Ingredients:

  • 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1¼–1½ inch (3–4 cm) cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or grapeseed)
  • 1 tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter (optional, for extra browning)
  • 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped (about 300–350 g)
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces (about 300 g)
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced (about 100 g)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb (450 g) waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), cut into 1–1½ inch pieces
  • 8–12 pearl onions, peeled (optional — about 150 g)
  • 12 fl oz (355 ml) Guinness stout (or other dry stout)
  • 3 cups (720 ml) beef stock (low-sodium if preferred)
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1–2 tbsp (15–30 g) brown sugar or maple syrup (optional — to balance bitterness)
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine (optional — adds depth)
  • Optional thickening: 1–2 tbsp (8–16 g) all-purpose flour OR 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water (slurry) OR 1–2 tbsp (15–30 g) beurre manié (butter + flour)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (2 tbsp / 8 g) for garnish
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Prep ingredients: trim and cube beef; season with salt and pepper and pat dry. Chop onions, carrots, celery and potatoes; mince garlic; peel pearl onions if using.
  2. Dredge and brown beef: toss beef cubes in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown beef in batches without crowding until deep mahogany, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
  3. Sauté aromatics and deglaze: reduce heat to medium and add onions, carrots, and celery; cook until softened and beginning to brown, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in Guinness to deglaze, scraping up browned bits; optionally add red wine and reduce 1–2 minutes.
  4. Build the stew: return browned beef and juices to the pot. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and optional brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer (small bubbles).
  5. Braise: Option A (stovetop): cover and simmer gently, partially covered, for 1½–2 hours until beef is fork-tender. Option B (oven): preheat oven to 325°F (160°C), cover pot and transfer to oven for 1½–2 hours. Stir occasionally and skim excess fat if desired.
  6. Add potatoes and pearl onions: add potatoes (and pearl onions if using) about 30–40 minutes before the end of cooking so they become tender but hold their shape; continue to simmer until potatoes are fork-tender.
  7. Adjust thickness and seasoning: if sauce is too thin, thicken with flour or cornstarch slurry or beurre manié, whisking small amounts into simmering stew until desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
  8. Rest and finish: remove bay leaves and thyme stems, stir in chopped parsley and finish with a grind of black pepper. Let rest 10–15 minutes to meld flavors before serving.