Guinness Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good stew? ›

"Soups and stews really need to simmer for long periods to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures."

Stouts, like Guinness, are known for their bitterness. If the stew is cooked too quickly or if it doesn't include ingredients to balance the bitterness, this flavor can be very pronounced.

If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours. Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender.

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

Tough stew meat will take a couple of hours to get tender, and the vinegar helps this happen as well as add special flavor. Then add the onions, carrots, celery, Brussels sprouts etc and cook until the vegetables are the way you like them.

Beef cuts specifically used for slow cooking are best with this stew. For a thicker gravy, mix 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch (or corn flour) together with 2 tablespoons of water; add after baking in the oven while it's still bubbling.

Not adding enough seasoning would be the second potential issue. Add plenty of pepper and some salt and it should taste better.

Caramelization is a great way of turning gamey into delicious. If that doesn't do it for you then turn up the seasonings. Even just more black pepper can do wonders.

The idea is to cook the carrots and potatoes at the end of the simmering process, so they don't become mushy. Just make sure to keep an eye on the stew to see if you need to add additional broth or water to keep it from drying out.

What is the best tenderizer for stew beef? ›

The choice becomes easier when you realize that simple baking soda can be an ideal meat tenderizer that helps to bring out all the aromas and flavors in every sizzling beef stew or charburger.

Chuck. Chuck is one of the leaner types of beef, making it perfect for stews because it melts into delicious pieces as it cooks. A chuck roast has a large amount of connective tissue, which allows it to retain its moisture during the cooking process.

So skip the roux, and don't bother dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning, either, as some recipes will suggest. That will just interfere with getting a good sear on the meat, and gum up the stew with unneeded starch.

What does tomato paste do for beef stew? It definitely gives another layer of flavor and can thicken up your gravy. But it can also be very acidic so you might want to simmer finally chopped carrots in your sauce to give it some sweetness. And for me, there is nothing like fresh basil, parsley, and oregano.

Once the meat is tender - but not falling apart, add the potatoes, celery, carrots and butternut squash. Pour over another 2 cups of beef broth and enough water to cover the vegetables. Raise heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes - until the vegetables are tender.

Vegetables: small chopped carrots, celery, and onion or shallot practically melt into the sauce. Mushrooms: button mushrooms are a nod to the quartered mushrooms many classic beef stew recipes call for, but are thinly sliced instead of being left in bigger pieces. Garlic: minced garlic brings lots of cozy flavor.

Flemish Beef and Beer Stew (Carbonnade Flamande)

Fish sauce, soy sauce, peanut butter, anchovies, Worcestershire, maggi all add extra depth.