Guinness Stew

Recipe by: Sarah Butler

This Guinness Stew is a true family favourite: hearty, rich, and full of flavour. The slow cooking process transforms simple ingredients into a tender, melt-in-your-mouth meal that warms you from the inside out.

Guinness Stew

SERVES

4

PEOPLE

PREP TIME

15

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

240

MINUTES

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb (700 g) good-quality stewing beef, cut into chunks

  • 1 beef OXO cube, crushed

  • 4 tbsp olive oil

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 25 g butter

  • 4–5 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

  • 1 large onion, cut into large chunks

  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 1 tbsp plain or self-raising flour

  • 100ml Guinness

  • 1 pint beef stock

  • 1 tbsp tomato purée

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/ 120°C fan/ gas 1. You can also use a slow cooker set to low.

  2. Season the beef with the crushed OXO cube, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil.

  3. Brown the beef in batches (7–8 pieces at a time) in a hot frying pan for 3–4 minutes per batch until golden on all sides. Set aside.

  4. Sauté the vegetables. In a large casserole pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic, and cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly softened.

  5. Combine and coat. Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the flour and stir well to coat the meat and vegetables.

  6. Deglaze with Guinness. Pour in the Guinness and let it simmer until reduced by half.

  7. Add the rest. Stir in the beef stock, tomato purée, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and a little more seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer.

  8. Cover and cook. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the stew, then cover with foil (leaving small gaps for steam to escape). Cook in the oven or slow cooker for 3–4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if needed.

  9. Thicken if needed. If the sauce is too thin at the end, remove the lid and simmer over the hob for 5–10 minutes, until it has thickened.

  10. Serve. Remove the bay leaf, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with creamy mashed potatoes or top with puff pastry for a comforting pie-style dish.

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