Ah, comfort food. ‘Tis the season, right? Between the cold weather and the general state of the world, I’ve been craving comfort food something fierce. This stew has been one of my favorites for more than ten years now. It’s decedent, but also loaded with veggies. There’s the salty meat offset by sweet bursts of raisins. And the flavor of the Guinness ties everything together beautifully.

While this is an ideal alternative to corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day, it’s also really perfect for any meal. Enough for a small crowd, but it will also reheat well if you find yourself with leftovers. It’s a stew I just love and choose to make again and again – and I know you will too.

Originally posted September 2010; Last updated January 2021

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Directions
• Best sides for Beef & Guinness Stew
• Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 can or bottle of Guinness
• 2 Tablespoons raisins
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 medium carrots, coin sliced
• 1 medium parsnip, coin sliced
• 1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped

The first time I made this stew (over a decade ago!) was my first time cooking with parsnips and turnips. They’ve since become staples in the house but I feel like this recipe was the perfect introduction. I don’t want to say they hide in the soup, but there’s a lot of different flavors going on and they all blend together well.

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add butter to pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt; dredge beef in flour.
• Add beef to pan and cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. With a slotted spoon, remove the beef to a separate bowl and set aside.
• Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
• Return meat to pan. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, raisins, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

This stew is what I call a “project meal” – it’s not something you can whip up quickly. It involves planning and the ability to hang around the kitchen for a few hours but I promise the results are worth it! This is one of my favorites to make on snow days when we have nowhere to go – and I make sure I have an audiobook ready to keep me company!

Best sides for Beef and Guinness Stew

I love having bread to sop up the broth of soups and stews! Honey Beer Bread or Cheddar and Chive Beer Bread – both made with Guinness, obviously – are my go-tos here. Buttermilk Cornbread and Irish Soda Bread Scones are great options too.

Want to add dessert? Irish Cream Double Chocolate Cookies would be perfect!

Recipe

Beef and Guinness Stew

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 can or bottle of Guinness
• 2 Tablespoons raisins
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 medium carrots, coin sliced
• 1 medium parsnip, coin sliced
• 1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add butter to pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt; dredge beef in flour.
2. Add beef to pan and cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. With a slotted spoon, remove the beef to a separate bowl and set aside.
3. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
4. Return meat to pan. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, raisins, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine March 2010 Issue