Homemade Guinness beef stew is homey and comforting. It’s also so easy to make, you’ll wonder why anyone would think to ruin it in a can.
Beef stew is one of my comfort foods. Prepped in the morning to simmer all day in the slow cooker, it’s a luscious melange of beef, vegetables, herbs, and broth. There are so many different variations of the simple meat and vegetable concoction, you could probably have a new one every day for a month or even a year!
At this time of year, I typically make my straightforward Irish Stew. The last few times though, I’ve duded it up with a bottle of Guinness and a good dose of mushrooms. Those two riffs add amazing flavor to the dish, beefing up the richness and savory goodness.
What meat do you use in stew?
The best beef cuts for stew are not those marked “stew meat” at the grocery store. That’s typically rubbish. I’ve never had a good experience with those.
Ingredients for this Guinness beef stew:
- oil
- beef (we used a cross-rib roast cut into cubes)
- salt and pepper
- onion
- mushrooms
- Guinness beer
- paprika
- thyme
- bay leaf
- russet potatoes
- carrots
How do I make this Guinness beef stew?
Can I substitute the beer for something else?
If you don’t drink or can’t find Guinness beer, feel free to use beef or vegetable broth instead. Now’s the time, though, to grab the Irish import on sale.
Can I make this stew in advance?
What do I serve with this Guinness beef stew?
Our favorite accompaniments are Irish Soda Bread and Dubliner Cheese. The former is a bread that you can easily whip up in half and hour. For this photo shoot, I used all whole wheat flour and did my kneading in the bowl so I didn’t have to clean up such a mess. It’s a forgiving quick bread.
Dubliner Cheese often goes on sale near St. Patrick’s Day. We buy a big chunk at Costco and enjoy it for a few weeks. In my freezer cookbook, there is a super yummy recipe for Potatoes Stuffed with Caramelized Onions and Dubliner Cheese, so if you have the book and some leftover Dubliner, please proceed.
Side dishes aside, this is a rocking beef stew to put meat on your bones and hair on your chest. Well, sort of.
Is Guinness beef stew easy to make?
This stew is super easy to make!
Here are some tools I use to make things super easy:
- plastic cutting boards
- good chef’s knife
- large nonstick skillet
- cooking tongs
- 6-quart slow cooker
- vegetable peeler
Is Guinness beef stew expensive to make?
Stew has been considered “peasant food” for ages as it usually features cheaper cuts of meat that benefit from long, slow cooking. The big ticket item here is the meat, especially if you’re going to use lamb. However, even beef prices have been pretty high these past few year.
Consider these strategies to reduce your costs for making Irish Stew:
- I buy the meat when it’s on sale. In fact I stock up and buy several packages at a time so I always have some in my freezer. Hint: watch your grocery sales as beef chuck roasts and steaks often go on sale this time of year.
- Likewise, watch the sales for good prices on potatoes and beef broth. While not “expensive”, they can get pricey in certain seasons.
- Use up your leftovers! This stew stretches beautifully with more broth and veggies. So, if you’ve got just a portion or two left, know that you can stretch it to feed more.
Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lb boneless cross-rib roast cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 onion coarsely chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 1 11.5-ounce bottle Guinness draft beer
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 6 carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the beef cubes, in batches, if necessary to avoid crowding. Season generously with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Brown the cubes, turning as necessary. When all the cubes are browned, transfer them to the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the onion and mushrooms to the drippings in the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, lose their liquid, and the drippings start to thicken.
- Pour in the beer, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer this mixture for 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetables and broth to the crock.
- Add the potatoes and carrots and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the vegetables and meat are tender.
- If you'd like to make this recipe in advance, you can store the cooked stew in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to two months.
Joshua Hampton says
I can’t believe it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day already. Where did the time go? Anyhow, this recipe is brilliant. Beef stew and Guinness in one pot is just the thing for me.
Jessica Fisher says
I know, the month just started, but it’s half over! The Guinness and mushrooms added huge flavor to this. Super good.
Robin says
Do you have instructions for an instant pot?
Jessica Fisher says
I find that to cook the meat properly, you’ll risk overcooking the vegetables. That said, you can use manual high pressure for 45 minutes to cook just the meat, stout, and onion/mushroom mixture. Cook the potatoes and carrots separately and combine before serving. The meat mixture is good over mashed potatoes, too.