Beef Guinness-Style Alcohol-Free (Print Version)
Comforting beef stew with root vegetables and rich malty flavor, perfect for chilly evenings and family meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4.4 lbs beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large onions, diced
03 - 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
05 - 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
08 - 2 cups non-alcoholic stout or malt beverage
09 - 2 cups low sodium beef stock
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 2 tablespoons alcohol-free Worcestershire sauce
→ Seasonings & Other
12 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
14 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 2 bay leaves
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
# How to Cook:
01 - Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels. Toss with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, adding more oil as needed. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
03 - Add onions, carrots, parsnips, celery, and garlic to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to develop flavor.
05 - Return beef to the pot. Add non-alcoholic stout, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme leaves, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
06 - Bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Add potato chunks, cover, and simmer for an additional 40 minutes until beef and vegetables are very tender.
08 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's one of those dishes that tastes like it's been simmering for ages, but comes together in under three hours.
- The malty stout creates a deeply savory backdrop without any alcohol aftertaste.
- Tender beef and naturally sweet vegetables mean you're eating something that actually feels nourishing.
02 -
- Don't skip browning the beef—it's not extra work, it's the entire foundation of why this stew tastes like it matters.
- If your stew looks thin after cooking, mash a few cooked potato chunks right into the broth—the starch thickens everything without adding flour at the end.
03 -
- Use beef chuck specifically—it has enough fat and connective tissue to become impossibly tender during the long simmer.
- Browning the beef in batches takes patience, but that caramelization is what gives the whole stew its savory soul.