Irish Beef Stew

Guinness + Stew = St. Patrick’s Day Gold

Delish.com

Traditionally, an Irish stew (aka Guinness Stew) is made with lamb, which you can totally do. Our version includes beef chuck, which is less traditional but certainly equal in deliciousness.

To boil or not to boil?

Not to boil. Stewed meats need to be cooked at a low heat, i.e. a simmer. The last thing you want is shoe leather–which is what you’ll get if you boil the meat till (over) done.

Release that flavor!

How? By scraping the bottom of the pot after the meat and veg have gone in and the liquid has been added. There’s an insane amount of flavor locked up in those browned bits (called fond in French). You want that flavor in the stew and not down the drain after you’ve washed the pot.

Overcrowding is a negative.

We mentioned how crucial those browned bits are. You won’t get them if the meat is not sufficiently browned. If you must cook the meat in batches, please do. Steamed, pale meat is not a plus in this dish.

The cooked and cooled stew can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for 1 month, but note that freezing stew with potatoes may affect the texture once thawed and reheated.

And how about an Irish Coffee to cap the meal?

Yields 6 Servings

Prep Time 15 mins Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 lb. beef chuck stew meat, cubed into 1” pieces Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into rounds

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large

chunks

4 c. low-sodium beef broth

1 (16-oz.) bottle Guinness

2 tsp. fresh thyme

Freshly chopped parsley, for serving

Directions

Step 1

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Season beef with salt and pepper, then add to pot and cook on all sides until seared, 10 minutes, working in batches if necessary. Transfer beef to a plate.

Step 2

In same pot, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook onion, carrots, and celery until soft, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Add beef back to Dutch oven, then add potatoes, broth, beer, and thyme, then scrape the bottom of the pot to release the fond (browned bits at the bottom). Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer until beef and potatoes are tender, 30 minutes.

Step 4

Garnish with parsley before serving.