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Cozy Grandma’s Guinness Beef Stew Recipe with Easy Soda Bread Topping

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A rich, hearty Guinness beef stew topped with a crusty soda bread that soaks up the flavorful gravy, perfect for cozy evenings and casual dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil or beef drippings
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 bottle (11.2 fl oz / 330 ml) Guinness stout
  • 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth, preferably low sodium
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef cubes in batches for 4–5 minutes per batch until golden crust forms. Remove and set aside.
  3. Lower heat to medium, add remaining oil. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until softened and starting to caramelize, about 6–7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in Guinness stout, scraping bottom of pot to lift browned bits. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
  5. Return beef to pot. Add beef broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir gently to combine.
  6. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to low simmer. Cover and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours until beef is tender and sauce thickens. Add more broth if too thick.
  7. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Pour in buttermilk and melted butter. Stir until just combined to form sticky dough.
  8. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves from stew. Spread stew evenly in Dutch oven or oven-safe casserole dish. Dollop soda bread dough on top, spreading gently but leaving rustic gaps.
  9. Bake for 20–25 minutes until soda bread is golden and crusty. Optionally broil for last 2 minutes for extra crust.
  10. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Stir frozen peas gently into stew beneath bread. Serve hot, spooning stew and crusty soda bread together.

Notes

Dry beef before browning for better caramelization. Keep simmer gentle to avoid toughening beef. Avoid overmixing soda bread dough for tender crust. Baking bread on top of stew allows flavors to marry and bread to soak up juices. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour blend and check broth ingredients. For dairy-free, substitute buttermilk with coconut yogurt or almond milk plus vinegar.

Nutrition

Keywords: Guinness beef stew, soda bread topping, Irish stew, comfort food, slow-cooked beef, hearty stew, easy soda bread

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/cozy-grandmas-guinness-beef-stew-recipe-with-easy-soda-bread-topping/