Looking for a seasonal centrepiece for your St Patrick’s Day table? This classic Irish beef and Guinness stew is a real crowd-pleaser, rich, warming and full of flavour.
It’s easy to scale up for a bigger group, freezes beautifully, and like most stews, it actually tastes even better the next day, so any leftovers are a bonus rather than an afterthought.
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To turn this into a simple one-pot meal, add some baby potatoes straight into the stew along with the beef stock, Guinness and herbs, instead of serving it over champ. And don’t be tempted to skip tossing the beef in flour first: it’s a small step, but it’s what helps give the sauce its lovely thick consistency later on.
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Beef and Guinness Stew Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 kg stewing beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 30 g flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 50ml olive oil
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 4-6 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal
- 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 litre beef stock or broth
- 500ml Guinness (or another stout)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Method:
1. Pat the beef dry. Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the beef, turning to coat all the pieces, then shake off the excess flour and transfer to a plate.
2. Heat the oil in a pot over a moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown the beef in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch. Don’t crowd the pot, or the beef will steam rather than brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and carrots to the pot and sauté for 10 minutes, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato puree, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the beef along with any juices accumulated in the bowl. Add the beef stock, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves, and stir to combine.
5. Bring the stew to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
6. To serve, spoon off any fat that has risen to the top of the stew and taste for seasoning. Spoon some champ into individual shallow bowls or plates, making a well in the centre. Ladle the stew on top, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this stew ahead of time?
Yes, and it’s actually a good idea. Like most stews, the flavour deepens after a day in the fridge, so making it the day before you plan to serve it works really well.
Can I freeze beef and Guinness stew?
Yes, this stew freezes well, which makes it handy for batch cooking or getting ahead of a busy St Patrick’s Day.
What can I serve it with besides champ?
Champ is the traditional pairing, but you can also turn this into a simple one-pot meal by adding baby potatoes directly into the stew along with the beef stock, Guinness and herbs, rather than serving it separately.
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