Beef and Guinness Stew Recipe: How to Cook the Perfect Irish Stew to Celebrate St Patrick's Day

Beef and Guinness stew is a popular Irish dish; especially during the colder months of the winter. There are different cuts of beef suitable for this dish, however stewing beef works very well and is reasonably inexpensive.

A good beef stock is essential in this stew. There are good varieties available from most supermarkets these days. If you have the time; make up a batch of your own and freeze it; that way when you need it, you only have to defrost it over night. Beef bones make a fabulous base stock for soups and stews.

This recipe serves six people. You will need the following...

Ingredients:

• 2 Ibs of stewing beef cut into medium chunks
• olive oil for frying
• 2 large onions sliced into quarters
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 4 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 sliced red pepper
• 6 potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 330 ml of Guinness
• 500 ml of beef stock
• 1 tbs of tomato puree
• 1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 to 4 thyme sprigs (optional)
• chopped parsley to serve
• salt and pepper to season

Method:

• Put the beef into a clean freezer bag, add in the flour with a pinch of salt and pepper. Shake to coat the beef evenly with the seasoned flour.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium setting, toss in the beef and brown.
• Once the beef is nice and brown, add the crushed garlic, onions and red pepper. Cook for a few minutes till the onions and pepper are softened.
• Add the puree and the Worcestershire sauce, stir to mix. Cook for a few minutes.
• Pour in the Guinness. Bring to a simmer. Stir well to remove all the bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer gently for 15/20 minutes.
• Pour in the beef stock. Bring back to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add in the potatoes, carrots, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
• Bring to the boil; reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till the beef is deliciously tender and the vegetables are cooked.
• Remove the bay leaves.
• Season to taste and serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley.

• The idea behind the freezer bag or a clean plastic bag to coat the beef, is simply mess control.
• The added flour helps thickens the gravy.
• Browning the meat seals in the juices. Keeping the meat tender and juicy.
• Adding the onions, garlic and peppers after sealing the beef prevents the meat from taking on too strong a flavor from these ingredients, allowing the flavors to seep into the gravy.
• The puree adds a little dept and colour.
• Worcestershire sauce compliments most meats, especially beef.
• Adding the Guinness first intensifies the flavor of the stout.
• Removing the bits on the bottom of the pot into the sauce adds even more flavor and also prevents burning the bottom of the pot.
• Adding a good volume of stock will cook your meat and vegetables evenly.
• The stock will reduce and thicken to a rich gravy. There is nothing worse than adding water to a stew, because you have misjudged the amount of stock you will need. The result: the flavor is diluted.
• The potatoes and carrots must be chunky to prevent the vegetables disintegrating into the gravy.
• Bay leaf loves soups and stews.
• Thyme loves meat and potatoes.
• Parsley adds a little flavor and colour.

Serve this succulent beef and Guinness stew with a glass of stout. If you don't care too much for stout! opt for a glass of full bodied red; serve at room temperature. If you can't resist a good helping of gravy; you may need some crusty white bread to mop up the leftovers. Of course you can always grab a spoon and dig in.

Guinness is often used in Ireland to enhance richness and flavor in stews and casseroles, from local cafes to top notch hotels.

On the 17th of March every year; pubs and restaurants will advertise their Guinness laden wares in celebration of St Patrick's day.

By no means is this great day unique to Ireland; wherever there are descendants of the emerald isle you will find a party on the 17th of March. Most likely with an Irish stew, gallons of the black stuff and of course the craic.

Copyright:

© 2011 Gabriel Wilson All Rights Reserved