This Guinness beef stew from Chef John is a comforting Irish dish with a deep, complex, rich flavor. Dark beer does amazing things for the gravy.
Preparation Time
30 mins
Cooking Time
2 hr 30 mins
Total Time
3 hr
Calories
528 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Remove cover and raise heat to medium-high. Bring stew to a low boil and cook until stew has slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2
Arrange mashed potatoes in a ring in a serving bowl; ladle stew into the center of the potatoes.
Step 3
Gather all ingredients.
Step 4
Cook and stir bacon in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until bacon is browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer bacon into a large stew pot, reserving bacon fat in the skillet.
Step 5
Season beef chuck cubes generously with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Turn heat to high under the skillet and sear beef pieces in the hot fat on both sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Place beef in the stew pot with bacon, leaving fat in the skillet.
Step 6
Turn heat down to medium; cook and stir onions in the retained fat in the skillet until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes; season with a large pinch of salt.
Step 7
Cook garlic with onions until soft, about 1 minute. Pour beer into the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up and dissolving any browned bits of food into the liquid.
Step 8
Pour cooking liquid from the skillet into the stew pot. Stir in tomato paste, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and enough chicken broth to cover.
Step 9
Bring stew to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine; reduce heat to low and cover pot.
Step 10
Simmer stew until beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
Step 11
Stir stew occasionally and skim fat or foam if desired.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
4 cups mashed potatoes
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 (14.9 ounce) can dark beer (such as Guinness®)
3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
0.25 cup tomato paste
2.5 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces