How to Make Guinness Stew (2024)

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Guinness Stew is the perfect hearty winter stew: a splash of dark stout makes the sauce rich and flavorful, perfect for tender chunks of beef and vegetables. Serve Guinness Stew over mashed potatoes or Colcannon for the perfect cozy meal.

Guinness Stew becomes top-of-mind come March and the frenzy around St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s a tasty, hearty dish choice in any of the chilly winter months.

The Guinness makes the stew, of course, and that, along with Worcestershire sauce, makes the gravy dark, delicious, and rich with the depth of flavors.

My favorite part of this Irish stew might be the serving suggestion: over mashed potatoes or colcannon. Colcannon is basically mashed potatoes with a little Irish flair (kale or cabbage stirred in). Whichever one you choose, mashed spuds only add to the cozy, comfort food feels of Guinness Stew.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Beef roast: An inexpensive cut like chuck roast has a lot of fat, an asset here. The long cooking time means that fat breaks down into meltingly tender chunks of beef and a rich, full-bodied sauce. Names can vary, so look for any of these beef cuts: boneless beef chuck roast, chuck pot roast, chuck shoulder, bottom eye, round roast, rump roast, top round, round tip roast, English roast, or pot roast. I like to cut the beef into 1-inch cubes, but 2-inch pieces work too.
• Red potatoes: Small red potatoes have thin skins and a buttery, tender interior. You can use white skin potatoes, fingerling potatoes, any color of baby potatoes, and even Russet or baking potatoes (as long as they’re cut up into bite-sized pieces).
• Guinness Extra Stout: I prefer this hoppy stout, although any dark beer will do.
• Beef broth: I use refrigerated beef base to make broth. Similar to bullion cubes, beef base is highly concentrated beef stock. You can find it in powder or paste forms. I love Better than Bouillon brand, a paste which is widely available and tastes delicious.
• Mashed potatoes: Guinness Stew is delightful served over a big bed of warm mashed potatoes to soak up every last drop of the sauce. Colcannon, mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage stirred in, is an Irish option. If desired, you could pair it with warm, crusty bread, boiled yukon gold potatoes, or just enjoy as-is; this stew is a hearty meal itself.

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pot and reserve rendered bacon fat.Meanwhile, pat beef dry with paper towel, season generously with salt, and toss with flour to coat.

2. Working in batches as necessary to prevent over-crowding, fry beef in reserved bacon fat until well-browned on each side, about 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining beef.

3. To the now empty pot, add onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.Add potatoes, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the Guinness and bring to boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Boil for 2 minutes.

5. To the pot add browned beef, chopped bacon, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to boil.

6. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2 hours or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.

7. Stir in peas. Remove bay leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with mashed potatoes or Colcannon.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This Guinness Beef Stew recipe makes 10 hearty servings.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Make ahead: The flavors intensify and improve as the stew sits, so feel free to make this up to 3 days ahead.
• Freezer: Cool cooked stew to below 40 degrees on an instant-read thermometer within 2 hours and place into airtight containers. Frozen stew will last 4 to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Slow Cooker: To make the stew in a slow cooker, make recipe as directed in steps 1-4. At step 5, transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
• Sheep: Substitute lamb or mutton for beef (a common version in Ireland).
• Vegetable options: Stew is an excellent vehicle for extra vegetables and herbs you have on-hand. Turnips, mushrooms, parsnips, leeks, or sweet potatoes would all mix in nicely; just stick to the overall proportions listed in the recipe for vegetables and stock. (In other words, trade some turnips for carrots or substitute part sweet potatoes for red potatoes.)