Name: Sourdough Beef and Guinness Stew with Sourdough Herb Dumplings
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 390 min
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Beef Chuck Steak ((Casserole Steak or slow cooking beef)); 1 Onion ((approx. 200g - finely chopped)); 200 g Bacon ((diced)); 4 Cloves of Garlic; 200 g Carrots ((roughly chopped - around 3 carrots)); 150 g Celery Stalks ((roughly chopped - around 2 stalks)); 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Pepper; 50 g Tomato Paste; 70 g Sourdough Starter; 400 g Guinness Beer ((at room temperature)); 400 g Potato ((cubed - around 2 medium potatoes) - optional, see notes); 200 g Beef Stock; 4 Bay Leaves ((I used dry leaves)); 4 Thyme Sprigs ((fresh thyme)); 75 g Butter (cold and chopped into small cubes); 225 g All Purpose Flour; 10 g Baking Powder ((1 teaspoon)); 10 g Salt ((1 teaspoon)); 2 tbsp Fresh thyme (or other fresh herbs of choice); 225 g Sourdough Starter (or sourdough discard); 1 Egg; 1 Egg Yolk

This delicious Irish inspired stew is made using hearty beef and Guinness beer and thickened using sourdough starter. It's topped with sourdough herb dumplings for a filling family meal everyone will love!

While this is a lovely sourdough dinner recipe to make for St Patrick's Day celebrations, you might also enjoy it as a regular weeknight meal at your family table due to it's simplicity and ability to made ahead for a busy week.

If you're looking for some other Irish inspired sourdough recipes for St Patrick's Day, why not try this Irish Sourdough Soda Bread served with homemade cultured butter or serving this Irish stew in a sourdough bread bowl. This sourdough bread made with Guinness beer is also a winner!

A blue bowl filled with sourdough Irish stew and topped with sourdough herb dumplings. You can see a large pot of sourdough irish stew and dumplings in the background of the photo.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Uses Lots of Sourdough Starter - this unique Beef and Guinness Stew recipe uses sourdough starter to thicken the stew instead of flour alone. You'll use 70g of sourdough starter in the stew and then a further 225g of sourdough starter in the herby sourdough dumplings. You might also like these recipes that use a lot of sourdough discard.

Something Different Than Bread - this Irish Stew uses your sourdough starter for something other than just making bread! Sourdough Irish stew can be a delicious winter sourdough recipe to warm hungry tummies.

One Pot Meal Sourdough Meal - create less washing up by cooking this delicious sourdough dinner idea in a single pot.

A large white enamel pot filled with sourdough Irish stew and topped with sourdough herbed dumplings.

History of Irish Stew

Irish stew, a quintessential dish of Ireland, boasts a rich history rooted in the country's agrarian heritage. Traditionally crafted from simple and hearty ingredients like lamb or mutton, potatoes, onions, and a medley of root vegetables, Irish stew emerged as a nourishing and sustaining meal for rural communities.

Its origins date back centuries, with the dish evolving alongside the agricultural practices and culinary traditions of the Irish people. Despite its humble beginnings, Irish stew has endured into modern times for several reasons. Its rustic simplicity resonates with the enduring charm of traditional Irish cuisine, embodying a connection to the land and the sustenance it provides.

I've chosen to make this Irish stew with beef because it is cheaper than lamb and mutton where I live. You could of course use lamb or mutton if you prefer.

What is Guinness?

Guinness Beer, renowned worldwide for its distinct dark and velvety character, originates from the historic St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Established by Arthur Guinness in 1759, the brewery has since become an iconic symbol of Irish brewing craftsmanship.

Guinness is crafted using a unique combination of malted and roasted barley, imparting its signature deep color and rich flavor profile. Beyond its popularity as a beloved beverage, Guinness brings a unique culinary dimension to cooking. I've chosen to highlight the malted barley by adding an extra amount of dark malt flour.

The beer's robust, malty notes and subtle hints of coffee and chocolate can enhance the depth and complexity of various dishes. From classic stews and hearty meat pies to chocolate-infused desserts, Guinness adds a nuanced richness and depth of flavor, creating a distinctive and memorable culinary experience that reflects the essence of Irish cooking traditions.

You might also like to use some Guinness in this sourdough Guinness bread.

How To Make Sourdough Beef and Guinness Stew with Sourdough Herb Dumplings

Before starting the stew, decide whether you want to have the sourdough dumplings fermented in the fridge for a little bit, or whether you are just doing to make them when you need them.

If you want to ferment them, you'll need to prepare the dumplings before you start the stew. If you are just going to pop them in, you can wait until the stew is thickening before you make the dumplings.

How to Make Beef & Guinness Stew with Sourdough Starter

Flay lay of ingredients necessary to make sourdough Irish stew.

Start by adding a little olive oil to a heavy based pan over high heat. While the pan is heating, cube your beef into small chunks and then brown it off in the olive oil. Once the beef has browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Now add the bacon to the pan and cook it for around 5 minutes before adding the onion and allowing it to get a little brown.

Now add the garlic, carrots and celery to the pot and cook for a few minutes. Allow the vegetables to deglaze all the flavor off the bottom of the pan. They will sweat a little and the excess water will dissolve all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

In a jug (not in the pan) stir the Guinness, stock and the sourdough starter together so that the sourdough starter isn't lumpy. Popping it into a batter jug to mix makes it easier to pour in later. Set aside.

Return the beef to the pot, along with the tomato paste, salt and pepper and stir through.

Pour the Guinness mixture over the beef and vegetables.

Guinness beer being poured into sourdough Irish stew.

Add the potatoes, bay leaves and thyme and cover the pan with a lid. Allow the beef and Guinness stew to simmer for around 2 hours on a low heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom doesn't catch.

After 2 hours, check the beef for tenderness, if it's not tender, stir and allow the stew to cook down for another hour.

Once you're happy with the beef, remove the lid and increase the heat slightly. Allow the stew to simmer uncovered for around 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken a little.

How to Make Sourdough Herb Dumplings

These sourdough herb dumplings are based on my basic sourdough dumpling recipe. You can head on over to that post for some more tips and tricks to making sure that your sourdough dumplings are light and fluffy.

Flat lay of ingredients used to make sourdough herb dumplings for sourdough Irish stew.

Make sure your butter is really cold and cut into small cubes or grated. You can pop it in the freezer to cool it faster if you need to.

Add flour and butter to a mixing bowl and rub the flour into the butter using your fingertips. The mixture should be crumbly, but still feel cold.

Add the baking powder, salt and herbs to the flour mixture and gently stir through with a spatula or spoon.

Now whisk the egg and sourdough starter together and then pour into the centre of the dry ingredients.

Gently bring the wet and dry ingredients together to form a dry dough (don't overwork it or your dumplings will be tough).

Using your fingers, form 12 small balls of dough (they don't have to be perfect and they might seem crumbly, that's perfectly ok). If you're going to ferment the dumplings in the fridge, pop them into a bowl and cover with plastic and leave them in the fridge for a few hours.

When you're ready to cook the dumplings, make sure your stew is gently simmering (not boiling). Carefully drop the dumplings into the top of the stew.

Pop the lid on the stew and leave to gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve your stew and dumplings!

How To Store + Freeze

This sourdough Irish stew can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. I generally only add the sourdough herb dumplings when I'm ready to serve them, although the dumplings can be frozen and stored ahead of time too.

The sourdough Irish stew can be frozen for up to 3 months without losing any flavor or texture. I freeze it without the dumplings. The dumplings can be made and frozen separately. When you are ready to eat it, heat the stew and add the dumplings (they can be cooked from frozen as explained here).