Guinness Beef Stew
Thick, rich, and loaded with flavor, Guinness beer is the star of Guinness Beef Stew. This Irish stew is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Adapted from Traditional Cooking by Darina Allen.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. lean stewing beef
- 3 Tbsp oil
- 2 Tbsp flour
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper
- 3 large onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 2 oz can tomato paste, dissolved in 1 can of water
- 1 ¼ cups Guinness beer
- 4-5 carrots, cut into 1" chunks
- Fresh sprigs of thyme
Instructions
- Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, and cut into 2" cubes. Toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. You can also buy the stew meat already cut into this size and trimmed.
- Season the flour with salt, freshly ground pepper and cayenne. Toss the meat in this mixture.
- Heat the remaining 2 T. oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Brown the meat on all sides.
- Add the onions, crushed garlic and tomato puree/water to the pan, cover and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a baking pan or Dutch oven.
- Pour some of the Guinness into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices in the pan. Pour onto the meat with the remaining Guinness beer.
- Add the carrots and the thyme. [Leave the thyme sprigs whole, for better flavor.] Stir, taste, and add a little more salt if necessary. Cover with the lid of the casserole/Dutch oven and simmer very gently until the meat is tender, about 3 hours.
- The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a low oven at 300. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Notes
Reposted from March 2013 here on RE.