute for another 1-2 minutes.  Be careful – garlic burns quickly so if it starts to burn on you, just add a splash of beef stock
4. Add the flour, cayenne pepper, rosemary, and thyme to the pot and mix well.  You should have a bit of a ‘paste’ at this point.  Make sure the flour is well mixed into the onions
5. Add the beef (from step 1) back into the pot and mix everything together well
6. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, and green peas to the pot.  Add the bay leaves
   

   Add the Vegetables to the Stew Pot

7. Pour the Guinness stout or draught into the pot.  Top off with the beef stock until the liquid level is almost to the top of the vegetables
   

   Adding the Guinness

8. Mix well and bring everything to a boil.  As soon as it boils, reduce heat to a low simmer, and place a lid on the pot and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, mixing periodically
9. After 45 minutes to one hour, remove lid and taste.  Add salt and pepper as desired, and add brown sugar to balance the bitterness of the Guinness
10. Simmer for another 30 – 45 minutes, or until the beef is soft and tender
    

    Stewing the beef in the Guinness

Tip: If the stew is not thick enough, you can dissolve another tablespoon of flour in 1/2 cup of cold water, and add it to the stew during simmering to thicken the stewing liquid.

Guinness Draught

Serve by garnishing with a few sprigs of thyme, a thin sliver of cheddar cheese, and sour dough bread on the side. Wash it down with a pint of Guinness Draught, of course!