Easy Beef and Guinness Stew is a hearty meal, with chunks of beef, potatoes and carrots that are slow simmered in a bottle of Guinness Stout. This makes a rich and cozy stew with a gravy that’s irresistibly tasty.
Stew…cozy, comforting, rich and delicious anytime of the year. This Easy Guinness Beef Stew is made for sitting back on the couch in your comfy pants and slurping up a bowlful.
This is a simple recipe made on top of the stove. If you can brown meat and stir in ingredients, you can make this stew. All in one pot!
I realize that everyone cooks by different methods, with the equipment you have at home. So I’ve also included instructions to make this hearty stew in the slow cooker too!
Traditionally Guinness stew is made with lamb, but we prefer the flavor of cuts of beef made for stew, so that’s what we used.
Extra Stout is our beer of choice. It’s brewed with extra hops and has a deep flavor that withstands the hours of cooking. The alcohol will cook off, but the taste of the hops remain.
Tips for making beef and guinness stew
- Buy a beef cut that’s made for stewing, like chuck or round. Save your pennies and use the tougher cut of beef. Budget cuts may start out tough and chewy, but after the longer cooking time, they are melt-in-your-mouth tender. This is because of the connective tissue found in these cuts.. High-end beef cuts just won’t give you the same results.
- If you’re making this stew in the slow cooker, it’s highly recommended that the beef is browned first. Raw meat just cannot compare with the flavor of browned. Be sure to scrape up the browned bits too.
- Save yourself time by buying a package of cut and peeled baby carrots for this recipe. Just cut each one in half on the diagonal for perfect bite-size pieces. No washing or peeling needed.
- Use Yukon Gold potatoes for the easiest prep ever. Just wash and cut. This variety has a super thin skin that can be left on and eaten without effecting the flavor or texture of the stew.
- Add the flour to the onions and garlic while there is fat in your pot. The flour will bind to the flour and create a thick, rich gravy. **You can make it gluten-free by omitting the flour and adding cornstarch later. Mix 1 tablespoon of water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (check the label to make sure it’s manufactured in a facility with no other grains) and add to the stew at the end while it’s bubbling.
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Easy Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 pounds beef chuck trimmed, cut into bite-size chunks
- salt and pepper
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounce Guinness Stout Beer
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 cups baby carrots cut diagonally into bite-size pieces
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes washed, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 medium bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Trim and cut beef into bite-size chunks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- In large pot or dutch oven, heat 1 TBSP oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add beef chunks in batches and cook 4 -5 minutes until browned on all sides. Add additional oil as needed. Do not overcrowd. Remove to a plate.
- Into remaining oil in pot, add the onions and saute until translucent and soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle mixture with flour and cook until thickened, about 1 additional minute. Pour beer into pot, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot as you stir. Add tomato paste and stir until mixed into liquid.
- Add stock, carrots, potatoes, bay leaf and thyme. Stir to combine. Bring stew to a low boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 to 2-1/2 hours until beef and vegetables are tender. If stew is too thick, add additional beef stock or water to thin.
- Ladle stew into serving bowls and salt and pepper to taste.
FOR THE SLOW COOKER
- Add the browned beef into the bottom of a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker insert. Add the remaining ingredients except the flour to the slow cooker. Cook on Low setting 7 to 8 hours or High 4 to 5 hours until meat and vegetables are tender. During last 30 minutes of cooking time, ladle 1/2 cup of liquid into small bowl and whisk in flour until smooth. Pour flour mixture into slow cooker and stir. If cooking on Low setting, turn the slow cooking to High.
Equipment Used
Nutrition Facts
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