Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 50 minutes
Total: 2 hours 5 minutes
5 servings
Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil, separated
1 pound stewing beef, cut into 2/3-inch cubes (*Note 1)
½ teaspoon salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/3-inch slices
3 carrots, cut into 1/5-inch-thick slices (halve larger ones)
4 tablespoons flour
2 ½ cups beef broth/stock, low sodium
1 ½ cups dry red wine, Guinness beer or stout (*Note 2)
1 ½ cups water
1 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup frozen peas
2 potatoes (any), cut into 2/3-inch cubes
Buttery mushrooms (optional)
1 tablespoon butter or oil
6 ounces small mushrooms, quartered or halved
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil until very hot in a large, heavy-based pot over high heat.
- Pat beef dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown beef aggressively in 2 or 3 batches, adding more oil if needed. Remove browned beef into a bowl.
- If pot looks dry, add a touch more oil.
- Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add carrot and celery, cook for 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Stir in flour, then slowly pour in beef broth while constantly stirring.
- Add beer, water, tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme, stir well. Then add the beef back in.
- Cover, adjust heat to medium low so it is bubbling gently. Simmer 1 hour 15 minutes or until beef is tender.
- Add potatoes and peas, simmer for a further 20 minutes without the lid. Add cooked mushrooms in the last 5 minutes.
- The soup is ready when the potatoes are cooked, and beef is very tender.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper in this!).
- Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread if desired.
Instruction for (optional) buttery mushrooms
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Recipe notes:
*Beef: Use any stewing or braising beef, usually sold precut into small pieces ideal for this recipe. Otherwise, get a slow cooking cut like chuck or boneless short rib, then cut the beef into pieces. Look for beef that’s nicely marbled with fat for best results!
*Red Wine, Guinness or stout: Any of these will add incredible extra flavor into this soup broth! I use all three and enjoy them all. If you love Irish Beef Guinness Stew, you’ll know what the Guinness does to add flavor.
- Red wine – any dry, full bodied red wine. Cabernet sauvignons and merlots are ideal.
- Guinness beer and stout are dark beers, labelled as such on the cans. You should find these at most liquor stores. Use some, drink some – or tip the whole can in and simmer for longer with the lid off!
- Nonalcoholic sub – add 14 ounce can of crushed tomato, 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. This will add alternative flavor to compensate.
*Storage: Like stew, it’s even better the next day! Will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Also freezes perfectly.
