Irish Beef Stew

Warming up with a big bowl of stew on a cold winter night is so comforting! Try this easy Irish Beef Stew for an easy twist on traditional stew. With the addition of Guinness Beer the sauce develops a rich, deep flavor. Add that flavor to fall apart tender stew meat and the combination is delicious.

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Have you ever used beer to make stew before? It’s a really easy way to add flavor and richness, and one of the best kinds of beer to use is Guinness. The flavor pairs perfectly with beef, and together they make the best beef stew!

Guinness is an Irish stout that is very dark in color with a strong malty flavor with hints of coffee and chocolate. When you simmer it with the other ingredients you get the most amazing stew with a thick gravy-like sauce. It makes the best Irish beef stew!

Why This Recipe Works

• It’s layered with so many flavors – bacon, beef, herbs, and beer!
• This is an easy homemade stew recipe that you can make on the stove with one pot.
• Once you’ve combined it all, you can leave it to simmer on the stove until the stew meat is falling apart tender.
• The leftovers are amazing! In fact, it tastes even better the day after it’s made.

If you’ve never made Guinness stew, you should definitely give this recipe a try. It’s great on a cold night when you’re craving a cozy dinner. Serve it with bread on the side to soak up every last drop!

Ingredients

• Chopped bacon
• Olive oil
• Beef stew meat
• Salt and pepper
• Butter
• Dice onion
• Minced garlic
• All-purpose flour
• Guinness beer
• Tomato paste
• Beef stock
• Chopped carrots or parsnips
• Worcestershire sauce
• Chopped celery
• Bay leaves and thyme
• Peeled and chopped potatoes

Cook the Bacon and Brown the Beef

The first thing you will need to do is cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once it’s cooked, set it aside on a plate with paper towels.

Add the olive oil to the pot, and then brown the beef. This is an important step, so don’t skip it. Browning the meat gives it a lot of flavor and also leaves behind browned bits on the bottom of the pot. When you add the broth, those bits will give the broth so much flavor.

Once the beef is browned, take it out of the pot and set it aside. Melt the butter in the pot and then add the onions and garlic and cook them until they’re softened.

How to Thicken Beef Stew

To thicken the broth, you will make a roux with the butter and some flour. All you do is sprinkle the flour into the pot with the onions and butter and then stir to create a paste. This paste will thicken the broth as it simmers, creating a loose gravy when the stew is done.

Simmer the Stew

Once you have your roux, pour the Guinness into the pot while whisking. You want to break up any lumps, so whisk continuously until you have a smooth sauce.

At this point, you can add all of the other ingredients along with the cooked beef and bacon. Stir to combine and then bring the liquid to a boil. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat to maintain a simmer.

Place a lid on the pot and simmer the stew for up to two hours. It’s ready when the beef is tender, and the liquid has thickened to a loose gravy.

What to Serve with Beef Stew

This Irish beef stew is a meal all on it’s own, but you can also serve it with some sides! Here are some ideas:

• Some crusty sliced bread or dinner rolls are great for soaking up that delicious gravy!
• The stew is thick enough that you can serve it over mashed potatoes for a hearty dinner.
• Make a batch of homemade biscuits to go with it.
• For a light side, serve it with a fresh green salad.

Make-Ahead Tips

You can make this Guinness beef stew a day in advance so the flavors can develop even more. Just cool the stew before storing it in a container. It will thicken even more in the fridge so add some more beef broth when you warm it up.

Any leftovers will keep for three to four days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.

There’s nothing better than a hearty stew on a cold winter’s night. This Irish stew is one of our favorites, so be sure to add it to your meal plan so you can give it a try!

More Hearty Stew, Soup, and Chili Recipes

• Have an Instant Pot? Use it to make my Beef Stew for a delicious dinner!
• Treat yourself to a bowl of Crock Pot Chili with all the toppings!
• Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup is a cozy meal your family will love!
• Chicken Tortilla Soup is always a hit! It’s loaded with chicken, veggies, and seasonings for a filling bowl of soup.

Try it and love it? Rate it, please! Seriously though a five-star rating below will make my day!

If you snap a photo, please be sure to tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your delicious dinner!!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

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5 from 11 votes

Irish Beef Stew

An easy twist on traditional stew with the addition of Guinness Beer the sauce with tender stew meat, develops a rich, deep flavor.

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:2 hours hrs

Total:2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 6 slices bacon chopped
• ▢ 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 2 lbs stew meat
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 Tbsp butter
• ▢ ½ c. yellow onion diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ▢ 11.2 oz Guinness beer (1 bottle)
• ▢ 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 4 c. beef stock
• ▢ 3 carrots or parsnips chopped
• ▢ ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 2 stalks celery chopped
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 tsp thyme
• ▢ 3 c. potatoes peeled and chopped
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

• In a Dutch oven cook bacon over a medium high heat until desired crispness, remove and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Season beef with salt and pepper.
• Add olive oil to Dutch oven over medium heat. Then add stew meat to Dutch oven and brown the beef. When the beef is done remove and set aside.
• In the same Dutch oven add the butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
• Then add in flour and whisk to make a roux, cook for 1 minute.
• Pour in the Guinness beer and whisk until there are no more lumps in the sauce.
• Add tomato paste, beef stock, carrots or parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme to the sauce in the Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
• Add cooked stew meat, potatoes, and bacon to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for up to 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened to a loose gravy and vegetables are fork tender.
• Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove the Bay Leaves from the stew and serve immediately.

Tips

You may use chicken broth in place of beef. The chicken broth will mask the taste of the Guinness more so it depends if you want to taste the flavor of the beer more or not.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS

You can make this Guinness beef stew a day in advance so the flavors can develop even more. Just cool the stew before storing it in a container. It will thicken even more in the fridge so add some more beef broth when you warm it up.

Any leftovers will keep for three to four days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 733kcal (37%), Carbohydrates: 29g (10%), Protein: 63g (126%), Fat: 38g (58%), Saturated Fat: 13g (81%), Cholesterol: 178mg (59%), Sodium: 1643mg (71%), Potassium: 1713mg (49%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 7g (8%), Vitamin A: 8178IU (164%), Vitamin C: 11mg (13%), Calcium: 100mg (10%), Iron: 7mg (39%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.