Guinness Beef Stew

My delicious Guinness beef stew gives dinner time a bit of a festive flair whether it's a holiday or not! Chock-full of tender beef, diced potatoes, cabbage and a full bottle of Guinness, a bowl of this hearty stew topped with cheesy garlic toast is tasty pub food at its coziest!

A Hearty and Comforting Pub-Style Stew

We love our English and Irish pubs here in Los Angeles. We gather at these rustic and character-filled little hole-in-the-wall spaces to enjoy good beer, a fun and relaxed atmosphere, and delicious and hearty pub food to go with that beer of course! 😉

Being a huge fan of thick, rich soups and stews, especially the kinds that are slow-simmered for hours to elicit lots of rich flavor from the meat and veggies added in, I wanted to created a fun and tasty recipe in honor of St. Patrick's Day and some of our local pubs which makes use of Guinness, that wonderfully thick, dark and almost “creamy” stout beer.

Guinness is a natural partner to ingredients such as beef, starchy russet potatoes, onions, garlic and lots of earthy cabbage, which makes this cozy Guinness beef stew a perfect recipe to prepare for a fun and festive holiday meal, or whenever some comforting-yet-homemade pub food is what you're craving!

How to Make Guinness Beef Stew

While enjoying Guinness beef stew at a local pub is a tasty treat, this recipe is easy to prepare at home for a stick-to-your-ribs, pub-style meal in!

A flavorful and warming beef stew recipe comes together with a large handful of delicious ingredients that are allowed to slowly simmer together until thick, hearty, and aromatic.

And to give my recipe here a bit of extra flair and flavor, I even like to add a piece of garlic toast topped with broiled Irish cheddar as a deliciously cheesy “lid”!

For the beef used in this stew, I use marbled and flavorful beef chuck roast cut into bite-size pieces, which becomes wonderfully tender and juicy when long-simmered in this stew.

I also opt for other Irish-inspired ingredients such as diced russet potatoes, onions, and lots of shredded cabbage to create that hearty texture.

Of course, a full bottle of that smooth Guinness stout goes in to this stew as well!

Here's a glance at how I make my Guinness Beef Stew: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. I begin by browning the beef, then remove it from the pot; I add in the onions and allow them to caramelize a bit, then pour in my bottle of Guinness and allow that to reduce and slightly thicken for a few moments.
2. Next, I add in the dried herbs, seasonings and garlic, followed by the browned beef, then the cubed potatoes, shredded cabbage, and beef stock.
3. I simmer the Guinness beef stew with a lid slightly askew for roughly 2 to 2 ½ hours, or until the beef is very tender, then I finish the stew with some chopped parsley and small drizzle of vinegar for kick.
4. To serve, I ladle the stew into bowls, top with my prepared garlic toast sprinkled with shredded Irish cheddar cheese, and broil until golden and melted.

Recipe

Guinness Beef Stew

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This rich Guinness beef stew with russet potatoes, cabbage, and flavorful Guinness stout is delicious and cozy pub-style meal made at home!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 650 calories (includes one cheesy garlic toast)

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, 55 minutes

Guinness Beef Stew Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds beef chuck roast, cut into bite-size chunks
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Olive or avocado oil
• 2 onions, quartered and sliced
• 1 bottle (11.2 fl ounces) Guinness draught
• ¾ teaspoon herbs de Provence
• ¼ teaspoon granulated onion
• ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• ½ head cabbage, halved again & cored, then shredded
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (you can also use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar)

Cheesy Garlic Toast Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• French baguette, sliced on the bias into 6 slices
• Pinch salt
• 1 whole garlic clove, paper removed
• ½ cup shredded Irish gouda (or Irish cheddar) cheese

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, toss the pieces of beef with a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper, plus the flour, to coat.
2. Place a large soup/stew pot over medium high/high heat, and drizzle in about 2-3 tablespoons of the oil; once the oil is hot, add the beef in (work in a couple of batches, if necessary) and leave it undisturbed for a couple of minutes to brown; then, stir the meat and allow it to continue to brown for a few minutes more until nicely caramelized with a crust on all sides.
3. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon, and set aside for a few moments.
4. Add another drizzle or two of oil into the pot, and add in the onions; allow them to cook for about 10 minutes, or until they begin to become golden-brown, and slightly caramelized.
5. Next, add in the Guinness Stout, and allow it to reduce for about 5-6 minutes, still on fairly high heat, or until slightly syrupy and thickened.
6. Next, add in the herbs de Provence, the granulated onion and garlic, plus the pressed cloves of garlic, and stir to incorporate; add the browned beef back in with all of its juices, followed by the potatoes and the cabbage, and carefully stir to combine.
7. Add in the beef stock, cover with a lid slightly askew to allow just a little steam to escape, and reduce the heat to low to gently simmer the stew for about 2 -2 ½ hours, or until the beef is very tender.
8. While the stew cooks, prepare the garlic toasts, if preparing: preheat oven/toaster oven to 400°, and line a small baking sheet with foil.
9. Brush some of the melted butter onto the slices of baguette, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt; place into the oven to toast until golden-brown, roughly 8-10 minutes.
10. Rub the garlic clove lightly over the toasted bread, and set aside until ready to add to soup.
11. To finish the stew, add in the chopped parsley and the vinegar, and check your seasoning to see if you need any additional salt or black pepper.
12. To serve, ladle some Guinness beef stew into a bowl, top with a garlic toast, and sprinkle on a liberal amount of the cheese; then place on a sheet tray under the broiler just until the cheese is melted and gooey, and serve.

Tips & Tidbits for my Guinness Beef Stew:

• Beef chuck roast, cut into bite-size pieces: While beef stew meat is fine for this recipe, it doesn't remain quite as rich and succulent as beef chuck roast. The chuck roast has some fat marbling and good collagen, which slowly breaks down and keeps the meat moist and flavorful during the longer cooking process.
• Russet potatoes for a bit of added starch: I like to use russet potatoes in this recipe because as they break down in the stew a bit, they release some natural starches which help to thicken it. However, if you only have red or yellow waxy potatoes on hand, you can use those in a pinch.
• Guinness draught in a bottle: I use the 11.2 ounce bottle of draught stout in this recipe. When you pour it into the pot, allow a few minutes for it to reduce a little, and become slightly thickened or a hint syrupy, then proceed with the rest of the ingredients and steps.
• Cheesy garlic toasts, optional but delicious: If you prefer not to serve the stew with the cheesy garlic toasts, then omit this part of the recipe—the Guinness beef stew is just as delicious without 'em! But the toasts do provide a little something extra flavorful and fun, a bit like French onion soup has its cheesy toast “topper”.

Craving more hearty stews and soups? Check out this Oktoberfest Stew with Lager, this Beef Goulash, this French Onion Soup, or this Beef Barley Soup!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!