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Guiness Beef Stew

A labor of love, but worth every minute
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Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Irish
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 Oven Safe Pot or High-Walled Skillet Dutch oven, ideal
  • Various Mixing Bowls For easy prep, storage

Ingredients
  

Stew Ingredients

  • ¼ Pound Bacon
  • 2 lb Boneless beef chuck chopped Large chunks. Season with salt & pepper.
  • 4 Sticks Celery chopped
  • 3 Eat Large Carrots chopped
  • 1 Each Large Onion chopped
  • 4 Cloves Garlic cloves minced
  • 2 Each Large Potatoes diced Optional: Subsitute with Parsnip
  • 1 Each Turnip diced
  • 3 Oz Tomato Sauce
  • 12 Oz Guiness
  • 4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 2 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Eac Bay Leaf
  • 3 Each Springs of fresh Thyme
  • 1 tbs Cornstarch If needed, combine equal parts water for slurry
  • ½ Cup Cremini Muchrooms Sliced (Optional)
  • Freshly chopped parsley For garnish

Cheddar Herb Dumplings Ingredients

  • 1 ½ Cups Self-Raising Flour 1 1/2 Cup Flour 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp Garlic powder
  • ⅓ cup butter Chopped and chilled
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • ¾ cup Shredded cheddar Irish if possible
  • 2 tbs Freshly chopped herbs Whatever on hand, recommend rosemary, thyme, chives.

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Highly recommend chopping all your vegetables the night before.
  • You can also prep the dumpling batter the night before and leave in the refrigerator.
  • This will cut down significantly on cook time (up to two hours).
  • Day off, coat beef chunks in seasoned starch (corn, arrowroot). Set aside for min 10 minutes.
  • In a large measuring cup, combine Guinness, Worcestershire sauce for ease of use later.
  • Prepare a starch slurry to have handy if needed - 1 part starch to 1 part water. Start with 1/4 cup each, and make more as needed. (you will need to stir before use as the starch and water will separate).

Phase One

  • Heat a large, oven-safe (375°F) heavy-bottom pot or high-walled skillet (dutch oven is ideal) over medium heat.
  • Crisp bacon, remove and set aside. Leave the fat in the pot.
  • Brown the beef on all sides in bacon fat, remove, and set aside. No need to cook through, just brown.
  • Next fry the onion, celery, and carrots until soft. Add additional cooking oil if needed.
  • Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add the tomato paste, Guinness, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom to loosen fond and incorporate into the broth.
  • Return the beef. Add chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaf.
  • Reduce to simmer: Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Phase Two - Make the Dumpling Batter (if not pre-prepared)

  • In a medium bowl, mix in the flour and garlic powder.
  • Cut in the chopped and chilled butter, until the butter is broken down and creates a crumbly mixture.
  • Stir in the cheese and herbs.
  • Add milk and mix until batter is JUST combined.
  • Chill the batter in the fridge until needed.

Phase Three

  • Add potatoes, parsnips, and turnips (whatever root veggies you are using). Simmer 1/2 hour with lid off, unit tender.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Remove the bay leaf/thyme springs. Add bacon.
  • If the broth is still thin, add 2-3 tb of cornstarch slurry to thicken.
  • If using mushrooms, add in and cook for 10 minutes.

Phase Four

  • Remove the dumpling batter from the fridge. Roll into balls and test by placing one dumpling on the surface of the stew.
  • If the dumplings sink, thicken broth by cooking down in 5-10 minute increments (on medium heat) until they sit on top of the stew.
  • Place the stew in the oven uncovered and bake until the dumplings are browned and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Garnish the stew with parsley and serve.