Guinness Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my beef and Guinness stew bitter? ›

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. This recipe includes a couple of simple steps to tame that bitter flavor and ensure it doesn't overwhelm the stew.

The most important key to making stew meat tender is being sure to cook it for a long time. 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.

If you want to thicken your Irish Stew there are several methods. You can make a mixture of flour and water and add it to the simmering liquid or you can do the same with a mix of water and cornstarch. Add either…. around a tablespoon at a time and stir till thickened.

Squeeze in some vinegar or lemon juice.

Try squeezing some fresh Make-Lemon-Juice|lemon juice]] or adding a spoonful of vinegar to bitter dishes to neutralize the flavor a bit.

A little bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to reduce the sourness or. add a little sugar to balance the acid in the tomato. Add a little lemon juice, vinegar or hot sauce and just go with a sour stew.

Don't Stew the Stew Too Long Either

It might seem that cooking your beef stew on low for 8 hours will make it even better, but that is not true at all. Your beef will be tough if you don't cook it enough and it will be tough if you cook it too much.

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.

Add the beef, beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and cook, skimming broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1½ hours.

Try adding soy sauce or Worcestershire for extra savory (or umami) flavor, a touch of honey or brown sugar for sweetness, lemon zest or vinegar for brightness or chili powder or smoked paprika for spice and depth.

A bit of tomato paste amps up the flavor of beef stew, giving it a richness and a punch of umami that makes the stew truly memorable.

When should I add potatoes to stew? ›

Your onions will be fine, but mushy potatoes and carrots are a no-no. Instead, add them about 20 minutes before the end of cooking. When they're tender, the stew is done.

Enter instant mashed potato flakes. Add a spoonful of potato flakes at the end of cooking time, and it will thicken things right up. You can even use this trick with foods like roast beef or other slow cooked or pressure cooked meats that have flavorful juices that you want to turn into a gravy-like texture.

You'll most likely be using potatoes, and their starch will naturally thicken your stew. It's not a gravy—you shouldn't be adding a roux or flour or cornstarch.

There are both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that you can mix with Guinness. Mix champagne for a bubbly finish, rum for a deep richness, or ginger beer for some spice.

Hops is a plant (related to hemp), and is responsible for the bitterness of the beer. The more hops the more bitter the beer. What does Guinness beer taste like? Guinness tastes wet and milky at first (depending on how well it is poured).

Isohumulones are the primary source of bitterness in Guinness and, generally speaking, in beers. The more humulone available during boiling, the more likely it is to isomerise and thus produce isohumulones.

Bitterness is likely due to hypoxanthine, anserine and carnosine as well as some amino acids (MacLeod, 1994).

Definitely add sugar, it needs something sweet to counteract the bitterness. Redcurrant jelly is lovely in stews. The recipe I use for this which is very old has a spoonful of sugar. It depends on which ale he's suggested.