Beef & Guinness Stew

Picture the scene: It’s been a crisp autumn day, the days have started getting shorter and there’s a noticeable chill in the air. You want something cosy and comforting to eat.

That’s where our Beef & Guinness stew comes in! Slow-cooked to release a world of flavour, the beef becomes meltingly soft and buttery. Serve with roasted veg or mash for a meal that will warm the soul.

Ingredients

  • 1kg beef stewing steak
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 375ml Guinness
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme

Method

  1. Cube the beef into bite-sized chunks and toss with 1 tbsp of oil.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne, then add the beef to the mixture to coat.
  3. In a deep frying pan or casserole dish, heat the remaining oil and add the beef. Cook until brown on all sides, but not cooked through.
  4. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Stir the tomato puree into a small amount of water to dilute, then pour into the pan and stir to blend. Reduce the heat, cover, and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Pour 1/3 of the Guinness into the pan and, as it comes to the boil scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release the flavour into the stock. Add the rest of the Guinness, along with the carrots and thyme.
  6. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and let the stew simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Taste and season before serving.

Lead image: Lisovskaya via Getty images.