Irish Beef and Guinness Stew

4.41 from 5 votes

Irish Beef and Guinness Stew

Irish Beef and Guinness Stew is the ultimate comfort food! Simmered all day, this easy beef stew recipe delivers fall-apart tender beef, perfectly cooked vegetables and thanks to Guinness Beer, a rich and hearty flavor that melts in your mouth.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time8 hrs

Total Time8 hrs 20 mins

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 429.1kcal

Author: Heather - A Wicked Whisk

Ingredients

2 pounds chunk roast cut into 2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces bacon cut into small pieces
1 medium onion quartered
4 large garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups beef stock
5 ounces tomato paste
1 tablespoon worchestershire
22 ounces Guinness Draught or Guinness Extra Stout Beer
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
4 large carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
4 cups Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
Parsley for garnish and good crusty bread

Instructions

Start by heating a large stock pot over high heat on your stove top. Cut the chuck roast into 2 inch chunks or use pre-cut stew meat from your grocery store.
Add in olive oil and chuck roast chunks, working in 2 batches. Brown all sides of beef, remove and repeat with 2nd batch. Remove the meat and set aside.
Lower heat of stock pot to medium and add in the bacon pieces. Cook until crisp and remove pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add butter to the bacon grease and then add in the flour, whisking constantly for 1 minute and then pour in the beef stock. Add in tomato paste, seasonings, Worcestershire and stirring to combine, bring to a low boil.
Pour in Guinness and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add onions, garlic, potatoes and carrots and return beef into the pot (including any juices). Cover and lower heat so that it is just gently bubbling. cook for 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High. Serve with crusty bread and parsley for garnish

Notes

Cut your chuck roast into 2 inch cubes or use pre-cut stew meat from your grocery store. You want big chunks of meat to stand up to the long cooking time and the long cooking time ensures tender fall-apart beef.
Grabbing a chuck roast is the perfect meat for this stew. You want meat that has a bit of fat (for flavor) and slow cooking it allows the meat time to tenderize.
Don't skip searing the meat! Browning the meat gives the meat extra deep, rich flavor.
Adding fresh herbs at the end of the stew cooking time adds a whole new layer of delicate flavor. Sprinkle on fresh parsley, thyme or rosemary before serving.
Guinness Beer is one of a kind and there are no substitutions. If you prefer not to add the beef, offset with 3 extra cups of beef stock instead.
By letting your beef stew simmer all day, you are guaranteed tender chunks of meat. Stop lifting the lid, let the stew do it's job!
Cook this Irish stew in either a large stock pot or move it to your slow cooker. Either work perfectly for this recipe.
Potatoes are personal .. use whatever potatoes you like in this recipe. I prefer Yukon gold potatoes.
Feel free to make life easy and substitute 'real' bacon with pre-cook bacon pieces from the salad dressing aisle of your grocery store.

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