Beef & Stout Stew

Name: Beef & Stout Stew
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 4–6 servings
Cuisine: Ireland
Ingredients: 800 g beef chuck, cut into 4 cm pieces; 2 tbsp plain flour; 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 large onion, roughly chopped; 2 carrots, cut into thick pieces; 2 celery sticks, sliced; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 tbsp tomato purée; 330 ml Irish stout; 500 ml beef stock; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 bay leaves; 500 g baby potatoes, halved if large; 1 tbsp chopped parsley, to finish

Slow-braised beef, root vegetables and herbs in a deeply savoury stout gravy.

Time2 hr 20 minLevelEasyMakes4–6 servingsCuisineIreland

01 — THE STORY

Behind the plate

A good Irish stew is patient food. It asks for a proper brown crust on the beef, a quiet simmer, and enough time for inexpensive cuts to become spoon-tender.

Stout brings roasted depth rather than obvious bitterness when it is reduced with stock and sweet root vegetables. This is the pot to make a day early: the flavour deepens overnight and reheats beautifully.

03 — THE METHOD

Cook step by step

01
Heat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Pat the beef dry, then toss it with the flour, salt and pepper.
02
Heat half the oil in a heavy casserole. Brown the beef in small batches until deeply coloured on several sides, transferring each batch to a plate.
03
Add the remaining oil, onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 8 minutes, scraping the browned base of the pan as the vegetables soften.
04
Stir in the garlic and tomato purée for 1 minute. Pour in the stout and simmer for 3 minutes, scraping up every caramelised piece from the pot.
05
Return the beef and its juices. Add the stock, thyme and bay, bring just to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 75 minutes.
06
Stir in the potatoes, cover again and cook for 35–45 minutes until the beef and potatoes are tender. Remove the lid for the final 10 minutes if the sauce needs to reduce.
07
Discard the herbs, taste for seasoning and rest the stew for 10 minutes. Finish with parsley before serving.

04 — FROM THE PASS

Chef's notes

Moisture prevents browning, so dry the beef well and leave room between the pieces in the pan.
If the stout tastes sharp when first added, do not panic; slow cooking rounds it out.
Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate. The stew is often even better reheated the next day.

AT THE TABLE

How to serve it

Spoon into warm bowls with buttered soda bread, steamed cabbage or a simple parsley mash.