The Ultimate Guinness Beef Stew with a Miso Twist

I adore a rich, hearty bowl of beef stew to warm you from the inside out.

I learned the basics of a good beef stew from my mother-in-law, bless her heart. She’s a phenomenal cook, but she is a stickler for tradition. Her recipe was classic, delicious, and exactly what you’d expect. For years, I made it her way, but I always had this little nagging feeling that it could be even better.

It was missing a certain something, a deep, savory note that I just couldn’t put my finger on. The flavor was good, but it wasn’t a showstopper.

Then, on a weekend trip to Asheville, my husband and I were wandering through a fantastic little specialty food market. I saw a tub of dark, rich-looking red miso paste. I’d used the lighter white miso in soups before, but this was different. On a complete whim, I bought some, thinking I’d figure out what to do with it later.

The next time a chilly evening called for beef stew, I decided to experiment. Just before adding the broth, I stirred two big spoonfuls of that red miso paste into the pot with the tomato paste. The change was immediate and incredible. The miso melted into the base, and as the stew simmered, it created the most profoundly flavorful, savory gravy I had ever tasted. It made the beef taste beefier and the vegetables more robust. It was the secret I’d been looking for all along.

This is that recipe. It has all the comforting, classic elements you love, but with a secret twist that makes it truly unforgettable.

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Why This Beef Stew Recipe Works

Beef stew is the kind of timeless comfort food that feels like a warm hug in a bowl. It’s been a staple in kitchens for generations, born from the simple, brilliant idea of slow-cooking tougher, more affordable cuts of meat until they become meltingly tender. It’s a true one-pot wonder, a complete and satisfying meal that’s both rustic and elegant in its own way.

Its popularity endures because it’s practical, economical, and forgiving. You can feed a whole family with one pot, and the flavors only get deeper and more delicious the next day. Every family seems to have its own version, a slightly different combination of herbs or a preferred vegetable, passed down through the years.

So, what makes my version stand out in a sea of beef stew recipes? It’s one simple, yet transformative, ingredient: red miso paste.

While classic recipes build flavor with aromatics, tomato paste, and maybe some Worcestershire sauce, the miso adds an entirely new dimension of savory depth. Miso is packed with umami, which is often called the fifth taste. It’s that rich, meaty, deeply satisfying flavor you find in things like aged cheese, mushrooms, and soy sauce.

By cooking the red miso paste along with the tomato paste, we “bloom” its flavor, intensifying its savory notes. It seamlessly blends into the gravy, enriching the beefy taste of the broth and complementing the malty sweetness of the dark stout beer. It creates a gravy so complex and luscious, your guests will be trying to guess your secret ingredient all night long.

Ingredients for Beef Stew

The magic of this beef stew comes from building layers of flavor with quality ingredients. While the list might look long, each component plays a crucial role in creating that rich, savory gravy and tender beef that makes this recipe a keeper. And of course, there’s our secret weapon for that unforgettable umami flavor.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:

• 2 ½ lbs beef chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp red miso paste
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness or other dark stout beer
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 ½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

A few notes on some key ingredients. For the beef, I always recommend buying a whole beef chuck roast and cutting it yourself. The pre-cut “stew meat” at the grocery store can be a mix of different cuts that cook at different rates. Chuck has incredible marbling and connective tissue that breaks down during the long simmer, resulting in tender meat and a rich sauce.

The star of the show is the red miso paste. This is our little secret. You can usually find it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, often near the tofu or in the international foods aisle. It adds an incredible depth of savory, umami flavor that you just can’t get from salt alone.

Finally, use a good dark stout beer like Guinness. Its malty, slightly bitter notes are essential for balancing the richness of the stew and adding another layer of complexity to the gravy. And always opt for low-sodium beef broth so you can control the final saltiness of the dish, which is especially important since miso is also quite salty.

Step-by-Step Instructions For Making Beef Stew

Making a truly great beef stew is all about patience and technique. Each step is designed to build layers of flavor, starting with getting a perfect sear on the beef and ending with a rich, velvety gravy. Don’t rush the process, pour yourself a glass of something nice, and enjoy creating this masterpiece. I recommend using a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven for this, as it holds and distributes heat beautifully.

1. Pat, Season, and Flour the Beef

Your first step is critical for getting that beautiful brown crust on the beef. Use paper towels to pat the beef cubes completely dry. Moisture is the enemy of browning. Once dry, season them generously all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then, toss the cubes in the flour until they’re lightly and evenly coated. This flour coating not only helps with browning but will also be the first step in naturally thickening our stew gravy later on.

2. Brown the Beef in Batches

Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. The oil should be shimmering. Carefully place about half of the beef cubes in the pot in a single layer. This is so important, do not overcrowd the pot. If you add too much meat at once, it will steam instead of sear, and you’ll miss out on that deep, rich flavor. Let the beef brown, undisturbed, for a few minutes on each side until a deep, dark crust forms. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef.

3. Cook the Aromatics

Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Add your chopped onion, carrots, and celery. This trio is the flavor foundation of so many wonderful dishes. Sauté them, stirring every so often, for about 8 to 10 minutes. You want them to soften and get a little bit of color, which brings out their natural sweetness.

4. Add Garlic and Pastes

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just a minute until you can smell its wonderful aroma. Now comes a key flavor-building step. Add both the tomato paste and the red miso paste. Stir constantly and cook them for about two minutes. This process, often called blooming, deepens their flavors, cooks out any raw taste from the tomato paste, and unlocks the incredible umami of the miso.

5. Deglaze with Stout

Pour in the entire bottle of stout beer. As it hits the hot pot, it will sizzle and steam. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those wonderful browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. That stuff is called “fond,” and it’s pure, concentrated flavor. Let the beer come to a simmer and reduce by about half, which will only take a few minutes. This concentrates the malty flavor of the beer.

6. Build the Broth

Now, pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar, stirring everything together. Return the browned beef, along with any juices that have collected on the plate, back into the pot. Tuck in the bay leaves and the sprigs of fresh thyme.

7. First Simmer

Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then immediately reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. The key here is a *very* gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. You should just see a bubble or two break the surface every few seconds. This low, slow cooking is what will break down the tough connective tissues in the beef, making it fork-tender. Let it cook like this for one and a half hours, giving it a stir now and then.

8. Add the Final Ingredients

After an hour and a half, the beef is well on its way to being tender. Uncover the pot and stir in your potato chunks and the cremini mushrooms. We add these later in the cooking process to ensure the potatoes cook through perfectly without turning into mush. Place the lid back on and continue to simmer for another 45 to 60 minutes.

9. Finish and Season to Taste

Your stew is done when the beef is easily pierced with a fork and the potatoes are tender. Before you serve, fish out the bay leaves and the woody thyme sprigs. Now is the time to taste your creation. It might be perfect, or it might need another pinch of salt or a few grinds of black pepper. Adjust the seasoning until it tastes just right to you.

10. Garnish and Serve Hot

Ladle your beautiful, rich beef stew into warm bowls. A final sprinkle of fresh, chopped parsley adds a wonderful touch of color and a bit of bright, fresh flavor that cuts through the richness of the stew. Serve it immediately and get ready for the compliments.

How To Serve Beef Stew

Once your beautiful beef stew has finished simmering and your kitchen smells absolutely divine, it’s time for the best part: serving it up. This stew is hearty enough to be a complete meal all on its own, served simply in a deep, comforting bowl. There’s nothing wrong with that classic approach, but if you want to take it to the next level, there are so many wonderful ways to present it.

The most important thing to serve alongside beef stew is something to sop up every last drop of that incredible, umami-rich gravy. You worked hard on that flavor, so don’t let any of it go to waste. My husband insists that it’s not a proper stew experience without some sort of bread on the side.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve this recipe:

• Crusty Bread: A warm, crusty baguette, a thick slice of sourdough, or even a simple loaf of Italian bread is the perfect vehicle for mopping up the gravy. A side of salted butter doesn’t hurt, either.
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes: For the ultimate comfort food pairing, ladle the stew over a generous helping of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. The combination of textures is just heavenly.
• Egg Noodles: Wide egg noodles are another fantastic base. Cook them according to package directions, toss with a little butter and parsley, and serve the stew right on top.
• Southern-Style Cornbread: Being a Southern gal, my personal favorite is a wedge of classic, savory cornbread. The slightly crumbly texture and corn flavor are a perfect match for the rich stew.
• Simple Green Salad: To cut through the richness and add a fresh element to the meal, serve the stew with a simple side salad tossed in a sharp, tangy vinaigrette.

No matter how you choose to serve it, make sure the bowls are warm and the company is good. This is the kind of meal that’s meant to be shared and savored on a chilly evening, creating memories around the dinner table.

How To Store & Reuse Beef Stew Leftovers

One of the best things about making a big pot of beef stew is that the leftovers are often even more delicious the next day. As the stew sits in the refrigerator overnight, the flavors have more time to meld and deepen, resulting in an even richer and more complex taste. So, don’t be afraid to make a full batch, even if it’s just for two of you. You’ll be so glad you have those leftovers waiting.

Properly storing your stew is key to ensuring it tastes just as good, if not better, when you reheat it. Here’s how I handle storing and enjoying the leftovers:

• Cooling: First, allow the stew to cool down significantly before you put it away. Placing a large, hot pot directly into the fridge can raise the internal temperature and put other foods at risk. I usually let it sit on the counter for about an hour.
• Refrigerating: Once cooled, transfer the stew to an airtight container. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: Beef stew also freezes wonderfully. For the best results, ladle it into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top to allow for expansion. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Be aware that the texture of the potatoes can sometimes become slightly grainier after freezing and thawing, but it’s still absolutely delicious.

When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, reheating is simple. For refrigerated stew, you can gently reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally until it’s warmed through. If it has thickened up too much, you can add a small splash of beef broth or water to reach your desired consistency. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. For frozen stew, it’s best to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop.

As for reusing, you can get creative. The leftover stew makes a fantastic filling for a savory pot pie. Just pour it into a baking dish, top with a sheet of puff pastry or a biscuit crust, and bake until golden and bubbly.

Substitutions & Variations For Beef Stew

While I believe this beef stew recipe is pretty close to perfect as is, I know that one of the best parts of cooking is making a recipe your own. This recipe is a fantastic foundation, and it’s very forgiving, so feel free to play around with it based on what you like or what you have on hand in your pantry and fridge. A good stew is all about slow-cooked comfort, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Whether you need to accommodate a dietary preference or just want to try a new flavor combination, here are some simple swaps and creative variations you can try:

• Swap the Beer for Wine: If you’re not a fan of dark beer or don’t have any, you can easily substitute it with a dry red wine. A cup and a half of a full-bodied wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or a Côtes du Rhône would be wonderful for deglazing the pot and adding a different kind of acidic depth.
• Try Different Root Vegetables: The classic carrot and potato combination is hard to beat, but you can certainly add or substitute other root vegetables. Parsnips will add a lovely sweetness, while turnips or rutabagas can provide a slightly more peppery, earthy flavor. Chunks of sweet potato would also be a delicious addition.
• Make it Gluten-Free: To make this beef stew gluten-free, simply swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free all-purpose blend or even cornstarch to coat the beef. You’ll also need to use a gluten-free stout or substitute with red wine, as traditional beer contains gluten.
• Add a Little Heat: For those who like a spicy kick, it’s easy to add some heat. A pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper added along with the garlic and pastes will give the stew a gentle warmth. For a smokier heat, you could add a finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
• Experiment with Herbs: While thyme is classic, other woody herbs work beautifully in a long-simmered stew. A sprig of fresh rosemary would be a fantastic addition alongside the thyme. You could also stir in different fresh herbs at the end, like chopped dill or chives, instead of parsley.

No matter what little changes you make, the core technique of browning the meat well, building flavor in layers, and simmering it low and slow will always yield a delicious result.

5 FAQs About Beef Stew

Here are some straightforward answers to the most common questions I receive about this beef stew recipe.

What is the best cut of meat for beef stew?

Hands down, the best cut of meat for a classic beef stew is a chuck roast. It’s sometimes sold as a shoulder roast, chuck eye, or just pot roast. Chuck comes from the shoulder of the cow, a muscle that gets a lot of work, which means it has a lot of connective tissue and wonderful fat marbling. This might sound like a bad thing, but it’s exactly what you want for a slow-cooked dish.

As the stew simmers at a low temperature for a few hours, that tough connective tissue, which is mostly collagen, slowly melts away. It transforms into rich, luscious gelatin that gives the gravy an incredible body and a silky mouthfeel. The marbling renders down, keeping the meat moist and flavorful. The end result is chunks of beef that are so tender they practically fall apart with a fork. I strongly recommend buying a whole roast and cubing it yourself, as the pre-cut “stew meat” packages can be a mix of tougher, leaner cuts like round or sirloin, which don’t break down as nicely and can remain chewy even after long cooking.

Why is my beef stew tough?

This is a very common question, and the answer usually comes down to one of two things: time or temperature. More often than not, if your beef is tough, it simply means you haven’t cooked it long enough. The collagen in the chuck roast needs ample time to break down into gelatin. There’s a point in the cooking process where the meat fibers seize up and become tough before they finally relax and become tender. If you test a piece and it’s chewy, your best bet is to put the lid back on and let it simmer for another 30 to 60 minutes.

The other culprit is cooking temperature. If you let your stew boil instead of maintaining a gentle simmer, the high heat can cause the muscle proteins in the beef to constrict and toughen, squeezing out all their moisture. A proper beef stew should never be at a rolling boil. You’re looking for a “lazy” simmer, where a bubble just breaks the surface every few seconds. This low-and-slow approach is the true secret to achieving that coveted, meltingly tender beef.

How do I thicken my beef stew?

There are several ways to achieve a perfectly thick, gravy-like consistency for your beef stew. This recipe has a couple of built-in thickeners. First, coating the beef in flour before browning helps create a foundation for a thicker sauce. Second, the potatoes release some of their starches as they cook, which also contributes to thickening the liquid naturally.

If you get to the end of the cooking time and find your stew is still thinner than you’d like, you have a few easy options. The simplest method is to remove the lid and let the stew continue to simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. This allows some of the excess liquid to evaporate, concentrating the flavors and thickening the sauce. Another popular technique is to use a cornstarch slurry. Just whisk one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the simmering stew. Let it cook for a couple more minutes, and it will thicken up beautifully. Lastly, you can use a fork to mash a few of the cooked potato chunks against the side of the pot to release more of their starches.

Can I make this beef stew in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?

Absolutely. This recipe adapts very well to both a slow cooker and an Instant Pot, though you’ll want to make sure you don’t skip the initial flavor-building steps on the stovetop. For a slow cooker, follow the first five steps of the recipe in a skillet on your stove: brown the beef, sauté the vegetables, bloom the pastes, and deglaze with the beer. Then, transfer everything to your slow cooker crock. Add the broth, seasonings, and browned beef, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. I recommend adding the potatoes and mushrooms during the last 2 hours of cooking on low (or the last hour on high) to prevent them from becoming too mushy.

For an Instant Pot, you can do everything right in the pot. Use the “Sauté” function to complete the first five steps. After deglazing, add the remaining liquids and the beef back to the pot. Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes before doing a quick release. Then, add the potatoes and mushrooms, seal the pot again, and cook on high pressure for another 5 minutes, followed by a quick release. The result is a delicious stew in a fraction of the time.

What does the miso paste add to this beef stew recipe?

The red miso paste is my not-so-secret secret ingredient that truly elevates this beef stew from great to exceptional. Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans, and it’s an umami powerhouse. Umami is the fifth basic taste, alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It’s best described as a savory, meaty, or brothy flavor that makes food deeply satisfying and adds a wonderful complexity.

In this recipe, the red miso paste adds a profound savory depth that you just can’t achieve with salt alone. It complements and intensifies the natural beefy flavor of the meat and the richness of the broth. When you cook it with the tomato paste, its flavor deepens, adding a subtle, almost indescribable background note that makes the entire stew taste richer and more complex. It’s not an overtly “Asian” flavor in this context; instead, it seamlessly blends in, giving the gravy a restaurant-quality richness that will have everyone asking for your secret.

Try These Recipes Next

If you loved the cozy, comforting vibes of this rich and savory beef stew, you’re going to love these other recipes from my kitchen. They are perfect for feeding your family and making your home feel warm and inviting.

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