Irish Beef and Stout Stew
In short: Chunks of chuck beef braised with onions, carrots and parsnips in a deep gravy of Irish stout, until spoon-tender. Serve with mash. It takes about 3 h 35 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 3 h 10 min
- Total
- 3 h 35 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 405 kcal
Beef and stout stew is Irish pub food at its most comforting: chunks of chuck beef cooked slowly with onions, carrots and parsnips in a dark gravy built on Irish stout. The stout adds a roasted, slightly bitter depth that balances the sweetness of the vegetables. It tastes even better the day after it is made, and it is usually served with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Toss the beef with the flour, 1 tsp of the salt and the pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in 3 batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, and lift it out onto a plate.
- Add the remaining oil and the onions and cook for 6 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Pour in the stout, stirring up everything from the bottom, and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the stock, thyme, bay leaves and beef.
- Cover and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Stir in the carrots and parsnips, cover and bake for 1 hour more, until the beef is very tender.
- Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves, skim off the fat, and season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Add the sugar if the gravy tastes too bitter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Tips
- If the stew tastes bitter, stir in a teaspoon of brown sugar or grated apple. Do not reduce the gravy too far, because that concentrates the bitterness.
- For a pie, spoon the cooled stew into a dish, top with puff pastry and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes until golden.
Questions and answers
What kind of stout is best?
A dry Irish stout. Avoid sweet or milk stouts, which make the stew sugary, and very hoppy craft stouts, which turn it bitter.
Does the alcohol cook out of beef and stout stew?
Most does during the long cook, but a small amount remains. For an alcohol-free version, replace the stout with extra beef stock and a spoonful of tomato paste.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and onions first, then cook everything except the root vegetables on low for 5 hours. Add them and cook 3 hours more.
How long does it take to make Irish Beef and Stout Stew?
About 3 h 35 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 3 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Irish Beef and Stout Stew?
About 405 kcal per serving, with 33 g of protein, 16 g of carbohydrates and 23 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 405 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 33 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g |
| Fat | 23 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 950 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
