One Pot Guinness Beef & Mushroom Casserole
By Clodagh Kavanagh
A rich, comforting one-pot Guinness beef stew with meltingly tender beef, sweet whole shallots, carrots, mushrooms, and a deeply savoury stout gravy. It is ideal for making ahead and serving with creamy mashed potatoes.
Serves: 6 people
Time to Prep: 30 minutes
Time to Cook: 2 hours 30 minutes.
Special Kitchen Equipment Required
A large, lidded Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole dish.
Ingredients:
3½ tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon neutral oil, for browning
5 ounces / 150g bacon lardons or pancetta
10½ ounces / 300g whole shallots, peeled
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2¼ pounds / 1kg stewing beef, cut into cubes
14 ounceor 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Creamy mashed potatoes, to serves / 400g cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
4¼ cups / 1.2 litres Guinness or another stout
1 bouquet garni,
Technique Tip
Brown the bacon, vegetables, beef, and mushrooms in batches rather than crowding the pan. Crowding makes ingredients steam rather than caramelize, so you lose the flavourful browned edges that give the stew its depth. Keep the casserole covered and cook at a gentle 325°F until the beef gives easily when pressed with a fork; if it is still chewy after two hours, continue cooking in 20–30 minute increments.
One Pot Guinness Beef & Mushroom Casserole
Swap Option
Use chuck roast, brisket, or boneless short rib instead of stewing beef, cut into 1½-inch cubes. Cremini mushrooms—often called baby bella mushrooms in the US—are the closest equivalent to chestnut mushrooms. Pearl onions are a good substitute for whole shallots. For an alcohol-free variation, use 4 1⁄4 cups rich beef stock plus 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce in place of the Guinness; the result will be less malty but still deeply savoury.
Why I Love This Recipe
This is pure Irish soul food. My mum used to make us this comforting casserole when we were growing up, and it has now become a much-loved part of my own home. It is a wonderfully effortless one-pot dish that you can make ahead, making it ideal for relaxed entertaining or busy family suppers. The slow cooking makes the beef beautifully tender, while Guinness gives the gravy a deep, malty flavour and the whole shallots, carrots, and mushrooms make it feel generous and nourishing. It is the kind of warming meal that is best shared around the table with creamy mashed potatoes.
Recipe Steps:
Preheat the oven to 325°F / 60°C.
Place a large lidded Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the butter and oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the bacon and cook until it begins to colour.
Add the whole shallots and carrot pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, then transfer the bacon and vegetables to a large plate.
Season the beef generously with sea salt and black pepper. Add it to the Dutch oven in batches, browning well on every side. Transfer the browned beef to the plate with the bacon and vegetables.
Add the mushrooms to the pot, season lightly, and cook for about 2 minutes. Transfer them to the plate.
Pour the Guinness into the Dutch oven. Whisk or scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the caramelized browned bits.
Return the bacon, shallots, carrots, beef, and mushrooms to the pot. Add the bouquet garni or thyme, stir well, and cover with the lid.
Transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours, or until the beef is meltingly tender.
Remove the thyme sprigs or bouquet garni, taste the stew, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot with creamy mashed potatoes.