About Stovetop Beef and Guinness Stew
I know I’ve been slacking on the savory recipe front lately (hey, it’s “The Holidays” – my brain seems to be hardwired to only think of sugar right now) but I’m still doing my best to fit in some dinner-worthy recipes for you guys.
And speaking of The Holidays, I’m sure many of you have begun the annual task of reaching deep in the back of your cabinets, searching for all the canned holiday foods left over from last year (pumpkin puree, cranberry sauce, etc). It was during one of these food-diving excursions that I discovered we still had four untouched bottles of Guinness beer.
Now, I’ll be honest: an old friend of mine and I aren’t big fans of drinking Guinness beer, but I do love it in food, whether it be cooked in a a dish or baked. This particular batch of Guinness was left over from when I made Dark Chocolate Guinness Bread, and with bottled beer only having a shelf life of six to nine months, I knew I needed to make something with it – and fast.
Thankfully, I had a dish on my to-make bucket list that would end up being the perfect fit: Beef and Guinness Stew.
I’ve wanted to try my hand at making this stew for a while, but truth be told, I thought this would be a dish more up an old friend of mine’s alley than mine. He’s usually the red meat fan in the house, and though I certainly don’t dislike red meat, I find that the older I get the less of it I eat. I suppose it’s just one of “those things” that randomly change about us as we get older.
Except… then I tasted this stew. And suddenly I remembered all the reasons why I used to love a big, wholesome plate (or in this case, bowl) of red meat and veggies.
Maybe I’ve just been out of “the red meat game” for far too long, but you guys, this was seriously the best stew I’ve ever tasted, and the chunks of beef were the very best part.
Everything in this stew was deliciously tender, from the beef to the celery to the potatoes, and the flavor was really amazing – rich and dark and just plain good.
In fact, this is easily one of my favorite recipes so far of 2016. My brain may be hardwired for all things sweet right now, but I’m still completely in tune with fall and all of my comfort food needs, and this stew was a perfect fit.
Add in the fact that an old friend of mine and I were able to enjoy hot bowls of this stew on our back porch with an ever-so-slightly-chilly wind blowing? It was fall perfection!
notes & tips for this guinness stew
- If you’re going to make a soup, have a nice large stockpot means you’ll have plenty of room to stir and for the soup to simmer. You can use either a 6 quart stockpot or a 12 quart stockpot.
- In the mood for more Guinness? Be sure to check out Baileys Dark Chocolate Guinness Bread, Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting, or this entire list of 30 Recipes with Guinness Greatness.
Recipe Details
Stovetop Beef and Guinness Stew
Ingredients
Instructions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon for 3-4 minutes or until bacon begins to brown. Scoop out bacon and transfer to a 6 quart stockpot Leave bacon grease in the skillet.
- Season cut beef with salt and pepper (to taste) then add beef to the skillet. Brown beef for about 5 minutes, making sure to sear all sides. Scoop out beef and transfer to the pot with the bacon. Continue to leave grease in the skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium and add onions to skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic to skillet and cook for 1 minute.
- Add beer to skillet and stir until combined with the grease, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Pour onion & beer mixture into the pot with the bacon and beef. Add carrots, celery, tomato paste, thyme, sugar, and chicken stock, then stir.
- Bring stew to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook stew for 1 hour. Remove lid and add potatoes to pot. Cook stew for 1 more hour, uncovered.
- If you'd like a thicker stew, add in 1 tablespoon of flour to the broth and stir thoroughly. Let stew cook for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Serve stew immediately.
I’ve never tried my hand at stew. Not sure why. It’s the perfect fall/winter dish! Your soup looks so hearty! I love it. And never would have thought to try it with beer! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jacqui! This is definitely the best season for a good stew – the perfect time to give it a shot! 😀
Sound delicious. Like a burger in a soup. I think this would be great for the winter time.
Now you’ve got me thinking about burger soup 😀 But yes, comfort food like this is perfect for chilly weather!
It looks so hearty and delicious! Definitely nice on a cold winter’s day. Made with Guinness sounds like a nice twist.
Thanks Heather! The Guinness is definitely the star here 😀
Love these great savory stews – especially when the meat is tender and the flavor is juicy! Making me want to put this one together – Thank you! 🙂
Thanks, Donna!
I am not a big fan of drinking beer, but I do enjoy the taste in soups, stews and breads. Go figure. I can’t wait to try this myself. Sounds perfect for a fall evening!
Thanks, Pam! 😀
My an old friend of mine is obsessed with Guinness beer!! This stew would be right up his alley especially with the cooler weather approaching.
Right? It’s the perfect fall comfort food!
Wow that looks super delicious and really filling. Ultimate comfort food right there, would love to give this a try!
Thanks, Jeanine!
This is what I call the perfect comfort food! It looks delicious – perfect for Fall too!
Thank you Dana!
This sounds REALLY good. I know that it would be awesome for a St Patricks Day party too. It looks all warm and cozy for cool fall nights!
😀 Thanks, Krystal!
Omg can we say yum? Now that it’s fall I’ve been all about soups and stews. Must give your recipe a try!
Thank you!! 😀
I love beef stew.. this recipe looks so delicious and perfect for fall season
Thanks, Rika!
This recipe is just what my fall menus needed. I love soups and stews this time of year. I really needed a good stove top stew recipe. Definitely trying this one.
Thanks, Chrishelle! If you make it, I hope you like it 😀
Hi Chrisy, do you think I can just put everything together in a slow cooker and let it simmer all day?
Hey Pam! I know I’ve seen slow cooker Guinness stew recipes, so I think this should be fine. I haven’t done it myself so I’m not 100% sure on the recommended cook time.
yum yum ! look very delicious , absolutely I will try it .
keep up chef ^_^
This looks amazing! All those veggies 😋
What a cozy recipe to keep us all warm during these frigid temperatures!! Love that this recipe includes so many veggies and spices!
It’s the perfect season to get cozy with some beef stew, thank you for sharing!
This turned out so flavorful. A winner at our house!
I bet the guinness adds a wonderful rich flavour to the stew!