-
1
Brown the Beef Hard
15 Mins
High heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Heat the oil in a heavy pot and brown the floured beef cubes in batches, turning until dark brown on all sides. Do not crowd the pan — crowded beef steams instead of browning. Lift the beef out and set it aside.
Dark browning is flavour; pale beef makes a pale stew.
Done when: Beef dark brown on all sides, fond stuck to the pot.
-
2
Soften the Onions and Garlic
8 Mins
Medium heat, about 170°C (340°F)
Melt the butter in the same pot and cook the onions until soft and golden, about 6 minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
Scrape the browned bits from the pot as the onions cook.
Done when: Onions soft and golden, paste darkened.
-
3
Deglaze with Guinness
5 Mins
High heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Pour in the Guinness and scrape the bottom of the pot hard — the stout lifts every browned bit into the sauce. Let it bubble for 2 minutes so the raw alcohol edge cooks off.
This is the moment the stew gets its dark, malty character.
Done when: Sauce dark brown, bubbling, smelling malty.
-
4
Braise Low and Slow
90 Mins
Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Return the beef to the pot, add the warm beef stock, and tuck in the thyme and bay if using. Bring to a bare simmer, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for 90 minutes, until the beef is nearly tender. The meat must reach 74°C (165°F) throughout.
A bare simmer, not a boil — boiling toughens braised beef.
Done when: Beef nearly tender, sauce thickening.
-
5
Add the Potatoes and Carrots
45 Mins
Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Stir in the potatoes and carrots, replace the lid, and cook for 40–45 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender and the beef falls apart with a fork. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Big chunks go in late so they stay whole instead of dissolving.
Done when: Potatoes tender, beef falling apart, sauce glossy and dark.
-
6
Rest and Serve
10 Mins
Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)
Take the pot off the heat, fish out the bay, and rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve in deep bowls with buttered soda bread. Slow-cooker version: brown the beef and onions as above, then cook everything on low for 7–8 hours, adding the potatoes and carrots for the last 2 hours.
Ten minutes of rest makes the sauce coat the meat instead of running off it.
Done when: Stew steaming, dark and glossy, beef spoon-tender.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
A beef and Guinness stew is a slow meal — let it rest ten minutes, serve it hot in deep bowls, and let the soda bread mop up the sauce.
Ireland
2h 25m
