Jo’s Famous Guinness Beef Stew

Pin It

I have tweaked this recipe for years and it is finally exactly the way I like it. We have this every year the week of Saint Patrick’s Day. Bain taitneamh as do bhéil (pronounced: Bane tatniv OS du veil and means Bon Appetit in Gaelic)! 

Ingredients:
6 strips thick-cut bacon (about 8 ounces), cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
Coarse sea salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
6 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups beef stock
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
3 lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups carrots (we like the baby carrots)

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. Drain on paper towels. Pour fat into a bowl, and reserve. Wipe out pot with paper towels.
2. Add 2 tablespoons reserved fat to pot, and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Season meat with salt and pepper. In batches, cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a bowl (not the same one with the fat reserves). Add more reserved fat between batches if needed.
3. Pour fat from pot into the bowl, and reserve. Add 1 cup stock to pot, and cook, stirring and scraping bottom, for 1 minute. Pour over meat.
4. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Return beef to pot. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. While the meat and stock are simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion, and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside until the beef stew in step four has simmered for one hour.
6. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in bacon. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.
I like to serve it over egg noodles.