Irish Guinness Stew
When I was pregnant with our second boy, I had a strong craving for Guinness…
When I was pregnant with our second boy, I had a strong craving for Guinness… So, I rang my Irish friend to ask him if he knew of any existing non-alcohol substitute for Guinness. He thought for a while and said,
“Coca-Сola?” Which, of course, was a bittersweet joke… Guinness is irreplaceable and unique. That’s what he was trying to tell me.
Guinness used to be officially prescribed to pregnant women in Ireland for iron deficiency. Not that any doctor would do it these days, as alcohol would do more harm than good... After a little reflection, I started researching, found this dish and had a little Eureka moment: once Guinness is stewed, all the alcohol evaporates, and I’ve got my craving covered.
In fact, combined with red meat, this stew is great for recharging our iron batteries. Which is very much needed during long autumn and winter days.
The flavor of the stew will depend very much on the quality of the stock. And I'll tell you how I make it: please find it in the notes below and apply this method to the other recipes you'll find on my site. It's not as difficult at all!
Ingredients:
2lb / 900g beef
Season with salt and black pepper
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
3 tbsp flour
6 oz / 170g bacon (optional)
14.9 oz / 440ml Guinness Beer
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups / 750 ml stock
2 Garlic cloves
2 Onions
2 bay Leaves
Thyme
Kitchen utensils: a large stew pan with a lid, kitchen tweezers, a spatula, a plate, a cutting board and a knife.
Method:
Start by cutting the 900 grams (2lb) of beef into cubes about the size of a matchbox.
Heat the pan over a medium to high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Fry the meat on one side until golden brown. Work in batches if you don't have enough space. Be patient and don't overcrowd the pan - otherwise the meat may start to steam instead of frying. Season with salt and pepper.