What cut of meat to use
Contrary to what you might expect, to get the ultimate melt in your mouth stew meat you want tougher cuts. This is because the collagen that makes them tough melts when slow or pressure cooked, resulting in moist, tender meat. So no tenderloin or ribeye here. My top recommendations for this stew are chuck (which I am using today), short ribs or oxtail. Any of these will end up nice and tender.
What is the best way to cook this stew
My favorite way to cook this is in a slow cooker. Cooking it for hours at low temperature makes for super soft beef. No one can have bad results like tough or dry meat with this magic gadget. Got off to a late start? No problem! This stew also works great in an Instant Pot. From start to finish, you can have this on your plate in about an hour and a half. Whichever method you choose, we strongly recommend quickly searing the meat before layering it with the rest of the ingredients. This caramelizes the surface of the meat, which adds great depth of flavors to the dish.
Ingredients
Beef – Today I am using chuck cut into about 1.5 inch chunks.Veggies – The usual stewing veggies: onion, carrots, celery and potatoes (we are going with baby potatoes today).Garlic – By now you know my love of garlic.Guinness stout – Dark and smooth, it adds tons of flavor and depth.Beef BrothBalsamic vinegar – For more depth of flavor.Worcestershire sauce – Goes great with any kind of braised beef.Fresh herbs – Rosemary and thyme.Bay leafSalt & pepper – To taste.Oil – For browning the meat.
Crock Pot Method
Brown the meat. First season it with salt and pepper. Then sear it on all sides in a hot skillet. Don’t overcrowd the pan, if needed sear in batches. It will take a couple of minutes per side. Cut veggies to bite size and slice the garlic. We are using baby potatoes and leaving on the skin, but you can remove the skin if you prefer. Arranging the layers in the crockpot. You can start layering half of the veggies at the bottom and season them with salt and pepper. Now comes the seared meat followed by the remaining veggies. Season generously with chopped garlic, rosemary and thyme and add the bay leaves. Time to add liquids. They should cover the meat and veggies. If not, you can add little water or beef broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until you come in sight of super tender meat. Sometimes we enjoy it just like that. But more often, we like to thicken up the gravy. Simply make a quick slurry of flour and cold water and add until you get your desired consistency.
Instant Pot Method
This one is just as simple. First, brown your meat on all sides with your Instant Pot on sauté setting, again cooking in batches if necessary. Remove the browned meat to a plate. Layer half of your chopped veggies, then meat, then remaining veggies along with chopped garlic and herbs in your Instant Pot. Add in liquids, then seal the lid. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. As with the crock pot method, thicken it up with a slurry if you wish.
What to serve this Guinness Beef Stew with
With meat, starch and veggies, this can be a one pot dish. That being said, for the ultimate comfort meal, you can pair it with mashed potatoes. For some extra flavors, try it with my goat cheese mashed potatoes. It also pairs great with some roasted green veggies. Think asparagus, green bean, broccoli or Brussels sprouts. Another great option for sopping up any extra gravy is some nice crusty bread. I love it with my miracle no-knead bread.
I don’t have Guinness, can I use anything else in its place?
Guiness is a popular Irish stout with rich and dense flavors. You can try it with any other stout. Another great option is red wine. The flavor will be different, but equally yummy. For a teetotaler option, just add more beef broth.
Leftovers and storage
This makes great leftovers, as the flavors have more time to mingle. Just refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months, though the potatoes will lose some quality. It’s all yum. Don’t we love such meals, where you invest less than half an hour of your time and let the crock pot do the work? That beloved friend in your kitchen will slave all day for you! Sounds like music to my ears!! Happy eating…
Guinness Beef Stew, on my Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great soups and stew!Smoky Chipotle ChiliZuppa ToscanaKedjenou ChickenMediterranean Braised ChickenWhite Bean Turkey ChiliBahamian Boiled FishGrilled Cheese Tomato SoupGreek White Bean Soup (Fasolada)
