Chuck steak braised low and slow in Guinness is one of the most reliable batch kitchen dishes on the pub menu. The Guinness adds depth and a mild bitterness that works better than wine in a stew of this weight. It doesn't taste of Guinness — it tastes of properly braised beef. The stew improves significantly overnight, which makes Monday prep for a Tuesday St Patrick's Day service ideal.
Serves: 10–12 | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 3.5–4 hr | Suitable for: St Patrick's Day, winter menus, weekly specials
Ingredients
For the stew
- 2.5 kg beef chuck steak, cut into 5–6cm chunks
- 440ml Guinness (1 standard can)
- 600ml beef stock
- 3 white onions, roughly diced
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 3cm pieces
- 3 sticks celery, sliced
- 400g baby or waxy potatoes, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Vegetable oil for searing
- Salt and cracked black pepper
For the colcannon (serves 10–12)
- 1.5 kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled and quartered
- 350g green cabbage or Savoy, finely shredded
- 150ml whole milk, warmed
- 100g unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- Salt and white pepper
Method
1. Brown the beef Season the chuck pieces generously with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour. Heat a wide, heavy-based pan or hotel tray over high heat with a thin coat of oil. Sear the beef in batches — do not crowd the pan. You want a deep brown crust on at least two sides. This takes 8–10 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
2. Build the base In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed and sweat the onions, celery and garlic over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until softened and beginning to colour. Add the tomato purée and cook out for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until it darkens slightly.
3. Deglaze with Guinness Pour in the Guinness and scrape all the caramelised bits from the base of the pan — this is where the flavour is. Allow to bubble and reduce for 3 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce.
4. Braise Return the beef to the pan. Add the stock, carrots, potatoes, thyme and bay leaves. The liquid should just cover the meat — add a little more stock or water if needed. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly and transfer to an oven preheated to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Braise for 3 to 3.5 hours until the beef is completely tender and the sauce has thickened. Add the potatoes for the final 45 minutes.
5. Adjust and finish Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the sauce needs more body, remove a ladleful of liquid, whisk in a teaspoon of cornflour, and return it to the pot. The stew should coat a spoon but not be thick like gravy.
6. Make the colcannon Cook the potatoes in well-salted boiling water until tender, approximately 20 minutes. Drain and steam dry for 5 minutes. Cook the shredded cabbage in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, drain and squeeze out excess water. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until smooth. Fold in the cabbage and spring onions. Season with salt and white pepper.
Kitchen Notes
Make ahead — The stew is markedly better after 24 hours in the fridge in its cooking liquor. The fat solidifies and can be skimmed before reheating. Reheat covered in the oven at 160°C for 30–40 minutes, or on the hob over low heat, stirring gently to avoid breaking the beef.
GP — Chuck steak runs at approximately £6–£8 per kg at UK trade prices. At 250g raw beef per portion (after trim and braise weight loss), the meat cost per portion is £1.50–£2.00. Total food cost per plate including vegetables and colcannon sits at £2.80–£3.40. At a menu price of £14–£16, GP is approximately 78%.
Allergens — Gluten (Worcestershire sauce, flour). Celery. Dairy (colcannon butter and milk). Check your Worcestershire sauce brand — some contain anchovy (fish).
Batch notes — This recipe scales cleanly to 25–30 portions for high-volume service. Use a full gastronorm tray covered in foil in a combination oven at 160°C. Dip to order, keep the tray covered in the hot hold.