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Guinness beef stew is a classic, hearty meal for St. Patrick’s Day, or any other day that you want comforting stew! With 10 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking time, this is a fast and satisfying dinner!
Before I share the Guinness beef stew recipe, grab a Guinness and relax, because I have a story to share.
Never before has the saying “A day late and a dollar short” had more meaning than after a conversation I had with my kids last weekend. We were 15 minutes in on a 4 hour car ride at 3 a.m. to a swim meet in Evansville. My plan of them falling asleep backfired when I glanced n the rear view mirror and saw 2 pair of eyes staring back at me. They were in a chatty mood and I needed to lull them back to sleep. Nothing better to do that than talking to them.
I asked them what holiday family traditions they liked the best. Then I told them that Christmas was off limits, and that I wanted them to really think about it. The first warning sign should have been when it took the two of them a while to come up with something. I waited, and after a few minutes one of them said that they love hunting for Easter eggs at their grandparent’s houses. They do this every year, and each year seems to be more exciting than the last.
His brother asked why we never hide Easter eggs at our house. Before I could answer, my oldest son reminded his brother of the year that I wanted to host the annual egg hunt. I diligently filled 100 plastic eggs with little trinkets and coins, truly believing that I was thinking ahead. Of course, I hid the eggs where the boys would never find them. You may guess how this story ends… I found them the next year, while cleaning out a closet in the garage.
I often put off decorating for holidays until it is almost too late. There is just something about hauling out all stuff that clutters the house that I despise. I find myself feeling the need to bribe my children into not wanting a spooky graveyard for Halloween, or two separate Christmas trees for them to decorate. Bribes do not work with my boys.
Since I’m now about to dip into St. Patrick’s Day, grab another Guinness for the rest of the story!
I asked them if they remembered the year I made a green breakfast in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. I was pretty sure that they didn’t, but of course they proved me wrong. Last year, I thought I was being so clever. Without telling them, I made them an all green breakfast, complete with green dishes and even green milk. I thought I had finally arrived, and that I was now one of those Moms that remember holidays early enough to celebrate them.
So that morning, I prepared their breakfast and went upstairs to wake them up. Excited to show them and say, “See, I remembered BEFORE the day of, not after the fact”. The confused look on my husband’s face should have registered with me, but in my child-like excitement, I overlooked it.
I ushered them over to the table and waited for their response with baited breath. They both just stood there with a blank look on their faces. I said “Hey guys! I remembered that today was St. Patrick’s day and I made a green breakfast”. Nothing. No response. Finally my 7 year old walked over to me, took my hand, and said “Mom, green eggs and ham is for Dr. Suess’ birthday and that was last month”.
The lesson I learned from that day was that I need to quit worrying about whether or not I have every little thing right all of the time. There is so little that is remembered after the dust of that day settles. We all had a good laugh and that is what they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. That their Mother was not afraid to laugh at her mistake and we all did that day together, as a family.
This Guinness beef stew is a new twist on traditional beef stew.
In keeping with the St. Patrick’s Day theme, this uses Guinness draught beer, because there’s nothing more Irish than that. It pairs perfectly with a couple of slices of traditional Irish Soda bread.
I used potatoes in this Guinness beef stew, but you could easily use parsnips or even butternut squash if you want to.
Total Servings 6
10 minPrep (inc. refrigeration & rest time)
30 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak tips, cut into 1 inch pieces
- salt and fresh pepper
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2-3 large carrots, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed (may also use 1 medium onion chopped)
- 1/4 all purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth or stock
- 1 cup Guinness Draught beer
Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (Dutch oven) over medium-high heat, until just smoking.
- Add the beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook beef until well browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
- Melt butter in the now-empty pot. Add carrots, potatoes, onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in broth, beer and beef, along with any accumulated juices, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until beef and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
If Guinness beef stew isn’t what you’re craving, check out some of my other St. Patrick’s Day recipes:
Slow Cooker Corned Beef Brisket with Cabbage
St. Patrick’s Day Baileys Irish Cream Cupcakes
