Guinness Style Irish Stew

This Irish Stew is utterly out of this world delicious! Mouth watering, lip smacking, pure comfort,keep it to yourself and do not share with friends, but you’re going to anyway because you need to brag, delicious! Yes, it is a tad time consuming and has a fair number of ingredients but most of which you might already have on hand. The results of creating layers of flavor is a stew with a deep, rich flavor filled with velvety pieces of meat that just melt in your mouth. Bright orange Carrots give it plate appeal as well as flavor. Serve it as I do over mounds of fluffy white mashed potatoes  and everyone will sigh with contentment. And by the way, my stew is ” Guinness Style” because honestly, there’s no Guinness in it. I’m not able to buy a single 16oz can of Guinness and we’ll never drink a 6 pack of it, so I choose a really nice dark Porter that is sold in single bottles. But the name “Porter Irish Stew” just didn’t have that ring to it, so Guinness style it is! For those who do not imbibe, I suggest you try this anyway as the alcohol cooks off and you are left with a not to be imitated dark caramel, malty flavored richness that beer free stew cannot impart.

Ready? Let’s go build us some STEW! And remember, Irish Stew is not just for St. Paddy’s Day. It is soul satisfying at least 3 seasons of the year!

This is what we’ll need. Well at least MOST of what we’ll need. Wouldn’t be me if I didn’t forget a couple things 🙂

Guinness Style Irish Stew

These deep, rich, complex flavors elevate beef stew to a whole new level. As you cook, you just keep adding layers of flavor with the end result that has them coming back for more! Served with fluffy mashed Potatoes, it is a cold weather delight. I didn't show them but I also cooked up some herbed dumplings on top of the stew the last 15 minutes. Sparky was in Irish Stew heaven!

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 3 hrs

Total Time 3 hrs 30 mins

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 Slices thick cut Bacon chopped
• 6 TBSP Canola Oil divided
• 2-1/2 lbs boneless Beef Chuck Roast cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
• 1 Cup AP flour
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp ground Black Pepper
• 1 Large Yellow Onions chopped
• 3 Stalks celery with leaves chopped
• 4 cloves minced Garlic
• 1/2 Tsp Thyme Leaves
• 1/2 Tsp dried Marjoram
• 1/2 Tsp dried Chervil Chervil has a celery like flavor that I got used to using in Europe. If you don't have it, just leave it out
• 16oz bottle dark Porter Beer or Guinness if you prefer
• 1-1/2 Cup Water
• 2 TBSP Ketchup adds just a touch of sweetness
• 8 Medium Carrots peeled and cut in 1-1/2 inch chunks
• additional Salt n Pepper as needed

Instructions

 

• In a large soup kettle, add the chopped bacon and slowly cook it until nice and crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside. The Bacon gives it just a hint of smokiness but it doesn't over power the other flavors. Chop up the Onion and Celery into small pieces like this. Add 2 TBSP Oil to the reserved bacon fat and turn the heat up to medium.
  
• Add the Celery, Onions and Garlic to the pot and cook and stir until tender and translucent. About 5-6 Minutes. Remove the veggies from the pot and set aside. You now have some rather flavorful oil. Now, onto the Beef!
  
• Put another TBSP of Oil into the Kettle. Place the AP flour, Salt and Pepper into a galleon size plastic bag. Add 1/3 of the Beef cubes and shake well to coat evenly with the flour. Turn up the heat a little bit and place the Beef into the pot. Sear the Beef on both sides over medium high heat and remove to a bowl. Take the pot off the heat while you Flour the next batch so it doesn't burn. Repeat x 2 with the remaining Beef, adding oil as needed. This searing adds fantastic flavor to the stew. It will take 15-20 minutes to sear it all, but oh...so worth it! You want the Beef to end up looking like these beauties.
  
• See this? This is called "Fond." Fond is like delectable crispy brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Nope, it is not burned. Just a deep, dark brown and you want every bit of it. This is what I did the incorporate the Fond into my Stew. I took 1/2 cup Red Wine, added it to the Pot and cooked and stirred until every last piece of Fond dissolved in to wine and made a beautiful rich sauce. You can use water if you like or even some extra beer.
  
• Now we're making Stew! Add the cooked Onions,Celery and Garlic to the dissolved Fond. Then add the Beef and the Carrots. Time to add the Marjoram, Thyme and Chervil to the Pot too. Add the Ketchup. Nest pour in the 1-1/2 cups Water and WOO HOO, add the Porter!
  
• Raise the heat and bring it all to a boil. It's going to foam up like this and not look so very nice for a few minutes but that's OK....because
  
• after a few minutes the Beer foam cooks off and you are left with this goodness. So now, we lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let time work its magic. Let it simmer for 2-1/2 hours. When the stew has finished simmering, taste it and add Salt and Pepper if needed. The stew should be thick enough from all the Flour used, but if you'd like it thicker, make a slurry with a 2 TBSP of Flour and 4 TBSP of Water and add to the Pot. Bring the Stew back to a boil, add the slurry and let it cook for 3-4 minutes to thicken.
  
• OK.... we are done! Serve it up with lots of fluffy mashed Potatoes sprinkled with Parsley if you like. Mashed Potatoes are perfect to soak up all that outrageous gravy.
• And since it is the time of St. Patrick, here is an Irish Blessing I wish you all. "May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you, and all your heart might desire."
• And so my friends, wherever your Journey leads you today, I wish you the laughter, love, friendship and the telling of a good story like only the Irish folk can!
• Happy St. Patrick's Day and by all means, Journey on! Hugs and much love from me, Karen, TJG

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