This beef Guinness stew recipe is the perfect meal for a cold winter night. Packed with flavor and cooked until the beef is tender with a rich flavorful gravy, it's the ultimate in comfort foods. The Guinness gives the stew a deep flavor that is perfect for a cozy meal. Serve this stew with some crusty bread or simple dumplings and enjoy!
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Beef Guinness Stew
We all get tired of the same old same old when it comes to recipes. Spice up dinner time with this delicious beef stew with Guinness beer. It’s perfect for a cold winter night or any night you want something special. I can seriously eat it all year round.
This hearty beef stew is packed with flavor and will leave you feeling satisfied. If you prefer a stew without the alcohol, you might like this slow cooker beef stew or even the pork stew recipe with root vegetables that are both packed with flavor.
Ingredients for Stew
- ¼ pound bacon
- 1 pound beef stew meat
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ribs celery
- 2 large carrots
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 large Russet potato
- ½ turnip
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 ounces of Guinness beer
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ pound mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Ingredients for Cheddar Herb Dumplings
- ¾ cup self-rising flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
Handy Kitchen Tools
For slow-cooked dishes like this, I prefer using my enamel-coated Dutch oven. Below are some great options for quality Dutch ovens to invest in.
- Amazon Basics Enamled Cast Iron 7.3 Quart Dutch Oven - personal favorte budget option
- Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven 6 Quart - most popular budget option
- Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5-Quart - most versatile for indoor and outdoor use
- Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 Quart - most popular high end option
- Uno Casa Enamled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Casserole 3.7 Quart - best smaller size option
How to Make Guinness Beef Stew
Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper then set them aside. In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside on paper towels to drain.
Now, put the beef pieces into the same pan and cook in the bacon drippings for 3 to 4 minutes, or until just browned on all sides. The meat doesn't need to be cooked through at this point.
Now, remove the meat and set aside, then put the onion, celery, and carrots into the pot with an additional tablespoon of olive oil and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 to 8 minutes. You want the vegetables to start becoming tender, but don't have to be cooked through.
Then, add in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
Add in the tomato paste and stir together so it coats the vegetables.
Then, you will add the Guinness beer and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and stir to combine then bring to a simmer.
Once the mixture is simmering, add the beef back into the pot with the chicken stock.
Then, add the dried thyme and bay leaf, stir, and reduce the heat to low.
Cover the stew with a lid, and continue cooking, checking and stirring occasionally, for an additional 1 ½ hours.
At this point, add in the potatoes and turnips, put the lid back on, and continue cooking the stew for another 30-minutes.
Put the mushrooms into the stew and continue cooking, uncovered, for about 10-minutes or until they are softened to your liking.
If the mixture is a bit thin, you can add a bit of cornstarch to thicken, then stir in the already cooked bacon and remove from the heat to serve.
How to Make Cheddar Herb Dumplings
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and garlic powder.
Cut in the shortening to create small crumbs.
Now, stir in the cheddar and milk then stir it together until the dough begins to come together.
Divide the dough into 5 to 6 balls and place them on top of the stew.
Place the pot into the oven, uncovered, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and browned on top.
Serve with a fresh chopped parsley garnish.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use beef chuck for my stew. This is the cut that is known most for making any type of beef stew. It’s a relatively tough cut of meat but it tends to be a cheaper cut of meat too. When it’s cooked slowly it becomes very tender.
If you can’t find a chuck steak or already cut stew meat, you can use any other cut of beef that you like. Just make sure to cook it until it is very tender. Since the stew is cooked low and slow, it should work well for any cut you prefer.
I like to cook my beef until it is falling apart because I think it has the best flavor that way. But if you like your beef with a little bit of a bite, then you can cook it for less time. Just keep an eye on it and check it often so you don’t overcook it.
The vegetables that I like to use in my beef stew are potatoes, carrots, and celery. Turnips go great as well as parsnips, and of course, adding onions or garlic is always a good idea. I finished this with some mushrooms for a bit of an earthy flavor.
I think this is a perfect combination and they go so well together. But you can really use any vegetables that you like or have on hand.
Some other vegetables that would be good in this stew are peas, corn, or even green beans. Just throw in whatever you like or have on hand. The great thing about beef stew is that it is very versatile.
No, you don’t have to use Guinness. But I think it really gives the stew a great flavor. You can use whatever beer you like to give the stew extra flavor. I would also recommend using dark beer or ale if you are going to use beer. Something like a stout or porter would be good for that extra richness.
If you don’t want to use beer, you can just use beef broth. Another idea is to use water and beef bouillon. I like to keep the brand Better than Bouillon on hand as it has good flavor and keeps well in the pantry.
This is always going to be a personal choice. You are not adding a lot of alcohol to the stew. Using one can of beer that is divided between the servings make it a very small amount. More importantly, the alcohol in the beer will cook out significantly before it is served.
As a last precaution, just boil the Guinness for a few minutes until the alcohol has evaporated, and then add it to the stew. This is the safest way to ensure that there is no risk of it being too much alcohol to serve to anyone at your dinner table.
If you like Dutch oven recipes, then make sure you check out my Complete Dutch Oven Cookbook on Amazon. It's filled with easy-to-make meals from breakfasts to soups and stews and even a few desserts!
More Easy Soups and Stews
When it comes time to make dinner, I love a good soup or stew. While it's not always what some call "soup season", in my house we eat soup year round. This comfort food is definitely favorite and super easy to make, even for a novice cook.
- 30 Best Comforting Soup Recipes
- Comforting Dutch Oven Vegetable Stew Recipe
- 30 Delicious Soup and Stew Recipes
- Classic Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
- 25 Comforting Slow Cooker Soups and Stews
- 30 Fantastic Chili and Soup Recipes
- Copycat Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe
📖 Recipe
Beef Guinness Stew with Cheddar Herb Dumplings
This classic beef Guinness stew recipe is delicious! Topped with homemade cheddar herb dumplings, it's the ideal comfort food meal!
Ingredients
For Beef Stew
- ¼ pound bacon
- 1 pound beef stew meat
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 large Russet potato, peeled and chopped
- ½ turnip, peeled and chopped
- 6 ounces of Guinness beer
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ pound mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
For Cheddar Herb Dumpling
- ¾ cup self-rising flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
Instructions
How to Make Guinness Beef Stew
- In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, cook the bacon over medium heat, until it is crispy. Remove and set aside on paper to drain.
- Season the beef with salt and black pepper, then put it into the same pot, and
cook in the bacon fat, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the beef is browned on all sides. - Remove the beef pieces from the pot and set them aside.
- In the same pot, add the onion, celery, and carrots. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent burning or sticking. Cook these vegetables, for 5 to 8 minutes, until softened, stirring regularly.
- Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and stir together.
- Pour in the Guinness beer and Worcestershire sauce, mix together, and bring it to a simmer.
- Add the beef back into the pot along with the chicken stock.
- Then add in the dried thyme and bay leaf. Stir it together.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the stew with a lid, and continue cooking, checking and stirring occasionally, for another 1 ½ hours.
- After 1 ½ hours, add the potatoes and turnips and put the lid back on. Continue cooking for another 30-minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 10-minutes. At this point, if the stew liquid is then, add cornstarch to thicken.
- Stir in the cooked bacon, and then remove from the heat.
cook in the bacon fat, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the beef is browned on all sides. 
How to Make Cheddar Herb Dumplings
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and garlic powder.
- Cut in the shortening to create small crumbs.
- Now, stir in the cheddar and milk then stir it together until the dough begins to come together.
- Divide the dough into 5 to 6 balls and place them on top of the stew.
- Place the pot into the oven, uncovered, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and browned on top.
- Serve with a fresh chopped parsley garnish.
Notes
Add different vegetables to suit your preferences.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 1097mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 30g
Anais
There is no tomato paste in the ingredient list, so I'm not sure how much to add. Can you correct this?
Katie Hale
Thank you for letting me know about that oversight. It is 4 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Anais Minks
Thanks for the recipe! My husband loves it and requests it frequently. I have tried several different cuts of meat with this; tonight I'm trying it with Ribeye. I have a feeling it's going to be great!