Irish Beef Stew Brown Gravy (Printable)
Tender beef and root veggies slowly cooked in a savory brown gravy for a hearty meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
04 - 2 medium onions, chopped
05 - 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
07 - 3 cups beef stock
08 - 1 cup Guinness stout or other dark beer
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Thickeners & Flavorings
10 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
11 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# Step-by-step:
01 - Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss with flour to coat evenly.
02 - In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches on all sides, setting aside browned pieces.
03 - Add onions and garlic to the pot; sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in Guinness and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to deglaze the pot and release any flavorful browned bits.
05 - Return the beef to the pot. Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and beef stock. Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are cooked through.
07 - Discard bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The gravy develops this incredible depth that makes you want to sop up every last drop with bread
- Everything cooks in one pot, leaving you with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor
02 -
- Rushing the searing step is the biggest mistake you can make because those browned bits are where all the deep flavor lives
- Adding all the beef at once will lower the pan temperature and prevent proper browning, so take the extra few minutes to do it in batches
03 -
- Make this a day ahead and refrigerate overnight because the flavors deepen and any excess fat rises to the top for easy removal
- Keep the heat at a gentle simmer instead of a rolling boil to keep the meat tender