Guinness Beef Stew

I make this Guinness beef stew as a comfort food dinner that is rich, hearty, and slow cooked until the beef is tender. The preparation time is just 30 minutes plus cook time. Beef stew meat, Guinness beer, and beef broth simmer together to create a thick stew with soft vegetables and savory flavor. I personally make it mainly as a seasonal recipe for St Patrick’s Day.

One thing I love about making stew is that it helps me feed my family with one pot, using ingredients readily available in my kitchen. I always have beef broth in my pantry, and carrots, celery, and potatoes, which I also use to make delicious meals like my lamb stew and my Dr. pepper pot roast during the winter season when we all crave comfort food after a long day running errands. This recipe became one of my favorites because it gives me tender beef, soft vegetables, and a rich broth that tastes unbelievable.

As a family of four that loves hosting gatherings, especially St Patrick’s Day, I make this Guinness beef stew because it brings everyone together and strengthens our bond. I cook it low and slow with beef stew meat, Guinness beer, beef broth, carrots, celery, and mini red potatoes, then I brown the beef, simmer it until tender, and bake it at 300 degrees F until the vegetables are soft. So mouthwatering! I serve it warm for holidays and family dinners, and I highly suggest making an extra batch since it stores well and tastes even better later.

Why you will love this recipe 

• Delicious comfort food: I cook this Guinness beef stew low and slow so the beef comes out tender and rich, making it perfect for holidays.
• Amazing savory flavor: I use Guinness beer and beef broth to create a hearty stew base that tastes warm and satisfying.
• Oven finished texture: I finish the stew in the oven so the carrots, celery, and mini red potatoes cook and stay soft.
• Easy to adjust: I thicken it with a simple cornstarch slurry when I want a thicker stew, and I can also add a little broth if it looks dry. Making it a great meal my family loves in the winter season, but if it were up to me, I’d eat it all year round, it is that good!

What you will need

• Beef and coating: I toss stew meat with flour, salt, and black pepper to help it brown and create a thick base for the stew.
• Cooking base: Vegetable oil and unsalted butter work together to sear the beef and soften the aromatics.
• Broth and flavorings: Beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and Guinness beer give the stew savory notes and a hint of bitterness that mellows as it cooks low and slow.
• Aromatics and vegetables: Onion, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, carrots, celery, and mini red potatoes make the stew hearty and aromatic. I finish with fresh parsley just before serving.

How to make

Coat the beef: I add the meat to a large bowl, sprinkle it with flour, salt, and black pepper, then toss until every piece is coated.

Brown the beef: I heat vegetable oil in a heavy, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat, then brown the beef in batches for about 5 minutes per batch, turning on all sides. I transfer it to a plate and cover with foil.

Build the stew base: I reduce the heat to medium, pour in the beef broth, and scrape the bottom of the pot well. Then I add butter, diced onion, and minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute before stirring in Worcestershire sauce and Guinness beer.

Simmer: I return the beef to the pot, add the quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, and rosemary, then cover and cook on low heat for about 1½ hours until the beef is tender.

Bake: I discard the bay leaves and rosemary, stir in the carrots, celery, and mini red potatoes, and bake covered at 300°F for about 1 hour until the vegetables are soft. Then I adjust the seasoning and thicken with a cornstarch slurry if I want.

Serve: I serve the stew warm with fresh parsley.

Expert tip

Brown low and slow

When I make this Guinness beef stew, I focus on building the flavor the right way from the start. I brown the beef in batches and scrape the bottom of the pot after adding the beef broth so all those browned bits mix into the stew and deepen the broth. Taking the time to simmer it on low heat and finish it in the oven helps the beef stay tender and lets the vegetables cook well without getting dry.

More tips to consider:

• The flavor gets deeper and better the longer it cooks, so I always give the stew plenty of time to simmer on low heat before baking it in the oven.
• I like using chuck roast for this recipe because it is affordable, and the long cooking time makes it very tender.
• I always get all my ingredients prepped and measured before I start. This really helps me save time, by making the cooking process smoother and helps the flavors come together right on time.
• I cut the beef into big cubes so it can handle the slow cooking and still stay hearty in the stew.
• Using a heavy pot like a Dutch oven keeps the heat steady and prevents any hot spots or sticking as it simmers.
• If the stew is too rich after baking, I skim off a little of the fat from the top before serving to keep the texture smooth.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Add parsnips: I like tossing in 1 cup of chopped parsnips with the carrots and mini red potatoes before it goes in the oven.
• Finish with peas: Toward the end, I stir in 1 cup of frozen green peas, no need to thaw them. They heat up quickly and add a pop of green that makes the whole pot look fresh and very appealing.
• Thicken it up: If I want the broth to be more like a rich gravy, I mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water and stir it in at the very end. It thickens fast and makes the stew extra comforting.
• Loosen the broth: For a brothier stew, I’ll pour in an extra cup of beef broth near the end. It keeps everything juicy and makes the leftovers even better the next day.
• Boost the garlic: Right before serving, I mash 1 or 2 of the whole garlic cloves from the pot straight into the stew. It melts right in and gives the broth a mellow, roasted garlic flavor that I really love.

Serving suggestions:

I like serving this Guinness beef stew by pairing it with my Irish soda bread for an easy family dinner visit. The tender beef and thick Guinness broth taste even better with soft bread on the side, and it makes the meal one we always look forward to during the cold weather.

When I am cooking for a birthday or holiday get togethers, I  like serving it with easy beer bread, especially when I want something warm that stretches the meal. In cooler months, creamy mashed sweet potatoes go well with the stew and make it even more filling for family dinners.  Another side dish I recommend is adding  brown sugar roasted carrots for a simple side that brings color to the table and balances the savory flavor of the stew.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: I let the Guinness beef stew cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it keeps well for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: I freeze the stew for up to 3 months in freezer safe containers. I leave a little space at the top so it can expand as it freezes.
• Reheating: I reheat the stew on the stove over low heat until hot, and if it is too thick, I add a splash of beef broth or water and stir until smooth.

Frequently asked questions

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Guinness Beef Stew

I make this Guinness beef stew as a comfort food dinner that is rich, hearty, and slow cooked until the beef is tender. The preparation time is just 30 minutes plus cook time. Beef stew meat, Guinness beer, and beef broth simmer together to create a thick stew with soft vegetables and savory flavor. I personally make it mainly as a seasonal recipe for St Patrick's Day.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Irish

Keyword: Guinness Beef Stew

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Catalina Castravet

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stewing meat trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1 medium onion peeled and diced
• 1 small onion cut into quarters
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 4 cloves garlic whole
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups Guinness Beer
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 bunch of fresh rosemary
• 4 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 cup celery diced
• 1 pound mini red potatoes peeled and cut into halves
• Fresh parsley for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add beef chunks to a large bowl, and sprinkle with flour, salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine.
• Add a heavy-duty, oven safe large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is simmering, add the beef a few pieces at a time into one layer, making sure to not overcrowd the pieces.
• Brown, turning the pieces on all sides, for about 5 minutes per batch. Remove from pot and transfer to a plate, cover with foil. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and cook another batch of beef.
• Once done cooking the beef, reduce the heat to medium and add the beef broth the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape well the bits that stuck to the bottom of the pot.
• Add two tablespoons of butter and melt it.
• Add the diced onion and minced garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Add Worcestershire sauce and add the Guinness beer and stir.
• Add back beef chucks. Add the quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and fresh bunch of rosemary.
• Cover and cook on low heat, skimming broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Discard the rosemary and bay leaves.
• Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes. Stir to combine.
• Cover and cook in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the veggies are tender. If needed, add broth or water if the stew is dry.
• Remove the stew from oven, taste and adjust for salt and pepper. If you prefer the stew to be thicker, we like to add a cornstarch and water slurry to thicken it, 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved into 3 tablespoons of water.
• Serve the stew warm, garnished with freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

Brown low and slow

When I make this Guinness beef stew, I focus on building the flavor the right way from the start. I brown the beef in batches and scrape the bottom of the pot after adding the beef broth so all those browned bits mix into the stew and deepen the broth. Taking the time to simmer it on low heat and finish it in the oven helps the beef stay tender and lets the vegetables cook well without getting dry.

More tips to consider:

• The flavor gets deeper and better the longer it cooks, so I always give the stew plenty of time to simmer on low heat before baking it in the oven.
• I like using chuck roast for this recipe because it is affordable, and the long cooking time makes it very tender.
• I always get all my ingredients prepped and measured before I start. This really helps me save time, by making the cooking process smoother and helps the flavors come together right on time.
• I cut the beef into big cubes so it can handle the slow cooking and still stay hearty in the stew.
• Using a heavy pot like a Dutch oven keeps the heat steady and prevents any hot spots or sticking as it simmers.
• If the stew is too rich after baking, I skim off a little of the fat from the top before serving to keep the texture smooth.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 732mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2228IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg