Irish Beef Stew Guinness-Style (Print Version)

Tender beef and vegetables cooked in a malty, alcohol-free Guinness-style sauce for a hearty Irish dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2.6 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 2 large onions, chopped
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 large carrots, sliced into rounds
06 - 3 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 1.5 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
08 - 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced

→ Liquids

09 - 2 cups alcohol-free stout
10 - 3 cups beef stock, low sodium
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

→ Herbs & Spices

13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
16 - 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

→ Thickeners

18 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

# Steps:

01 - Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper, ensuring even coating on all sides.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches without overcrowding, adding more oil as needed. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and parsnips to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened, occasionally scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
04 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste and create a roux base.
05 - Return the beef and accumulated juices to the pot. Stir in tomato paste until well combined, then pour in the alcohol-free stout and beef stock while scraping the bottom to deglaze.
06 - Add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is fork-tender and sauce has thickened.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot alongside crusty bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce develops an incredible richness that makes people swear there's alcohol in it
  • Its one of those rare stews that tastes even better the next day
  • The beef becomes fork tender without needing any fancy techniques
02 -
  • Overcrowding the pot while browning beef will steam it instead of searing it, so work in batches and resist the urge to rush
  • The flour needs those two full minutes of cooking, or your sauce will taste unpleasantly raw
  • Alcohol-free stout can be surprisingly hard to find, so check specialty stores or order online before your planned cooking day
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables into similar sizes so they cook evenly and you don't end up with mushy carrots and firm potatoes
  • Don't rush the browning step, those caramelized bits on the bottom of your pot are pure liquid gold
  • If you can't find alcohol-free stout, beef broth with a touch of balsamic vinegar makes a decent substitute

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