Beef Braised in Guinness
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 1 1/2 to 2 hrs
Active: 15 mins
Makes: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped bacon
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 1-pound-10-ounce braising steak, fat removed, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 1/4 cups Guinness (or any other Irish stout)
- 1 Bouquet Garni
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt the butter and oil in a cast iron casserole or heavy-bottomed pan, and brown the bacon, onions, and meat for a few minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 minute. Leave to cool slightly before adding the stock and the stout.
- Combine thoroughly and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Add the bouquet garni and the sliced carrots. Cover and leave to simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The meat should be tender. When ready to serve, remove the bouquet garni, adjust the seasoning, and serve with steamed potatoes.
Beverage pairing: Mount St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa. Beef and Cabernet: It just works. But even with a braise that includes a dark, toasty stout, you don’t want a syrupy, heavy wine; you want something with verve and acidity to enliven the palate. This inexpensive Napa red does the trick, trading in oakiness and jamminess for fresh, bright cassis and spice.
This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food team.
COMMENTS | ADD YOUR OWN
Sounds great! Could I do this in a crock pot?
Thanks--
This was delicious! I added a little extra guniness and it certainly didn't hurt. It's a terrific twist on traditional stew with a richer and more unique flavoring.
My family raved about this recipe. I poured a whole pint of guinness in & used some cornstarch to thicken it. It's magically delicious! ;-)
I've made this with a local Montreal beer, St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout. Definitely use the entire bottle. If it makes too much sauce, reduce it.
this is a real classic,i love making and eating this dish. if you like try rolling the beef in a little black pepper and just cover with guinness and leave over night.
Super! Made it last night, served on a bed of creamy polenta. Did reduce the it with some corn starch, but for the most part it cooked down quite well. Very easy to do and rewarding.
A very simple and satisfying recipe, though it definitely required a teaspoon or two of corn starch to thicken up. WIth so few ingredients, the key to this dish is quality ingredients. Splurge on a nice organic chuck and the best beef stock you can get your hands on. Substituting an Imperial Stout would make for an even richer stew with more depth of flavor - although the cherry and chocolate notes typical of an Imperial may just push the dish into mole territory. I'd also like to try bringing the Guinness to a boil first and seeping some coffee grounds in it before adding it to the stew - as I've read elsewhere that coffee and beef pair nicely.
This was great and so easy to make! I had to cheat a little bit because i couldn't find a bouquet garni, so I threw in a bit of dried herbs. It was delicious but maybe the bouquet garni would've made it even better?
I made this last year for St. Patrick's Day and sure enough, I will make it again this year. Like pretty much all the comments said: Use more Guinness, it won't hurt!