This Guinness beef stew is an ideal St. Patrick's Day dinner. Despite a long cooking time, it's very easy to make. In 2 and ½ hours, you'll have a dark and mouthwatering stew.

This recipe includes all of the classics - beef, carrots, and onions. But I make the stew special by adding dark and malty Guinness stout, a bit of whole-grain mustard, and a dollop of tangy mustard cream sauce. The stew's velvety sauce is best sopped up with freshly baked bread.

Tips for a great stew

1. In this recipe I keep the flour to a minimum and instead opt for unflavored gelatin to make my broth richer. The gelatin makes up for the lack of collagen in American store-bought chicken stocks and gives the stew an incredible velvety texture.
2. Make sure to cut the beef and vegetables into large pieces so that they hold up better during the long braise.
3. In this Guinness beef stew recipe I sear the chuck roast in large steaks. This makes it easier to get a much deeper level of browning during the sear, and it also keeps the moisture in the meat.
4. During braising, the potatoes will absorb much of the seasoning, so be liberal with the salt and pepper.

Ingredients

Stew

• 2 bottles Guinness extra stout (11.2 fl oz)
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 3 packets unflavored gelatin
• 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into large steaks
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced (1 and ½ pounds)
• 3 large carrots (1 pound), peeled and cut at an angle into large 1 - 2 inch pieces
• 2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large 1 -2 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 bouquet garni (bundle the following herbs in a cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string; 1 bay leaf, 2 whole sprigs of thyme, and a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley)
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 

Mustard cream

• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour all of the chicken broth into a medium-sized bowl, and sprinkle 1 packet of gelatin at a time on top. Allow each packet to absorb the liquid before sprinkling the next packet.

Step 2

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. In batches, brown each chuck roast steak for about 3 minutes per side. Place the chuck steaks aside on a sheet pan. Add 2 additional tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven and add all of the onions. Season the onions generously with salt and pepper. Using a large wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the Dutch oven. Allow the onions to soften and get super brown. If the onions start to stick, add a bit more olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of water. Next, cube the beef into large 2-inch pieces, and toss with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

Add all of the carrots and potatoes to the Dutch oven, and season with salt and pepper - stir everything together. Cook the carrots and potatoes with onions for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the Guinness stout, chicken stock with gelatin, and whole grain mustard. Add the floured and cubed beef to the Dutch oven, and stir together.  Check the seasonings and be generous with the salt and pepper - the potatoes will absorb much of the salt, so make sure not to skimp. Bring the contents of the Dutch oven to a boil. Place the lid on and cook in the oven for 2 hours.

Step 3

While the stew cooks make the mustard cream. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sour cream, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice - stir everything together. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the stew is done.

Step 4

After 2 hours, remove the stew from the oven; the beef should be tender and easily pulled apart. Stir in ¼ cup parsley and serve the stew into bowls with a large dollop of mustard cream.