Guinness Beef Stew

This Guinness beef stew was made in partnership with the Washington Beef Commission. Thank you for supporting the brands that support For the Love of Gourmet. 

There is something so cozy and comforting about a beef stew. Beef stew uses inexpensive cuts of beef, either purchased as “beef stew meat” or cut yourself at home. We’re taking those little chunks of beef and browning them until they get a crispy crust and simmering them in a broth flavored with Guinness, tomato paste, plenty of herbs, onions, and garlic. The key to a really good beef stew is layering your flavors. Start with seasoning and searing the beef, making sure you don’t crowd the pan. If you crowd the pan, the beef will steam instead of browning, and you want those crispy edges! Then we are adding onions and garlic, followed by some tomato paste and then Guiness to deglaze the pan. No Guinness? No problem! You can use another dark beer or even red wine to deglaze the pan. And even though the alcohol completely cooks out, you can use extra beef broth if you don’t want to use beer or wine. These steps don’t take long, but they’re so important to make sure you have the perfect depth of flavor. Let’s get started!

Ingredients for Guiness Beef Stew

• Beef stew meat: I buy mine pre-cut at the grocery store, but you can also buy a larger cut of beef chuck, sirloin, or round roast and cut it yourself. No need to spend a lot of money on a more expensive cut for this recipe! The meat will become perfectly tender while simmering.
• Flour: The key to getting those perfect little crispy edges to the beef is tossing the beef pieces in a flour and seasoning mixture.
• Salt: Salt in layers! We’re adding salt to the flour mixture for the beef, salting the onions as they sauté, and salting the finish product!
• Garlic and onion powder: Just little bit of each for the flour mixture.
• Pepper: Always! Some goes in the flour mixture and then add some to taste as the stew simmers.
• Olive oil: The olive oil is heated in the pan to brown the beef.
• Onion: Every time I chop a whole onion it seems like too much. It’s not too much! Use the whole onion.
• Garlic: Measure with your heart, I use about 5 garlic cloves.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds such good flavor to the broth. For best results, add it after the onions and garlic have sauteed before deglazing the pan.
• Guinness: We are using this to deglaze the pan and add flavor. If you don’t have it, you can use another dark beer, red wine, or even extra beef broth.
• Potatoes: It wouldn’t be beef stew without potatoes! I prefer Yukon gold in this recipe.
• Carrots: A must for beef stew!
• Herbs: Thyme, sage, bay leaves, and smoked paprika are the perfect combination of flavors for this beef stew recipe.
• Peas: Add the peas right at the end so they stay bright green and don’t get mushy.

How to Make Guinness Beef Stew

• Place the beef in a medium bowl and top with flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss to combine.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and brown the beef stew pieces a couple at a time, being sure to not crowd the pan or the meat won’t brown. Flip to brown on multiple sides, then transfer to a plate.
• Melt the butter in a pan, then add onions and garlic and cook to sweat the onions. Add the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes before adding the Guinness and bringing to a simmer. At this point you may need to transfer the mixture to a larger pot. Be sure to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan!
• Add the potatoes, carrots, and browned beef. Pour in the beef broth and add the thyme, sage, and smoked paprika. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Taste and add more salt and pepper, then add the peas and cook for a minute or two before serving warm with crusty bread.

What to Do with Leftovers

• Beef stew is like spaghetti sauce where it tastes even better the next day! If you can’t eat the leftovers within about two days of making the recipe, you can freeze it! This beef stew freezes well and is perfect to thaw out when you need a cozy meal.

What to Serve with Beef Stew

• There is never a time where I don’t want a loaf of crusty artisan bread or homemade sourdough with a soup or stew. A hunk of bread soaked in the broth is so cozy and perfect.
• Soup and salad are always a classic combination. For something easy, bright, and fresh, try serving this beef stew with my perfect little green salad.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you love this cozy beef stew recipe!