On a cold, gray evening, nothing hits the spot quite like a big bowl of Irish Beef and Guinness Stew. Chunks of beef chuck are browned and then slowly simmered with Guinness, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and herbs until the meat is so tender it falls apart with a spoon.
The Guinness gives the sauce a deep, rich, almost malty flavor. And don’t worry, you won’t taste “beer” in the finished stew. You’ll just taste something wonderful. It takes a few hours on the stove, but most of that is hands-off. Your kitchen will smell amazing the whole time.
You’ll find more hearty, comforting dinners in my beef recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fall-apart tender beef: A long, gentle simmer turns tough chuck into melt-in-your-mouth bites.
- Rich, savory sauce: Guinness, tomato paste, and stock make a deep, glossy gravy.
- Mostly hands-off: About 10 minutes of prep, then let the pot do the work.
- Flexible cooking methods: Make it on the stove, in the oven, in a slow cooker, or in a pressure cooker.
- Great for St. Patrick’s Day: Or any chilly night you want a cozy dinner.
Ingredients Breakdown
Here’s what goes into this Guinness beef stew. You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Beef chuck: Two and a half pounds, cut into big 2-inch chunks. Boneless short rib or other slow-cooking cuts work too.
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper: For seasoning and browning the beef.
- Garlic and onions: The savory base of the stew.
- Turkey bacon: Diced and browned for a smoky flavor. Speck or pancetta also work.
- All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the sauce.
- Guinness: The star of the show. It gives the sauce its deep, rich flavor.
- Tomato paste: Adds richness and color.
- Chicken stock or beef broth: Chicken stock lets the Guinness come through more, but beef broth works well too.
- Carrots and celery: Cut into chunky pieces so they hold up during the long simmer.
- Bay leaves and thyme: Fresh thyme sprigs or dried thyme add a classic, herby note.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Season the beef
Cut the beef into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, pat them dry, and season with the salt and pepper.
2. Brown the beef
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Brown the beef well on all sides in batches, moving each batch to a plate as it’s done.
3. Cook the aromatics and bacon
Turn the heat down to medium, adding a little more oil if the pot looks dry. Cook the garlic and onion for 3 minutes, until they start to soften, then add the turkey bacon and cook until browned.
4. Add the vegetables and flour
Stir in the carrots and celery, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook it out.
5. Add the liquids
Pour in the Guinness and stock, add the tomato paste, and stir well so the flour dissolves. Add the bay leaves and thyme.
6. Return the beef
Put the beef and any juices back in the pot. The liquid should just cover the meat.
7. Simmer low and slow
Cover, lower the heat to a gentle bubble, and cook for 2 hours, until the beef is quite tender. Then take off the lid and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the beef falls apart easily and the sauce has thickened slightly.
8. Finish and serve
Skim off any fat if you like, season with salt and pepper, and fish out the bay leaves and thyme stems. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.
Tips and Variations
- Brown in batches: Crowding the pot steams the beef instead of browning it, and that browning is where so much flavor comes from.
- Add the flour after the veggies: Stirring the flour in with the vegetables, instead of dusting the beef, thickens the sauce without any burnt flour.
- Oven method: Cover and bake at 320°F (160°C) for 2 1/2 hours, then uncover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes more to reduce the sauce.
- Slow cooker method: Use 1 cup less stock. After adding the Guinness and stock, bring it to a simmer and scrape the bottom of the pot well, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Reduce the sauce on the stove if needed.
- Pressure cooker method: Follow the slow cooker directions and cook on HIGH for 40 minutes.
- Alcohol-free version: Replace the Guinness with 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 2 crumbled beef bouillon cubes for a classic beef stew.
How to Serve This Recipe
This stew is made for spooning over a big mound of Creamy Mashed Potatoes, so all that rich sauce has somewhere to go. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top for color.
Don’t forget something for mopping up the bowl. Warm slices of crusty bread are perfect, and so is a loaf of The BEST No Knead Bread. Add Honey Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots on the side if you’d like an extra vegetable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my stew taste like beer?
No. Guinness is the key flavor in the sauce, but you won’t taste “beer” in the finished stew. It just tastes rich and savory.
What cut of beef is best for Guinness stew?
Beef chuck is ideal. Boneless short rib or other slow-cooking cuts work well too.
Can I make it without alcohol?
Yes. Use 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 2 crumbled beef bouillon cubes instead of the Guinness. It becomes a classic beef stew.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Use 1 cup less stock, bring everything to a simmer on the stove and scrape the pot well, then cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Should I use chicken stock or beef broth?
Either works. Chicken stock lets the Guinness flavor come through more, while beef broth makes it extra beefy.
You May Also Love
- Hearty Chicken Stew
- The Best Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Classic Beef Chili
- Easy Butter Bean Stew
- Instant Pot Corned Beef
Irish Beef and Guinness Stew
Equipment
- Large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven with lid
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2.5 lb beef chuck 1.25 kg; or boneless short rib or other slow-cooking beef
- 3/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 onions chopped
- 6 oz turkey bacon 180 g; or speck or pancetta, diced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 440 ml Guinness beer 14.9 oz (see Note 1)
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken stock 750 ml; or beef broth
- 3 carrots peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 large celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Cut the beef into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, pat dry, and season with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Brown the beef well all over in batches, moving each batch to a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium, adding a little more oil if the pot looks dry. Cook the garlic and onion for 3 minutes until starting to soften, then add the turkey bacon and cook until browned.
- Stir in the carrots and celery, then add the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook it out.
- Add the Guinness, stock and tomato paste and stir well so the flour dissolves. Add the bay leaves and thyme.
- Return the beef and any juices to the pot. The liquid should just cover it.
- Cover, lower the heat to a gentle bubble and cook for 2 hours, until the beef is quite tender. Uncover and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the beef falls apart easily and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
- Skim off any fat if you like, season with salt and pepper, and remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.
.
- Guinness: It's the key flavour of the sauce, but you won't taste "beer" in the finished stew. For an alcohol-free version, use 2 cups water, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 crumbled beef bouillon cubes instead (it becomes a classic beef stew).
- Oven: Cover and bake at 320°F (160°C) for 2 1/2 hours, then uncover and cook 30 to 45 minutes more to reduce the sauce.
- Slow cooker: Use 1 cup less stock. After adding the Guinness and stock, bring to a simmer and scrape the bottom of the pot well, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Reduce the sauce on the stove if needed.
- Pressure cooker: Follow the slow cooker directions and cook on HIGH for 40 minutes.
- Flour: Adding flour after the vegetables (rather than dusting the beef) gives a nicely thickened sauce without burnt flour.
- Broth: Chicken stock lets the Guinness come through more; beef broth works well too.
- Nutrition: Estimated per serving from the ingredients, without mashed potato and before skimming any fat.
