Guinness Beef Stew with Green Dumplings

Guinness Beef Stew with Green Dumplings

Makes 6 – 8 servings 

For the Guinness Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil 

6 ounces bacon, chopped 

2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided 

2 onions, chopped 

3 carrots, 2 celery stalks

4 tablespoons tomato paste 

3 garlic cloves, minced 

1 ½ tablespoons minced rosemary leaves 

440 ml / 14.9 oz Guinness Draught 

3 ½ cups beef stock 

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

2 bay leaves 

3 sprigs of thyme 

Sea salt and cracked black pepper 

For the Green Dumplings

1 tablespoon butter 

2 cups baby spinach leaves 

¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream, plus more if necessary 

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1 garlic clove, minced

Zest of 1 lemon, grated on a microplane

Sea salt 

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat, and add your oil. When the oil is shimmering, add your chopped bacon and cook until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the dutch oven. 

Season the cubed beef all over with sea salt and cracked black pepper, and toss in 1 tablespoon of flour. Working in batches as necessary, brown the beef on all sides, about 8 -10 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Go in with your onions, season with a pinch of salt, and cook until softened and translucent, 6 – 8 minutes. Add your carrots, celery, remaining flour, and cook for 1 minute. Add your tomato paste, garlic, and rosemary, and cook 1 minute longer. Next, go in with your Guinness Draught, beef stock, Worcestershire, bay leaves, thyme, and crisp bacon. Season with a generous hit of salt and pepper, then place your beef back into the stew. Bring to a simmer, then let gently bubble and blip away, stirring every so often, until the beef is fork tender and the stew has thickened, about 2 ½ – 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. 

When your stew is almost finished, prepare your dumplings. 

Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt your butter. Go in with your spinach and allow to wilt and cook down. Transfer the spinach to a high sided bowl and add your cream, then pulse with a hand blender until smooth. In a large bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, garlic, lemon zest, spinach, and season with salt, then mix until smooth (add more heavy cream if necessary until a wet dough forms). 

Dollop the mixture on top of your stew, then cover and cook until risen and cooked through, about 8 – 10 minutes. 

Serve your beautiful Guinness Beef Stew with Green Dumplings, and a pint or 2 of the good stuff. Slàinte, everybody!