A hearty and rich beef stew slow-cooked in Guinness for deep, complex flavors. Serve with soda bread.
Ingredients
Instructions
Toss beef cubes in flour, salt, and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sear beef on all sides until browned, then set aside.
In the same pot, sauté onions and garlic until softened. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute.
Return beef to the pot. Pour in Guinness, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Add thyme and bay leaf.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
Add carrots and potatoes, then simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes until tender.
Remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning, and serve hot.
Notes
Browning the beef before slow-cooking creates deep, rich flavors in the stew. Make sure to get a good sear on all sides before deglazing.
Sautéing onions and garlic after the beef is browned helps develop a more robust base. Cooking tomato paste briefly before adding liquids intensifies its flavor.
If you prefer a thicker stew, mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water and stir it in during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Variations
A splash of Worcestershire sauce or a spoonful of Dijon mustard at the end enhances the richness of the stew.
Swap beef for lamb shoulder for a more traditional Irish version. The gamier flavor pairs beautifully with Guinness.
Substitute beef with chicken. Use bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, reducing cooking time to about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Source
Food in Europe