My husband's parents are from Cork, so Guinness is always in the house, but especially when the rugby is on!
Some traditional recipes only include Guinness as the liquid element, but I prefer to also include an almost equal amount of beef stock. The flavours work really well together, and it ensures you have lots of gravy at the end of the cooking time. Delicious to have over creamy mash or with pieces of crusty bread!
I 've suggested that the stew is cooked for 4 hours, and although you can cook it for less time, a long slow cook ensures that the beef is deliciously flaky and tender.
It's lovely served as a stew, or if you want to mix it up, you can spoon it into a pie dish and top with flaky pastry or even sliced potatoes.
Serves 4
2-4 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1-2 onions (approx 300g)
800g diced braising steak
2 heaped tablespoons of plain flour
250g carrots (or carrots and parsnips)
6 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
500ml Guinness
450ml beef stock
Seasoning
- Pre-heat the oven to 160°C
- Peel the onion and carrots.
- Cut the onions in half and then slice thickly.
- Cut each carrot into 2-3cm slices.
- Place the braising steak in a large bowl and toss with the flour and some seasoning.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, ovenproof casserole dish over a medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the sliced onion to the pan, with a little more vegetable oil if needed.
- Once the onion has started to soften and brown, add the beef to the pan and stir to combine.
- Now slowly stir in the Guinness, followed by the beef stock.
- Add the carrots, thyme and bay leaf. Season and stir again.
- Bring to the boil and then place in the hot oven.
- Cook for 3.5-4 hours until the beef falls apart.
