Ireland's defining pub stew: chunks of grass-fed Connacht beef braised long and slow with onion, carrot, parsnip and pearl barley in a dark Guinness gravy, served with buttered brown soda bread.

Beef and Guinness stew (also called Stobhach Gaelach) emerged in 19th-century Irish pubs as a slow-cooked pot dish using cheap beef cuts and the country's most accessible dark malt beer (Guinness, brewed in Dublin since 1759). The dish became the canonical pub-grub winter Sunday lunch across Ireland. Galway and Connacht versions include parsnip and pearl barley and lean toward grass-fed Connemara mountain beef. Galway pubs that run benchmark versions include Tigh Neachtain and The Quays Bar. The stew should braise at least 3 hours; the gravy should be glossy mahogany.

Where to eat Guinness Beef Stew in Galway

4 editor picks for Guinness Beef Stew in Galway, ranked by editorial score. All Galway signature dishes · Guinness Beef Stew across every city.

  • Crane Bar

    Drink Guinness served before and after trad sessions

    The Crane Bar on Sea Road Galway is the hub of traditional music; nightly trad sessions on a stage that launched music careers since the 1980s.

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  • Tigh Neachtain

    Drink Pint of Guinness in one of Galway's oldest pub interiors

    Tigh Neachtain on Cross Street Galway is the most ambient trad-session pub in the west; low ceilings, open fire and live music most nights since 1894.

    DetailsDirections

  • The King's Head

    Drink Pint of Galway Hooker or Murphy's in the medieval great hall

    The Kings Head on High Street Galway occupies a building licensed since 1611 with nightly trad sessions, live comedy and the longest bar in the city.

    DetailsDirections

  • The Quays Bar

    Drink Pint of Guinness in the converted medieval church interior

    The Quays on Quay Street Galway is a three-floor Victorian bar with stained-glass from a French church; trad sessions run seven nights a week.

    DetailsDirections

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Make it at home

Serves 63 hr 30 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg Irish beef chuck or shin (grass-fed Connacht beef ideal), cut into 4cm chunks
  • 60g all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp Irish butter (Kerrygold)
  • 3 large yellow onions, sliced into thin half-moons
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
  • 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 500ml Guinness Extra Stout (the structural ingredient; do not substitute with regular stout)
  • 500ml good beef stock
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 100g pearl barley
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Optional: 60ml double cream stirred in at the end (the Connacht touch)
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • To serve: buttered brown Irish soda bread (heavy with butter) or champ (mashed potato with spring onions and butter)

Method

  1. Pat the beef chunks very dry; toss in the seasoned flour to coat all over, shaking off excess.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a heavy ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in three batches for 4 minutes per batch, until deeply seared on all sides. Lift onto a plate.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining oil and butter to the pot. Tip in the sliced onions with a pinch of salt; cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring often, until deeply caramelised and golden brown (this is the structural step; do not rush, the onions are the depth of the gravy).
  4. Add the chopped garlic and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.
  5. Pour in the Guinness and let it bubble and reduce by half (about 4 minutes); scrape the brown bits from the bottom.
  6. Pour in the beef stock, Worcestershire and brown sugar; bring to a simmer.
  7. Return the browned beef and any juices to the pot. Tuck in the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary.
  8. Cover and transfer to a 160 degrees Celsius oven; braise for 2 hours.
  9. Add the carrots, parsnips and pearl barley; stir gently, cover, and return to the oven for a further 60 to 75 minutes until the beef shreds easily with a fork, the vegetables are tender, and the barley is plump.
  10. Lift out and discard the herb stems and bay leaves. Check the gravy consistency; if too thin, simmer uncovered on the stovetop for 10 minutes to reduce.
  11. Off the heat, stir in the optional double cream (the canonical Connacht touch) and adjust salt and pepper.
  12. Serve immediately in deep bowls, scattered with chopped parsley.
  13. Pile a thick slice of buttered brown soda bread on each plate alongside, or serve over a mound of warm champ.
  14. Pour a half-pint of Guinness alongside; the dish is even better with a small glass of Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey on the side.

Editor tip. Guinness Extra Stout (the export version) gives the most depth; regular Guinness Draught is too thin for the stew. The 2-hour braise before adding vegetables is structural; adding vegetables earlier gives mushy carrots and parsnips. Make the stew the day before; the flavour deepens overnight in the fridge.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Sulphites.