Rich and hearty Guinness Beef Stew is a classic that you'll find at pubs and family dinner tables all across Ireland. This version features ultra-tender meat, deep flavors, and Cheddar Herb Dumplings that will make you swoon. It's the ultimate comfort food.
It's been cruelly cold and frosty for the past couple of days up here, which means I had a choice to make. With a forecasted foot of snow on the way, I could either prepare myself to spend a couple of hours struggling to make a dent with my super-sad shoveling skills, or I could cook up a post-snowpocolypse dinner for the guys and try to subtly avoid going out in the cold. Is it even a slight mystery as to what I decided to do?
I've made this stew at least a dozen times to get James and I through the winter's chill, and always have enjoyed a bottle or two of the leftover Guinness to reward myself for a job well done. Because at the risk of coming off a bit conceited here, I've gotta say that I'm always proud of myself when I make Guinness Beef Stew with Cheddar Herb Dumplings.
There's something so gratifying about making a dish that's filled with deeply flavorful vegetables, unbelievably tender meat, and an incredibly rich gravy. And when you throw some cheesy dumplings on top, it just gets that much better.
Not to mention it got me out of having to shovel, so that's an accomplishment in its own right. The guys didn't seem to mind at all when there was a big bowl of warm beef stew waiting for them when they came back inside.
It's not uncommon for stews to feature lamb, especially Irish stews. However, this one features beef. Beef tends to be more accessible for feeding a family as it's less gamy, but you can substitute lamb if you'd prefer.
And we can't forget the bacon. Yes, there's also bacon! Why bother adding bacon to this recipe? Well, it's optional, but we already talked about the beef chuck's connective tissue breaks down and that gelatin keeps the meat moist right?
The thing about that-- the good thing about that, really-- is that it doesn't release a whole ton of fat into the stew. And while we don't want our stew to be swimming in grease, we do want our vegetables to have a great meaty flavor.
By cooking bacon, searing the beef in the rendered fat, and then cooking the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the rendered fat as well, you're getting significantly more meaty, deep flavor infused from the get-go.
Onions, carrots, and celery (together known as a mirepoix) are often included in stews, soups, and stocks because they create an aromatic flavor base. Garlic is another aromatic ingredient that will deepen the final flavor of the stew.
Another ingredient I sometimes add for extra flavor is mushrooms-- but they are completely optional.Mushrooms add extra meaty, earthy, savory flavors that make them great for stews, but if you're not a fan, this stew won't suffer without them. In fact, I only include them when cooking for certain people-- my mom and brother love them in this stew, for example, while James and housemate Mike aren't fans of mushrooms so I leave them out.
I also add extra root vegetables for substance, such as potatoes, parsnips, and turnips. I might not use all three, but I do use a lot-- they're great for adding texture and those starchy carbohydrates that balance out all of the meat.
You can add the bacon in at any point if you like, for extra flavor, but you don't have to. I believe I just used it for the grease and ate the bacon separately (can't resist, haha). I hope you have a very happy holiday as well!
I would just like to say that this is the MOST DELICIOUS stew I have ever made, and for years I've tried many variations. Yes, it takes time, but it isn't hard, and is totally worth it! The broth has such a richness, and the dumplings make it. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe!
I'm going to cook this tonight - I've done all of the chopping already! I was surprised to learn that it is only 3-4 hours in the crock pot though, as I've made similar recipes and they've been closer to the 7-9 hour range. Does this mean that I should put it on my highest setting on the crock pot? Thanks!!
I made this tonight. I got a tad confused by the recipe, as I was instructed to add the carrots twice and the bacon was "set aside" and never brought up again. I ended up adding the carrots in the beginning and throwing the bacon in when I added the beef back in. Regardless, the stew was deep with flavor and my family couldn't get enough. I do recommend adding a bit of salt, but that's really the only modification I made. It wasn't very thick but we left it that way and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe! I will definitely make it again!
This stew looks amazing! I will have to try this recipe soon. The dumplings look delicious I can't wait to try them.
I have a hearty beef stew that I usually make but it might be time for a new recipe. ? -beef-stew/
Thanks for sharing.
I am currently on lockdown from our social distancing protocols and I didnt have access to guiness, so I used a 1/2 cup of coffee and a tablespoon of sugar instead. It turned out beautifully. Loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing.
How many servings does this recipe make? And, is it possible to make the dumplings separate from the stew and add them in individual bowls? (I'm thinking of making a double recipe, but figure there wouldn't be space in the pot for double the dumplings.)
Do you think using the Box with directions of Red Lobster biscuits work for the dumplings? And then possibly placing my La Creuset in the oven and boil the top to make the tops brown and crisp? Or make the biscuits separately and top each individual serving with it?
I made this for our dinner. We haven't actually eaten, because my husband isn't home from work yet, but boy does our house smell amazing!! I can't wait to dig in! I found the recipe very simple to follow, and even added a handful of cooked quinoa to it, as well. Thank you for sharing it!
I was really looking forward to making this recipe because it looked so good. I ended up not liking it at all but the friend I had over for dinner loved it and said it was the best stew she'd ever had. She did say that she doesn't normally like stew and I do so maybe that says something. I thought it tasted sort of like cinnamon and I didn't use any. I followed the recipe exactly. My husband didn't like it either. The stew and dumplings turned out fine so the recipe was accurate we just didn't like the taste.
I intend to use this recipe to serve 120 people (mostly Seniors) for a Celtic dinner on Mar 24...when one starts multiplying out that far, quantities are critical. The recipe says it serves 6, though I seem to recall it's something less in one of your replies above. Can you tell me if the 6 the recipe says it serves are 6 generous servings? We will be serving it with a side Colcannon as well as Soda Bread biscuits - a lot of carbs I know but it suits our clientele.
Hi Jan, yes it makes 6 filling servings! However I'd definitely recommend testing a gently scaled-up version first to get a feel for your quantities and how you might have to adapt to make that large of a batch. I think it sounds like a delicious dinner!
This was super good! I made it last night. Maybe it was the type of potatoes I got, but it took a lot longer to cook them. I bought Yukon gold instead of Idaho. But man, everyone was impressed with it! Thanks.
This looks so yummy! I'm not allowed to cook with alcohol or bacon though. If I removed them would it still taste flavorsome? Will I need to adjust the quantities of the other ingredients to make up for it?
It will be fine, Anjalee, just use butter instead of bacon grease and additional chicken broth instead of the beer. =) You might want to make some slight adjustments to taste (like perhaps more Worcestershire sauce for more depth of flavor) but otherwise you'll be all good!
We just got back from Ireland and were missing a good Irish meal! This was SO good. I made it for my husband and parents and I will definitely be making it again -- it was a hit! I didn't add the mushrooms this time since my husband isn't a fan of them, but I'm definitely going to try it next time and he can just pick them out ?
Im planning on making this over the weekend, saw one person put the bacon in the dumplings which sounds amazing.. do you suggest a combination of chicken and beef broth, and have u ever tried it with a lil rice added in???
DELICIOUS ! USED PARSNIPS - DIDN'T MISS THE POTATOES AT ALL!
Opted not to make dumplings and served with fresh crusty italian bread -
had to add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch slurry to get stew constancy without
the dumplings.
Hi-
This is a wonderful meal. I did not have Guinness in the house and it was a snow storm so I gave it a whirl anyway. I am sure the bacon really had something special to do with this recipe. It was excellent I cannot wait to try it with the beer. The perfect meal to make on a snowy weekend. Thank you so much for your website.
So good, is really an understatement...Worth the cost of the expensive Irish cheddar and the 3+ hours. Yum! Yum! Yum! Husband and son both taking in lunch tomorrow. Those dumplings are so yummy, I wanted to eat them all. The meat was so tender. The flavor the Guinness gives it is a deep rich flavor. Thanks for sharing! Officially a fam fav!
Absolutely delicious! I couldn't find a turnip ANYWHERE so I added both the potato and parsnips. I made my own, homemade broth which always makes a difference too. What a great weekend meal for a chilly day.
I made this last weekend for my meat and potatoes (and few veggies) man. He devoured it. Thanks!! We're having a progressive dinner on Saturday and I'd like to make this again, but due to time constraints, I want to make the stew in the crock pot and make a pan of rolls earlier in the day. Do you think it would work in the crock pot if I put it in early enough?
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