overhead shot of Guinness braised beef in a bowl with mashed potatoes and a vintage fork, on a gray background with a second bowl to the side and a gray and white grid patterned napkin and a sprig of fresh parsley

Why I love this braised beef recipe

Since it’s been dreadfully cold here lately, I decided to revamp one of my favorite Dutch oven recipes – Guinness braised beef. I’ve been making it for years, in one form or another, but I used to use a stovetop/oven method, and I recently tested a new version that outshines the last by a lot.

It’s hearty and comforting for a cold, snowy (or rainy) day. In fact, a snow day like today is the perfect time to simmer a post of this Guinness braised beef on the stove and let the wonderful aroma will your home. We love to pair this with my dairy free mashed potatoes and a nice serving of green veggies. Try some oven roasted broccoli or even a fresh arugula salad.

More St. Patrick’s Day recipes: Irish potato candy / Irish champ / Irish sausage / Irish beef stew / Corned beef tacos / Lucky Charms cookies

overhead closeup of Guinness braised beef cooked with a sprig of fresh parsley in a blue Dutch oven on a gray background

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overhead shot of Guinness braised beef cooked in a blue Dutch oven on a gray background

Ideas

Ingredients:

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

  • Chuck roast – It’s a classic choice for slow-cooking because it’s a well-marbled cut that becomes incredibly tender after cooking for a few hours. A brisket or bottom round are good alternatives if you can’t find a chuck roast you like.
  • Guinness stout – Any type of stout beef will work, it doesn’t need to be guinness.
closeup of a chuck roast slow cooked in a stout beer with a sprig of fresh parsley in a blue Dutch oven

The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.

How to braise beef

Prepare your chuck roast. Cut your chuck roast into large cubes (about 1-inch).Sprinkle the beef with two tablespoons of all-purpose flour and liberally season it with salt & pepper. I don’t normally measure my salt for this, but I use about 1/2 – 1 teaspoons coarse salt and a little less pepper than that.

I like to leave mine on the cutting board while I flour and season it. While it’s on the cutting board, I stir it around to make sure everything is evenly coated. You could do this in a bowl if you want, but I don’t see the point in dirtying another dish.

Sear the beef and sauté the onions. Heat your Dutch oven to high and add 2 tablespoons of oil (any cooking oil will work). Working in 2 – 3 batches, sear the sides of your beef until the easily release from the pan. This normally takes a few minutes per side. Remove seared beef and transfer to a plate.

Once all of the beef is seared and on the plate, reduce your heat to medium and add the onion. Sauté it until almost translucent, stirring occasionally.

Simmer everything. Add the beef back to the pot with the remaining ingredients and cover the pot. Simmer your braised beef for 2 – 2.5 hours, or until the beef is tender. Resist the urge to check the beef. Each time you open the Dutch oven, you will lose some of the liquid in your pot, so do this sparingly.

By the time the beef is tender, the liquid in your put should have thickened from the flour and fats cooking together. If it seems too thin, remove the lid and return heat to medium. Allow your beef to simmer/boil off the excess liquid for up to 30 minutes.

Before serving, discard the celery stalk and garnish with fresh chopped parsley (optional).

More beef recipes. Shredded beef tacos / Grilled beef satay / Bolognese sauce / Baked hamburgers

overhead shot of Guinness braised beef in a bowl with mashed potatoes and a vintage fork, on a gray background with a second bowl to the side and a gray and white grid patterned napkin and a sprig of fresh parsley

FAQs and tips for braising meat

  • What does braising meat mean? Braising is a method of cooking meat that involves two types of heat being applied. First, meat is seared to seal in juices and create flavor and then it is slow cooked in some form of liquid. Braised meat is usually not completely submerged when cooking, and it is usually simmered at a low temperature for a long period of time.
  • What cut of beef is best for braising? The best cuts of beef for braising are going to be your tougher cuts. I like to use chuck roast because I find that it’s reasonably priced. Plus, when it’s slow cooked, it gets super tender and flavorful. When choosing your chuck roast, look for one with good overall marbling. Many will have a thick piece of fat running through, and that is great for flavor, but not 100% necessary. You can also use stew meat (sometimes referred to as braised steak in other countries) and get very similar results.
  • How long should I braise beef? You want to braise beef for at least 2 hours. I prefer to braise mine in a Dutch oven (for 2 – 3 hours) or in my slow cooker (for 8 – 10 hours). In the Dutch oven, you have the option of braising it on the stove top or in the oven. No matter your method, you’ll want to sear the meat before you simmer.
  • Why is my beef so tough? You probably haven’t cooked it long enough. Each piece of meat is different, so you’ll need to trust your instincts of this one. If you’ve cooked your beef for the full 2 1/2 hours and your beef seems tough still, try giving it a bit more time. I find that just a little bit of extra time can make a huge impact of the tenderness of these kinds of meats.
Close up of tender chuck roast served over mashed potatoes.
overhead closeup of Guinness braised beef cooked with a sprig of fresh parsley in a blue Dutch oven on a gray background
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4.86 from 7 votes

Guinness Braised Beef

By: Melissa Belanger
This Guinness braised beef recipe is perfect for St. Patrick's Day, or any time of year! It's super simple and creates tender, flavorful beef with just enough sauce to pair with mashed potatoes. Makes 12 servings.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 1 12- ounce can Guinness, or other stout beer
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 celery stalk, cut into thirds
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions 

  • Coat the chuck roast in flour and liberally season with salt & pepper.
  • In a dutch oven or large stockpot, heat olive oil to high.
  • Sear the beef for on all sides until golden brown, working in batches if needed.
  • Remove the beef from the pan, leaving any liquid in the pot, and reduce heat to medium.
  • Add onions and cook for about a minute – stirring frequently.
  • Return beef to the pot and add remaining ingredients.
  • Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 – 2 1/2 hours, or until beef is tender and liquids have thickened.
  • Remove celery from pot, and adjust seasoning to taste before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 372mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin C: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Hi! I'm Melissa.

I create easy, dairy free recipes because I know how hard living without milk can be. I believe you can live a completely satisfying life without dairy, and I want to teach you how.

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4.86 from 7 votes

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24 Comments

  1. Keith Golder says:

    4 stars
    No way you can only use two tablespoons of flour to dust three pounds of meat for searing. I used combo of grape seed oil and lard for searing. Olive oil has to low a smoking point. Added Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Substituted cider vinegar for balsamic. Finished with parsley.~Cheers!

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      That really is what I use. If you want to use a bit more, you definitely can!

      Reply
  2. Nellie says:

    This sounds amazing!! Can you share with me the slow cooker version? Thanks

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      The slow cooker instructions are listed in the FAQs in this post. 8-10 hours on low.

      Reply