Guinness Beef Stew Recipe

This Guinness beef stew is loaded with tender beef, potatoes, and carrots simmered in a rich broth made with Guinness, red wine, and beef stock. It’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s just as good on any cold night when you need something warm and hearty.

If a traditional corned beef is on your menu too, you’ll want to check out our Corned Beef Cooked in Beer!

St. Patrick’s Day might mean green beer and Irish car bombs for some of y’all (wait, does everyone not celebrate like that?), but a big pot of Guinness beef stew is a much better way to celebrate those Irish roots. And since it’s just as good on any chilly night, it doesn’t have to wait until March.

Irish food might not seem like it has much to do with the South, but a lot of our cooking traces back to the Scots-Irish settlers who made the most of inexpensive cuts and whatever was in the garden.

Speaking of the broth... oh man. I could just bathe in this broth. The red wine, beef stock, Guinness, thyme, and garlic come together to create something that is just magical. A lot of Guinness stew recipes stick with just beer and broth, but that cup of red wine is what makes this one ours.

The key to this Guinness beef stew is to let it cook long enough for the meat to get tender but not so long that it just falls apart. The best way we’ve found to do that is to sear the beef first, build the broth, then add the meat back and keep an eye on it for tenderness.

Ingredients Needed

• Beef Chuck or Stew Meat - I used beef chuck cut into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch. Pre-cut stew meat works too, but cutting a chuck roast yourself gives you more even pieces that get tender at the same time.
• Salt - Part of it seasons the beef before browning, and the rest goes in at the end to taste.
• Olive Oil - For browning the beef and vegetables. Vegetable oil works fine if that’s what you have on hand.
• Potatoes - Go for a smaller, thin-skinned potato like Yukon Gold or red potatoes. I’ve found that russets get too soft in this stew.
• Carrots - They add a little natural sweetness that balances out the Guinness.
• Yellow Onion - Of course, I love Vidalia onions, but any yellow onion will work great.
• Garlic - Fresh minced garlic is best here, but jarred works in a pinch.
• Beef Stock - I like low-sodium so I can control the salt myself.
• Red Wine - Use a dry red you’d actually drink, like a cabernet or merlot.
• Guinness - One bottle of Guinness Draught is the classic choice, but any Irish stout will do.
• Tomato Paste - Adds depth and helps give the broth a little body.
• Dried Thyme - Thyme and beef are just meant to be together.
• Black Pepper - To taste at the end.

How to Make Guinness Beef Stew

1. Brown the beef. Season the beef with salt and brown it on all sides in hot oil. Work in batches and be careful not to crowd the pot! Set the beef aside.
2. Brown the vegetables. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onion to the same pot and cook for about 10 minutes, just until they start to brown and soften. Don’t worry about getting them all the way done! We’ll add them back to the pot later.
3. Build the broth. Cook the garlic for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, Guinness, and thyme. Scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Simmer the beef. Return the beef to the pot, bring it to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for about an hour, until the meat is just starting to get tender.
5. Add the vegetables back. Stir the vegetables back in and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are tender and the beef melts in your mouth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sara’s Expert Tips

• Pat the beef dry with paper towels before you season it. Dry meat browns much better, and that browning is where a lot of the flavor in this stew comes from.
• Don’t crowd the pot when browning. Too much beef at once and it steams instead of searing. It takes a few extra minutes to work in batches, but it’s worth it.
• Go by tenderness, not the clock. Every batch of beef is a little different, especially store-bought stew meat. If it’s still chewy after an hour, give it more time before adding the vegetables.
• Want a thicker broth? Mash a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a spoon and stir them in.
• Taste before you add the rest of the salt. Between the beef stock and the Guinness, you may not need all of it.

Storage Information

Store leftover Guinness beef stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Like most stews, it tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle in together.

You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Just know the potatoes can get a little softer after thawing. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef stock if it’s thickened up too much.

Recipe FAQs

Want more hearty beef recipes?

• The Very Best Chuck Roast Chili
• Crock Pot Mexican Beef
• Country Fried Steak Recipe: Southern Style
• Easy Dirty Rice Recipe

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📖 Recipe

Guinness Beef Stew

Sara

This Guinness beef stew recipe simmers tender beef, potatoes, and carrots in a rich broth made with Guinness, red wine, and beef stock.

4.70 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Irish

Servings 6 servings

Calories 532 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 pounds beef chuck or stew meat cut in bite-sized pieces
• 4 teaspoons salt divided
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 pounds potatoes peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups carrots peeled and sliced in ½-inch slices
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 bottle Guinness 11.2 ounces
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Season the beef with 2 teaspoons of the salt. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides in batches, being careful not to crowd the pot. Remove to a plate.
• Add the potatoes, carrots, and onion to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Add the garlic to the pot and cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, Guinness, and thyme, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook 1 hour or until the meat begins to get tender.
• Add the vegetables back to the pot and cook 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes, carrots, and beef are tender. Season with the remaining salt and black pepper to taste.

Notes

Depending on the saltiness of your beef stock, you may want to adjust the salt added to the beef at the beginning and at the end of cooking.

For a thicker broth, mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and stir them in.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 532kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 36gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 2071mgPotassium: 1561mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 7258IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 6mg

Keyword Guinness beef stew, Guinness Irish stew

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