Soups and stews
Guinness-Braised Beef Stew with Root Vegetables
Fork-tender chunks of beef braised low and slow in dark stout, yielding a glossy, deeply savoury gravy laced with carrots, potatoes, and fresh thyme.
Ingredients
- 1000 g beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 unit yellow onion, diced
- 4 unit garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1,5 cup Guinness stout
- 2 cup beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 unit carrots, cut in chunks
- 2 unit parsnips, cut in chunks
- 500 g Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
- 1 unit fresh thyme and parsley
Instructions
- 1
Pat the beef cubes dry and season generously with salt and pepper; dredge lightly in flour.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the beef in batches for 3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
- 3
Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining olive oil and the butter, then sweat the onion for 6 minutes until translucent.
- 4
Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until the paste turns brick-red and smells toasty.
- 5
Deglaze with the Guinness, scraping up every browned bit, and simmer for 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
- 6
Return the beef with any juices, then add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer.
- 7
Cover and braise in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 1.5 hours until the beef is fork-tender.
- 8
Add carrots, parsnips, and Yukon Gold potatoes; braise uncovered for 40 more minutes until vegetables are tender and the sauce has reduced to a glossy coat.
- 9
Discard bay leaves, adjust seasoning, and finish with chopped parsley before serving.
Chef's tip
Sear the beef in small batches — crowding the pan drops the temperature and steams the meat instead of building the fond that gives the stew its deep, restaurant-worthy colour.
Suggested pairing
Serve over buttery mashed potatoes or with warm Irish soda bread and a pint of stout.
Similar recipes
Where to next
Add this recipe to your weekly plan
With Olivi, Olive plans your meals and turns your recipes into an automatic grocery list, sorted by aisle.
Try Olivi for free