Chefs Weigh In: Should You Really Be Using Guinness in Your Irish Stew?

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, and that usually means traditions like parades, pubs and pints. And, if you’re lucky, some Irish stew prepared with Guinness stout.  But there’s one thing to know about traditional Irish stew: Guinness was never meant to be a part of it. In fact, beer wasn’t even really a factor in early versions of the dish. That said, there’s nothing wrong with using Guinness in your stew – It’s just a different version of the dish.

Irish Chefs Weigh In

Darina Courtesy of Ballymaloe Cookery School

Chef Darina Allen, a co-founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland, likens the different versions of stew that hail from Ireland to the many forms of chili that are prepared in the U.S. With the latter, sometimes it’s just beef, sometimes just beef and beans, and sometimes it’s a little bit of everything. Some versions even include noodles. In Ireland, similarly, it’s regional, she points out. In the southern part of Ireland, carrots are a frequent ingredient in Irish stew, with potatoes on top, she says, while in northern parts of the country, carrots are usually left out and potatoes, when used, will more likely be cooked into it almost as part of the base. But Guinness in Irish stew? “Guinness has nothing to do with Irish stew, aside from chefs trying to be chef-y,” she says. That’s perhaps an exaggeration, as she is quick to add that “there’s nothing written in stone.” But generally, traditionally, Irish stew was made with mutton or haggis, while the Guinness version of stew is generally made with beef. In more modern times, traditional Irish stew is prepared with lamb. And no beer.

J.P. McMahon, the Galway-based chef and author, who also is culinary director of the EatGalway Restaurant Group and runs the Aniar Boutique Cookery School, calls the traditional lamb stew a “peasant dish” in its creation, typically made with a “humble” recipe with the lamb or mutton flavoring water with vegetables and herbs, and of course potatoes. But no alcohol.

Michael and Siobhan Reidy

Michael Reidy, who grew up on a dairy farm in County Clare, Ireland, now co-owns a restaurant called The Irish Rover in Louisville, Ky., with his wife Siobhan. In his modest upbringing, there wasn’t much lamb to be had: “That was an exotic dish to us,” he said with a chuckle. And when Michael’s mother did make stew, usually on Sundays, there only rarely was Guinness or any other alcohol in it. He recalls his father sitting in front of their fireplace drinking the ubiquitous stout from the bottle as his mother was preparing dinner. The bottom line was, “The Guinness went in another direction” than the kitchen when it was in the house.

What Kinds of Beer Go in Irish Stew

And none of this is to dismiss the notion of Guinness stew, which is delicious. But one could use any type of malty beer such as a porter, a different type of stout, or even a milder type of ale in chili – anything that works with the bolder flavor of beef. Some recipes for Irish stew call for red wine instead. So when did Guinness become associated with Irish stew? Allen figures it was a recent development – part cultural development, part marketing, whether intended or not. Let’s face it, visitors to Ireland almost inevitably get their photos taken in pubs holding a glass of Guinness as if it’s the most Irish thing that anyone could ever do. (I am guilty of this, as well. “You know, Guinness has been really very clever” with its marketing, Allen added with a chuckle. “Honestly, it’s just ridiculous in a way. It didn’t do our Irish image very much good.”

The takeaway is that given Guinness’s years of aggressive marketing, its signature product likely crept into the stew along the way. Allen posits that putting Guinness in the stew is “definitely this century. It’s a more modern thing, and that doesn’t mean it’s not good.” McMahon agrees, “Alcohol in cooking in Ireland is a much more recent feature, and it would seem likely that the inclusion of Guinness specifically over any other stout was a marketing initiative. Guinness stew would largely be known as ‘Beef & Guinness’ so this settles the score on what meat is used.”

Case in point: The stew at Reidy’s Irish Rover is specifically called “Guinness Beef Stew” on the menu, and it’s a more southern version, with potatoes and carrots cooked into the thick, hearty broth. And if we’re honest, that type of stew is not far removed from the pot roast many of our parents and grandparents made for us as children. In fact, do a Google search and you quickly learn that “traditional” Irish stew recipes vary to the point that it seems pretty clear that one could make an Americanized beef stew and loosely refer to it as Irish stew.

Let’s face it, America was founded by Western European immigrants and plenty of those hailed from Ireland. The beef stew you likely had in the suburbs as a kid may have been derivative of Irish stew, and ingredients possibly even varied from family to family. In fact, my grandmother’s beef stew – her maiden name was Ervin and she married into the McMahan family – was probably just a generation or two removed. In preparing to write this story, I made a stew of my own and drew from several recipes I uncovered. The basic ingredients: beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, and, of course, Guinness. It wasn’t the best version I ever had, but it was still hearty and delicious, albeit on the salty side, which was my fault.

So, just as Irish stew can be prepared with mutton, lamb or beef, it seems apparent that it can include Guinness or not include Guinness. Or any beer. Or pretty much any ingredient, for that matter. The point is, it’s generally an affordable, sharable dish. And a good reason to crack open a beer.

Here's a recipe, courtesy of Dromoland Castle in Ireland, that incorporates both lamb and Guinness:

Irish Rover Stew in Louisville

Burren Lamb & Guinness Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

1kg Shoulder & Neck of Lamb, Cubed

75g Plain Flour

50ml Oil

2 Onions Sliced

50g Pearl Barley, (Soaked in water for 1 hour)

3 Carrots, Peeled & Sliced

3 Sticks of Celery, Washed & Sliced

2 Leeks, Washed & Sliced

2tsp Chopped Parsley

1 Sprig of Thyme

1 Bay Leaf

2L Brown Lamb Stock

2 Pints of Guinness

Directions:

1. Lightly dust the cubed lamb with a little flour & season, heat the oil in a pot, once hot add the cubed lamb and brown.

2. Once the meat is evenly browned, remove from the pot, add in the onions and color slightly, add the meat back to the pot with the onions, add the Guinness and reduce by half, add the brown lamb stock, thyme, and bay leaf, bring to a boil and simmer for 90 minutes approx.

3. Add the drained soaked barley halfway through the cooking of the meat.

4. Cook all the vegetables until tender (separately) and refresh in iced water, drain, and reserve.

5. Once the meat is tender, add the drained vegetables, bring back to a boil, correct the seasoning and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and boiled new season potatoes.