Beer is perhaps one of the most underrated cooking ingredients. And this fact only doubles for a complex stout like Guinness, which features roasted sweet notes, a slight bitterness and a silky body. These flavors shine when paired with savory foods like beef, lamb and cheese, as well as sweet fare like chocolate. Unsurprisingly, these elements can be perfectly harnessed into a versatile array of dishes to take them to a whole new level. Here, five Guinness recipes that feature the rich, versatile beer, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
During the past decade, it’s fair to say that Ireland has gone through a sort of culinary renaissance; new farm-to-table dishes are as popular and delicious as ever. Mashed Parsnips with Guinness Gravy is a perfect representation of something you would find in Dublin — a distinctively Irish dish with a fresh, new take. The sweet, earthy parsnips play perfectly with the roasted, slightly bitter notes of the stout. Pair with salmon or pork for maximum enjoyment.
Mashed Parsnips with Guinness Gravy
Total Time: 35 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. parsnips
- 1 cup Guinness
- 3 Tbsp. brown mustard
- 3 Tbsp. honey
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. salt, divided
Directions
Place a large pot filled with heavily salted water over high heat. As water comes to temperature, clean, peel and cube parsnips into 1-inch pieces. Once the water boils, add parsnips and boil for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain parsnips and place into a large bowl.
As parsnips cook, pour the Guinness into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in honey, mustard and ¼ tsp. salt.
Once parsnips are cooked and gravy is prepared, add the butter, Parmesan cheese and remaining salt to the bowl. Whip using a hand mixer or whisk for 2-3 minutes or until just slightly chunky. Serve immediately, topped with the Guinness gravy.
Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect comfort food, with its starchy goodness on top of warm, meaty stew. This is an ultra-savory dish, so working in some Guinness adds a wonderful counterpoint to the umami notes. Additionally, the slight bitterness really highlights the gamey quality of the lamb, making this recipe a perfect yin and yang of flavors.
Shepherd's Pie
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb (or beef)
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 3 cups low sodium beef stock
- 1 cup Guinness
- 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 4 cups cooked mashed potatoes
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Directions
Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the butter, onion, pepper and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Finally, add the lamb and brown, 7-8 minutes.
Once the lamb is browned, add tomato paste and cook for another minute. Whisk the cornstarch into the stock, then add the Worcestershire sauce, peas, carrots, chopped rosemary, beef stock and Guinness to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Turn the broiler to high. Remove stew from heat and pour into an oven-safe vessel (a 12” cast iron skillet or baking dish work wonderfully here). Top stew with mashed potatoes and cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until slightly brown. Serve immediately.
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This recipe is a hybrid — part classic Irish fare, part Mississippi pot roast. Traditional Irish stout stews use tomatoes, but this version bucks tradition. The highlight here is the ranch powder because the buttermilk and herbs highlight the complex roasted notes of the Guinness, which shine against the fatty, meaty chuck roast. Unusual to be sure, but this is a winner. Serve with mashed potatoes or fried cabbage.
Irish Beef Stew
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. beef chuck roast, cubed
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 envelope ranch powder
- 2/3 cup Guinness
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 lb. frozen mixed vegetables
Directions
Place a large pan over high heat. Coat the cubed beef in the oil and salt, and brown in 2-3 batches. Once beef is browned, transfer into a slow cooker set on high. Deglaze the pan with a 1/3 cup of beef stock and pour the contents into the slow cooker.
Add in the ranch powder, Guinness, onion, remaining stock and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-6 hours.
About 30 minutes before serving, add the frozen vegetables and cornstarch (loosen the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water to avoid lumps). Enjoy when the vegetables are warmed through and the stew has thickened.
Welsh rarebit is comfort food at its finest. An 18th century English dish named to insult the Welsh (according to the English, only a Welshman would eat cheese and think it was rabbit, apparently), this dish leaves the rabbits safe, instead combining cheese and beer into the most delicious sauce on the planet. Serve the traditional way on toast, but it would also make an excellent cheesy topping for nachos.
Welsh Rarebit
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup Guinness
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
Place a medium saucepan over low heat. Add in the butter, flour, cayenne and black pepper, and stir to combine. Cook while stirring for 3-4 minutes.
Once flour is cooked out, add in the Dijon, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir to incorporate. Slowly pour in the Guinness and milk, and whisk until combined. Stir in the cheese, one small handful at a time, until completely melted (if you rush this step, the sauce will break). Once cheese is melted, serve immediately on toast, fries or anything else you want to taste amazing.
A combination of beer and brownies doesn’t really need much of an introduction. Guinness and chocolate play perfectly together, with the sweet and roasted notes of each complementing each other. Unless you really love sifting, use the boxed mix and spend your extra time drinking a nice cold beverage. Pro tip: the Guinness glaze makes a wonderful spike to your morning coffee, if you’re up for such a thing.
Guinness Chocolate Brownies
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix
- 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp. Guinness, divided
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, 1/3 cup Guinness, melted butter and eggs. Pour into a greased 9×9 pan and bake per box directions.
Once brownies are cooked and cooled, make the glaze. Mix together the powdered sugar and remaining 2 Tbsp. of Guinness. Liberally pour the glaze onto the brownies and serve.
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