Name: Guinness Beef Stew Pot Pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 6-8 Servings
Ingredients: For the Stew; 2½ pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes; ⅓ cup flour; 1 teaspoon salt, divided; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice; 1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness beer; 2 celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch dice; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste; 3½ cups beef broth; 1½ teaspoons dried thyme; 1 teaspoon dried rosemary; 2 cups washed, unpeeled red potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice; 2½ cups peeled carrots, cut into ¼-inch dice; 1 cup frozen peas, thawed; 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water; 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed; 1 tablespoon heavy cream or half and half; 1 large egg

Instructions

For the Stew

Combine the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a large zip lock bag. Place the cubed beef in the bag and shake to cover the meat with flour. Remove the coated meat and set aside while preparing the Dutch oven in step 2. Discard the remaining flour.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half the meat and sear on all sides. After searing, remove the meat from the Dutch oven and place it into a clean bowl. Add the remaining oil and brown the remaining meat, placing it in the bowl with the other seared beef.
Without lowering the heat, add the onion, celery, garlic, and brown sugar to the Dutch oven. Cook until the onions become translucent, about 4 minutes. Pour the beer into the pot. Add the beef, tomato paste, beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot and reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Add the carrots and cook for 15 more minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are both tender. Stir in the thawed green peas.
Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. On medium heat, drizzle the stew with enough of the cornstarch mixture to thicken it up. You may not need it all, and you can always put more in later. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes. At this point, your stew is ready to serve—but if you opted for the puff pastry, continue below.

For the Optional Topping

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the finished stew in a clean, round baking dish or Dutch oven. If you’re using a baking dish, it should be nearly full, with about ½-inch of clearance. The stew should be warm but not hot. If it’s too hot, the pastry will soften too much to bake properly.
Cut out a piece of puff pastry the size of the baking dish. Place it on top of the stew. Combine the egg and cream in a small bowl. Brush the pastry with the egg wash mixture. If desired, cut out a shamrock from the pastry scraps and layer it on top. Remember to brush any decorations with egg wash as well, so they get nice and brown. Place the baking dish on top of a sheet pan to catch any stew that might bubble over.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve immediately.