Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- ~5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2″ cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery ribs, chopped
- 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups Guinness stout
- ~4 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 1 1/2 lbs baby gold potatoes, halved
- 3 cups frozen peas (optional)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Render the Bacon and Get Your Dutch Oven Ready
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Add the diced bacon to your Dutch oven and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until it’s browned and has released most of its fat – this takes ~6-8 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and transfer to a small bowl. Leave all that rendered fat in the pot.
Sear the Beef in Batches
Season the beef cubes all over with salt and pepper.
Increase the heat to medium-high and sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned. You’ll definitely need to do this in batches so you don’t crowd the pan – overcrowding steams the meat instead of browning it.
Each batch takes ~3-4 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the pan once browned.
Saute the Vegetables Until Softened
Decrease the heat to medium and add the onions, celery, cabbage, and carrots to the pot. The vegetables will pick up all those browned bits from the beef.
Saute for ~4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Build the Base with Tomato Paste and Flour
Add the tomato paste and cook for ~3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. You’ll notice the paste darkening in color – that’s what you want.
Once the tomato paste has darkened, sprinkle the flour over everything and stir well to incorporate. Cook for another minute to get rid of the raw flour taste.
Deglaze and Add All the Liquid
Pour in the Guinness and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
Add the beef broth and coffee, then stir everything together. Bring to a simmer.
Add the beef and bacon back to the pot, along with the potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves.
Braise in the Oven Until Fork Tender
Cover the pot and transfer to your 350F oven.
Cook for ~3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and practically falling apart. You’ll know it’s done when you can easily shred a piece with a fork.
Remove from the oven, stir in the peas if using, and let it rest for 15 minutes covered before serving.
The stew will thicken as it cools slightly, and the flavors meld together during this resting time.
Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- ~5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2″ cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery ribs, chopped
- 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups Guinness stout
- ~4 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 1 1/2 lbs baby gold potatoes, halved
- 3 cups frozen peas, optional
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Render bacon in Dutch oven until crisp, remove and set aside.
- Season beef cubes with salt and pepper, sear in batches until deeply browned.
- Saute onions, celery, cabbage, and carrots until softened.
- Add garlic, tomato paste, and flour, cooking until paste darkens.
- Deglaze with Guinness, scraping pot bottom.
- Add beef broth, coffee, beef, bacon, potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Cover and braise in 350F oven for 3-3.5 hours until beef is fork-tender.
- Stir in optional peas, rest 15 minutes before serving.