* 2 ¼ Lb beef , cut into cubes
* ½ oz butter
* 3 carrots , peeled and diced
* 1 onion , chopped
* 4 celery stalks , chopped
* 2 tomatoes , peeled and chopped
* 10 1⁄8 fl oz Guinness beer
* 15 fl oz chicken stock , or beef stock
* a few sprigs of thyme
* 2 bay leaves
* 6 allspice berries
* 3 Tbsp flour
* 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
* 2 Tbsp parsley , chopped
* salt and pepper
* 2 trays
* 1 saucepan
* 1 slotted spoon
* tongs
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 spoon


Step 2:
Preheat the oven
Set the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/ gas mark 4).

Step 3:
Prepare the meat
Place some of the meat onto a tray and generously season with salt and pepper. Dust it with some flour and mix it a little with your hands. Repeat with the rest of the meat.

Step 4:
Brown the meat
Place a saucepan on high heat, add the oil and butter and allow them to melt. When melted, add some of the beef cubes. Cook them in batches. You don’t want to over crowd the pan, or they won’t cook evenly. Let them brown for a couple of minutes, each side, remove and place them onto a tray. Repeat with other batches until all the beef is browned.

Step 5:
Begin the stew
Add a little more oil into the pan followed by the onions. Next add the carrots and the celery. Stirring occasionally, let them cook for a few minutes until slightly softened. Return the meat to the pot along with all its juice. Add the Guinness beer and the stock. Bring it to a simmer. Skim the surface to get rid of any impurities or excess fat that will accumulate on top.

Step 6:
Complete and stew
Once it begins to simmer, add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves and the allspice. Give it a stir and cover it with a lid. It is now ready to place into the centre of the preheated oven. Leave to stew for two and half to three hours. Half way through, the cooking process, remove the lid. And allow it to cook, uncovered to reduce the liquid.

Step 7:
Remove and serve
After the cooking time, remove the finish from the oven. Garnish it with the chopped parsley. It is ready for the table. It goes well with Champ, an Irish mashed potatoes dish