Irish Beef and Guinness Stew
Servings 6
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bacon, cut into small bits
- 2½ lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks & excess fat removed
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 (14.9-oz) can of Guinness Beer
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3 large carrots, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Cook the bacon pieces in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until cooked through and the fat has rendered down.
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel. Remove all but 1½ tablespoons of bacon grease from the Dutch oven; set the remaining bacon grease aside.
- Return the Dutch oven to the stove and turn it up to medium-high. Pat the beef chunks dry, then season well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Add half of the meat to the HOT Dutch oven and cook until browned all over, about 3 minutes. Remove the beef from the Dutch oven to a plate.
- Add the remaining beef to the Dutch oven and cook it until browned all over, about 3 minutes. Remove the beef from the Dutch oven to the same plate; set aside.
- Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of bacon grease to the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring it into the onion mixture constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the Guinness and whisk until the mixture is well combined and the flour is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and whisk until well combined, then add the beef broth.
- Add the plate of cooked beef chunks and their juices, along with the carrot, celery, bacon crumbles, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Side Note: If the beef and vegetables aren't submerged in liquid, add more beef broth until they are.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place into the oven to cook for 2 hours and 25 minutes.
- Remove the lid after 2 hours & 25 minutes, and continue to cook for 20 minutes to allow the beef to finish cooking and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Remove from the oven and skim off any fat from the surface. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Serve over creamy mashed potatoes and top with fresh parsley. Enjoy.