The BEST Guinness Irish Stew

We are fast approaching St. Patrick’s Day, but even without that holiday, nothing beats a fabulous hearty beef stew when it’s cold outside! I’ve written another post about other traditional St. Pat’s dishes that are amazing here.

We’ve had the privilege of traveling to Ireland numerous times, and regardless of the month or season we’ve been there, it ALWAYS seems that we experience days when it’s cold. And when playing golf in cold, rainy, windy conditions, each visit we have enjoyed a fabulous Irish Beef Stew made with Guinness naturally. I’ve never tasted stews that good in the US!

So, I’ve been on a hunt for quite some time to find the closest recipe for this amazing stew, and I think I’ve stumbled upon a gem of one here. It checks all the boxes: beef, Guinness, root vegetables, potatoes, carrots and rich broth.

BEST GUINNESS IRISH STEW
(Adapted from daringgourmet.com)

6 oz pancetta or bacon, diced

2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-2″ chunks

3 TBSP flour

2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 medium potatoes, cut into 1″ pieces

2 large carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 bottle Guinness (regular or Extra Stout)

1 cup beef broth

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 TBSP dried assorted mushrooms, chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 – 2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 bay leaves

Cut the beef chuck into 1″ squares (cutting away any fat or grizzle). Place the beef chunks in a bowl or on a plate, and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.  Add the flour to the meat, and toss to coat.

Saute the pancetta or bacon in a large heavy pot until done.  Remove to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.

Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides.  Transfer beef to a plate once all is browned.

Add the onions to the pan and saute about 10 minutes or until soft and translucent.

Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Toss the remaining veggies to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes (until they begin to soften).

Pour in the Guinness, and bring to a boil, scraping up any dried bits from the bottom of the pot.  

Cook stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
If using a slow cooker, place everything in the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours OR HIGH or 3-4 hours.
If not using the slow cooker, after boiling for 2 minutes, reduce heat to low, then cover and simmer for 2 hours or just until the vegetables are soft, not mushy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

The stew is perfect served with crusty French bread. Add a cold glass of Guinness, and transport yourself to Dublin!

Enjoy!