Guinness Beef Stew

Warm, cozy, and deliciously hearty, my recipe for Guinness Beef Stew is comfort food at its finest. With instructions for cooking on the stovetop in a Dutch oven or using a slow-cooker, this easy and classic Irish beef stew recipe is perfect for cold weather, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, or anytime you need a hug in a bowl.

You can't get much better than this delicious, traditional beef stew with an Irish twist. Loaded with tender beef, smoky bacon, starchy potatoes, sweet onions and carrots, meaty mushrooms, and malty Guinness stout, this delectable bowl of goodness has everything you could possibly want from a meal.

Why You Will Love this Recipe

• This is an easy recipe that uses only 12 simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Better yet, you only need about 20 minutes' worth of active time to make it!
• It's a rustic, hearty dish that is perfect for warming you up from the inside out.
• This Dutch oven beef stew is perfect for meal prep and is 100% freezer-friendly!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This hearty beef Guinness stew is full of all our favorite cozy flavors and then some. The major players are below, but you'll find the complete list of ingredients and amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Bacon - Feel free to use standard or thick-cut bacon in any flavor (e.g. hickory smoked, apple smoked, Black Forest) that you prefer.
• Stewing beef - While you can often find stewing beef pre-cut into cubes, feel free to use a large cut of chuck, top sirloin, oxtail, or any of your favorite cuts for making beef stew. If you go this route, consider freezing your meat for about 15-20 minutes before cubing it. The chill makes it easier to handle!
• Onions - You’re welcome to use red, white, yellow, or sweet onions here. You can also swap in shallots or well-rinsed and thinly sliced leeks. 
• Mushrooms - I love the deeply umami flavor mushrooms bring to the party. Feel free to use white button, cremini, shiitake, or portobello mushrooms depending on what you can get at the store. If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, feel free to omit them! If you do, a glug of Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, or Maggi seasoning does a great job of adding umami.
• Celery - While celery tastes earthy and almost bland when raw, it adds great sweetness and complexity to the stew. Feel free to peel the outermost ribs if you prefer, but I find that they soften up beautifully during braising.
• Garlic - Fresh is best, but you can easily swap in an equal amount of jarred minced garlic or about a tablespoon of garlic powder instead.
• Guinness - While Guinness is our preferred dark beer, feel free to use any stout or porter you prefer. If you don't want to use alcohol, feel free to substitute mushroom, beef or chicken broth, dark, non-alcoholic beer, apple juice or cider, root beer, Dr. Pepper, or Coke instead.
• Dried Thyme - Feel free to use 3x as much fresh thyme if you prefer!
• Carrots - Any color (orange, purple, or white) will work here. You’re also welcome to use parsnips instead.
• Baby potatoes - Thin-skinned, waxy baby new potatoes are perfect for stew because they hold their shape beautifully. Feel free to swap in cubed red or yellow potatoes instead.
• Chicken broth - You’re also welcome to use beef or veggie broth, or even water in a pinch. Note that if you use water, you’ll be sacrificing some of the flavor, so consider adding some bouillon to replace the richness of broth or stock.
• Diced canned tomatoes - You can also use whole canned tomatoes if needed, just chop them into bite-sized pieces first!
• All-purpose flour - Coating your meat with flour helps it to brown beautifully, plus the added starch helps to thicken the Irish beef stew as it simmers. Feel free to swap in your favorite gluten-free flour alternative or cornstarch instead!

Optional Variations

While my family loves this Guinness beef stew recipe just the way it’s written, feel free to make changes based on your dietary needs and preferences. Here are a few variations to consider:

• Gluten-Free - Swap in your favorite gluten-free porter or stout and use a measure-for-measure GF all-purpose flour blend or cornstarch to coat your meat.
• Different Meats - Pork shoulder roast, sirloin roast or blade pork roast, boneless, skinless, chicken breast or chicken thighs, lamb, bison, or venison all require the same cooking procedure (dusting in flour, searing until golden, and simmering until tender) and offer several refreshing alternatives for this Guinness stew.
• Vegetarian - The beef can be replaced with plant-based meat to make this wonderful Guinness stew recipe vegetarian.
• Spicy - Add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish. You can also finish it with your favorite hot sauce or our homemade hot pepper sauce to add a little kick.
• Different Vegetables - Feel free add a few handfuls of dark, leafy greens (e.g. de-stemmed kale or chard, or spinach) or some frozen green peas right before serving. You’re also welcome to add or swap in eggplant, winter squash, or other root vegetables like yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, or rutabagas for the other veggies.

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy my Grandma's Cowboy Beef Stew.

How To Make Guinness Beef Stew

Making this Irish beef stew recipe isn't difficult at all. It only takes a few steps of prep and about 20 minutes of active time, and you'll be well on your way to one of the most delicious dinners you've ever had.

The highlights are below, but you'll find the full instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post. 

Whether you cook this beef stew on the stovetop or in your slow cooker, the first step is the same.

Step 1: Toss beef in flour. Combine salt, pepper, and flour in a large resealable bag, then add the beef chunks and toss to coat. 

Stovetop Option — Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Step 2: Cook bacon and beef. Cook the bacon in the Dutch oven until crisp. Remove from the pot. Add the coated beef to the skillet and sear on medium-high in the bacon grease until browned. Remove to the same plate as the bacon.

Step 3: Cook veggies. Add mushrooms, celery, and onions to the skillet and cook on medium until tender. Add salt and minced garlic to the vegetables and cook for a minute. 

Step 4: Deglaze. Then, add the beer and deglaze the skillet. Simmer the vegetables and add tomato paste. Stir, then pour into the large pot. 

Step 5: Simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the beef is tender. 

Optional, Step 6: Thicken. If needed, thicken the stew with a cornstarch slurry. 

Slow-Cooker Option — Crock Pot Guinness Beef Stew

Step 2: Cook bacon and beef. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove to the insert of your slow cooker. Add the coated beef to the skillet and sear on medium-high in the bacon grease until browned. Add to the slow cooker with the bacon.

Step 3: Deglaze the pan with the Guinness, then add the fond and beer to the slow cooker.

Step 4: Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and set to cook on Low for 4-6 hours.

Optional, Step 5: Thicken. If needed, thicken the stew with a cornstarch slurry.

6: If needed, thicken the stew with a cornstarch slurry.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Store in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months

Reheat: Defrost overnight in the fridge (if needed). Place the stew in a pot and heat over medium-low heat until hot.

Make-Ahead: As with most soups and stews, this meal only gets better after a day or two in the fridge, so feel free to make it the day before you plan to serve it.

What to Serve with Guinness Beef Stew

This lick-the-bowl tasty beef and Guinness stew is perfect for fall and winter, or whenever the weather outside is chilly. It’s also a shoo-in for your St. Patrick’s day celebrations! While it’s rather rustic, I’ve made it for company many times before and my guests always ask for the recipe.

As far as side dishes go, I could list out a bunch of recipes here, but I think it would be easier for you to check out my list of amazing sides on what to serve with beef stew. There's a lot to discover there! At the very least, make sure to serve it with some kind of bread or dinner rolls so you can sop up every last drop of flavor. 😉

Expert Tips

• Do NOT drain the bacon fat from the pan. That's part of what gives this stew its great flavor!
• If you run out of bacon fat while cooking the beef and vegetables, you can add a bit of olive oil.
• If you thicken your stew with starch at the end, be sure to add a little bit at a time and give it enough time to thicken. If you're too aggressive, you could end up with beef goo instead of Guinness Irish stew.

Top Tip 

The easiest way to coat your beef in the flour mixture is by using a resealable bag. 

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons
• large skillet
• wooden spoon
• slotted spoon
• Large pot or CrockPot/Slow-Cooker
• Resealable bag
• small bowl
• whisk

FAQ

More Delicious Stew Recipes

Guinness Beef Stew

Guinness beef stew combines tender beef, vegetables, and Guinness stout to create a beef stew that's hearty, delicious, and always welcome.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Simmer Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 40 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Irish-American

Servings 6

Calories 652 kcal

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons
• large skillet
• wooden spoon
• slotted spoon
• Large pot
• Resealable bag
• small bowl
• whisk

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6-8 slices bacon, chopped cut into small pieces
• 2 - 2 ½ pounds stewing beef or any boneless cut of beef, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
• 1 teaspoon pepper more or less to taste
• 2 onions, chopped
• ½ pound mushrooms, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, cut into bite sized chunks
• 2-4 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz) dark beer we used Guinness
• 1 can (5 ½-6 oz) tomato paste
• 2-4 tablespoons thyme, dried
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon pepper more or less to taste
• 3 carrots, cut into bite sized chunks
• 2 pounds potatoes, mini, whole or halved
• 2 cups chicken broth or as needed to cover
• 2 cans (28 oz) canned tomatoes, diced, undrained (28 oz)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour or starch (corn or potato)

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet cook your chopped bacon until crisp. Remove cooked bacon from your skillet and place in a large pot. Leave bacon fat in your skillet.
• In a large resealable bag place your beef chunks. In a small cup combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and your flour, if using. Sprinkle on top of beef chunks and shake to coat beef as evenly as possible.
• Turn your skillet to medium-high and sear beef pieces in the bacon fat until browned, about 5 minutes. Place beef in your large pot with the bacon, again leave the bacon fat in your skillet. If you need more oil, add some, and wait until it shimmers or a drop of water flicked in it dances before using it or continuing. Turn your heat down to medium. Add mushrooms, celery, and onions and cook until tender, between 8 and 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle some salt over top of vegetables and add your minced garlic. Stir for about 1 minute and add your can of beer. Stir with a wooden spoon and scrape up and any browned bits on the bottom of your skillet. Allow beer to simmer for a few minutes and add tomato paste to your skillet. Stir until combined.
• Pour liquid from skillet into your large pot. Add thyme, canned tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, sugar, 1 teaspoon pepper, and enough chicken broth to cover all of the contents of your pot. Stir to combine.
• Turn the heat under your large pot on. Allow soup to gently simmer, on low, covered, until your beef is tender, about 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
• Now to thicken your stew if needed. In a small cup add about ¼ cup of starch. Stir in water, just enough to dissolve the starch. Raise your heat to medium-high. Bring stew to a gentle boil and add starch liquid, a little at a time, every 5 minutes or so. Cook until stew has thickened, about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Optional Variations

• Gluten-Free - Swap in your favorite gluten-free porter or stout and use a measure-for-measure GF all-purpose flour blend or cornstarch to coat your meat.

• Different Meats - Pork shoulder roast, sirloin roast or blade pork roast, boneless, skinless, chicken breast or chicken thighs, lamb, bison, or venison all require the same cooking procedure (dusting in flour, searing until golden, and simmering until tender) and offer several refreshing alternatives for this Guinness stew.

• Vegetarian - The beef can be replaced with plant-based meat to make this wonderful Guinness stew recipe vegetarian.
• Spicy - Add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish. You can also finish it with your favorite hot sauce or our homemade hot pepper sauce to add a little kick.
• Different Vegetables - Feel free add a few handfuls of dark, leafy greens (e.g. de-stemmed kale or chard, or spinach) or some frozen green peas right before serving. You’re also welcome to add or swap in eggplant, winter squash, or other root vegetables like yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, or rutabagas for the other veggies.

Expert Tips

• Do NOT drain the bacon fat from the pan. That's part of what gives this stew its great flavor!
• If you run out of bacon fat while cooking the beef and vegetables, you can add a bit of olive oil.
• If you thicken your stew with starch at the end, be sure to add a little bit at a time and give it enough time to thicken. If you're too aggressive, you could end up with beef goo instead of Guinness Irish stew.
• The easiest way to coat your beef in the flour mixture is by using a resealable bag. 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 652kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 82gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 212mgSodium: 935mgPotassium: 2153mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 5279IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 9mg

Keyword guinness beef stew

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