Slow-Cooked Guinness Beef Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1.25-inch cubes
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or beef tallow, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bottle or can (11.2 to 14.9 ounces) Guinness Draught or Extra Stout
• 2 cups low-sodium beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sheet (approx. 14 ounces) all-butter puff pastry, thawed and chilled
• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)

• 1.1kg beef chuck or braising steak, cut into 3cm cubes
• 9g kosher salt
• 2g cracked black pepper
• 30g plain flour
• 45ml vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large brown onion, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced 1cm thick
• 2 parsnips, sliced 1cm thick
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 30g tomato paste
• 330ml to 440ml Guinness Draught stout
• 480ml beef stock
• 15ml Worcestershire sauce
• 15g soft brown sugar
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 400g all-butter puff pastry sheet, chilled
• 1 egg beaten with 15ml water for glazing

Instructions

1. Sear Beef Chunks

   Pat beef cubes dry and season with salt, pepper, and flour. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef in two batches for 3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a bowl.

   Visual Cue Deep brown crust on all sides; savory fond in pot.

2. Sauté Vegetables & Tomato Paste

   Add remaining oil, diced onion, carrots, and parsnips. Cook for 5 minutes until onion softens. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute until paste turns dark brick red.

   Texture Cue Vegetables coated in fragrant caramelized paste.

3. Deglaze with Guinness

   Pour in the Guinness stout, scraping up the browned bits from the pot bottom. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes to burn off raw alcohol.

   Visual Cue Dark foam subsides into a rich, dark stout broth.

4. Slow Braise Stew

   Return beef and juices to the pot. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, and simmer on lowest heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until beef is tender. Discard thyme stems. Let stew cool for 15 minutes.

   Texture Cue Beef yields to gentle pressure; gravy is glossy and thick.

5. Assemble with Puff Pastry

   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C / 180°C fan). Transfer warm beef filling into a 2-quart baking dish or 4 to 6 individual oven-safe pie crocks. Roll puff pastry 1 inch wider than the dish. Lay pastry over the filling, press edges against the rim, trim excess, crimp lightly, and cut 3 steam vents in center.

   Visual Cue Smooth pastry lid sealed around rim with open vents.

6. Glaze and Bake

   Brush pastry top evenly with egg wash. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed tall, crisp, and deep amber-gold, and the filling bubbles through vents.

   Visual Cue Pastry rises tall with layered golden flakes.

7. Rest and Serve

   Let rest for 10 minutes before breaking through the crisp pastry lid to serve.

   Texture Cue Crisp flaky pastry over rich, tender stout beef.