Sometimes it’s the small, stupid things in life which can make a typical boring day more exciting. For me this day usually falls on Wednesdays when I eagerly grab the mail from our mailbox just to read the 4 or 5 grocery ad inserts.
I study those ads like a stock broker reads the Wall Street so he can buy and sell before the markets close. Although grocery shopping is just a necessity to most, it is a ‘take-no-prisoners’ type of sport to me. Yes, I am aware that this may sound strange, slightly pathetic, or a combination of both.
When you grow up so poor with nothing, learning to be frugal becomes a survival skill that never quite leaves you. Finding deals and steals is the name of the game and I love the challenge of getting the most out of every dollar I spend. This type of illness (yes, it is an illness), has many drawbacks. It can alter a person’s perception about life in a way that can limit them from enjoying an occasional splurge. And the euphoria of a deal can cause me to buy things despite the reality that I didn’t really need the items to begin with.
But I’m a recovering ‘frugal-aholic.’ Gone are the days I would come home with “just in case we need them in the future’ items. These days I limit my frugal ways to only food our family eats regularly, which brings me to today’s post.
Generally speaking, I only buy meat when it is on sale. I especially like clearance perishables. When I glance over ads, I am generally looking for deals on meat, vegetables, fruit, and coffee. On most days I don’t know what I’m going to cook for dinner. I’ll let a sale item determine what our meal will be.
With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching this Sunday this week is a great time to find deals on beef, potatoes, carrots, and Irish beer. All of these ingredients I just mentioned are perfect for making one of my favorite comfort foods: beef stew. But not just any stew, Irish Beef Stew made with Guinness Stout beer.
With bone-in Chuck roast on sale for $2.69/lb, I picked up a package knowing beef stew would be in my immediate future. I prefer the bone-in meat when making stew because after I cut the bone and fat away I throw the bone in the pot so that while it is cooking it will draw out the flavor a bone can add. For the same reason people like to use bones to make stock I like to cook soups and stews with the bones too. And it doesn’t hurt that bone-in meat is always significantly cheaper than the boneless.
Because beef stew takes a very long time to simmer on the stove-top, I usually use a pressure cooker. The moment I seal the lid, I set the kitchen timer to 20 minutes after the safety hatch pops up. When the timer goes off, I turn off the stove and start calling everyone down for dinner.
I know some people are ‘weirded’ out by pressure cookers but it is one of my most used cookware. Being able to save hours of “cook time” is such a life necessity for me. And the flavor and texture of the meat and vegetables are far superior to a slow-cooker. No mushy anything. Tender vibrant vegetables are firm enough to hold their shape and the meat is the perfect texture.
This stew is hearty. It has a nice rich broth with the subtle flavor of stout. Served with a slice of crusty rustic bread and a light salad this stew would be perfect to serve this Sunday for St. Patrick’s Day. Like I mentioned before, everything you need to make it is pretty much on sale, too. I love it when frugality, practicality, and deliciousness collide.
Have a great weekend!
PS: Because some people have emailed me about my pressure cooker, I just used this cheapo one Presto 6-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker that worked beautifully before I broke the handle when I accidentally dropped the lid.
Although the one I had was aluminum, Presto does offer a stainless-steel version which some of my food loving friends love. Presto 01362 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
Lastly, I do have friends who swear by the Cuisinart CPC-600 1000-Watt 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker, Brushed Stainless and Matte Black
- 3 pounds chuck roast beef, bone-in
- 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons, thyme
- 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar or brown sugar
- 12 ounce bottle Guinness Stout beef
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 – 14 ounce cans beef broth
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 3 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into crosswise 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound red potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces (I like to cut them in half and then quarter each half)
- Fresh thyme sprigs (optional for garnishing)
- Cut away any thick ribbons and layers of fat away from the meat as well as the bone. Discard the fat but set aside all bones.
- Cut the beef in 1 inch pieces and transfer the stew meat to a large bowl.
- Add the 1 tablespoon of salt and the pepper to the meat. Gently toss the meet so the salt is evenly distributed. Massage the beef with your hand.
- Add the flour and toss the beef gently so each piece is dredged.
- Heat a large frying pan with one tablespoon of oil on medium high heat.
- Fry half of the beef until it is browned and seared. Remove the beef to its original bowl and fry the other half with the remaining oil.
- Once all the beef has been removed, add the onions, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, thyme and sugar. Cook the onions for 5 minutes until aromatic and soft.
- Pour half a bottle of stout beer and wine into the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any bits leftover from the beef. Transfer the onion mixture to a pressure cooker.
- Heat the pressure cooker on medium high heat. Add the remaining beer, tomato paste, and bouillon cubes. Allow the liquid to cook for a minute.
- Stir in the beef, carrots, and potatoes.
- Seal the pressure cooker and when the steam valve opens to indicate it is locked, cook the stew for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the steamer to unlock the valve on its own before serving.
- Garnish the soup with fresh thyme sprigs.
Gonna try. Fell in LOVE w/ Gueniss Brewer’s head chef. This recipe comes closest to his
My family loves beef stew so I am going to have to try this recipe. I know that stout is going to make the beef so tender as it will help break down the meat and the fat. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Yummy!!!
What a good looking stew. It looks delicious, just right for a rainy day.
Step 9 would be my suggestion.
Did you ever figure out when the beef broth should be added?
That looks delish! I too am a grocery ad shopper. I drive my girlfriends crazy! I also use the ads to shop for mainly meat and produce and that is exactly how I plan my meals!
This looks so delicious, and not to mention healthy!
Another way to make this even healthier would be to use beef rich in omega 3’s.
browning of meat and added not addd. And I did not even sample the beer : ) I did add a bit of smoked paprika because I love it.
I made this tonight. It was very delicious. I think the growing of the meat and the onions really addd to the flavor. My son is a brewer so I used some of his stout. This will make its way into my regular pressure cooker rotation. Thank you.
Am I missing when to add the beef broth? I’ve read it several times and cannot seem to find when to add it. Thanks!
Your dish looks superb. What are the cooking times for those without a pressure cooker ?
I love stews in general but the stout addition to this one is particularly attractive! Can’t wait to try my hand at making this, definitely sharing this recipe!
Hi Alice, I would like to make this in a slow cooker. Any recommendations for how long or temperature (high or low). Would I start it with browned beef, onions, garlic, beer etc and add potatoes and carrots a few hours later? Thanks!
Ah, just like my Mother has made beef and carrot stew for the last forty years; a taste of my youth, and an enduring favourite with my family and friends. Thanks a million for this very detailed recipe! A variation on this is to turn it into an Irish-Belgian hybrid by sealing the top of the stew with slices of baguette about twenty minutes before completion. This allows the juices to seep up through the bread, producing a delicious introduction to the rich stew waiting underneath. It also looks very appetizing when serving from the casserole at the table!
Hi Sarah, I’ve updated the post with some of my thoughts about pressure cookers. Hope that helps.
Aw thanks Jaime! Hope all is well with you and your family.
Hi Amie,
I would bring the stew to boil then cover it on a low simmer stirring occasionally. It should cook for 1.5 hours, maybe a little longer if necessary. But definitely take a bite at the 1 1/2 hr. mark.
Hi Alice – Any idea how long this would take to cook on the stovetop?
Alice, THAT is gorgeous. So happy to see your posts showing up in my inbox!!
Perfect for these last days of winter.
Hi Vicki,
Thanks for catching my typo. Fixed now. Have a great weekend.
Your stew looks so rich and delicious. I love the deep dark color and I know this beer well and it provides a deep robust flavor to dishes. Your recipes calls for a 12oz bottle of Stout “beef” instead of beer. Spell check would never catch that.
Wonderful Irish recipe and perfect for a winters day.
This looks really good, I think I need to buy a pressure cooker! Do you recommend a certain one or are they all the same? I’ve never seen one in person :p