Guinness Gravy

Here’s my simple recipe for a rich and flavorful Guinness Gravy. Made from scratch with caramelized onions, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and, of course, a generous splash of Guinness beer. This gravy adds depth and warmth to any meal and is surprisingly easy to prepare.

This Guinness-onion gravy is usually what you’ll find in pubs and restaurants across the British Isles and Ireland. In England, you typically see it served with dishes like Bangers and Mash (sausage and mash, popular in both England and Ireland) and Shepherd’s Pie. However, adding stout beer gives it a distinctly Irish twist.

A homemade brown gravy, typically made with the meat drippings from a Beef Roast. Even if you’re not roasting any meat, you can still make this delicious gravy for many applications.”

My Tips for Making the Best Guinness Gravy

One of the first things I learned in culinary school is how to make a roux. A roux is one of the essential building blocks for thickening sauces, stews, gravies, and soups. A roux is a simple mixture of fat and flour cooked together, used to thicken sauces and soups while adding rich flavor.

Cook one part fat and one part starch (usually flour) together to make it. This crucial step coats the flour’s starchy molecules completely in fat, reducing the chance of lumps forming when you add the liquid.

Additionally, this process adds flavor to the gravy, as opposed to just adding a slurry of water and cornstarch to thicken.

Roux Colors

Roux comes in three types: white, blond, and brown, based on how long you cook it. The longer you cook the roux, the darker it gets and the deeper its flavor becomes. However, longer cooking reduces its thickening power. That’s why I prefer to use a blond roux. Always cook roux over medium-low heat.

To achieve the best results for a rich gravy without bouillon or granules, sauté aromatics like onions in the fat before making the roux—a technique called a ‘singer.’

Worcestershire sauce and good old tomato ketchup are my go-to ingredients for adding intense flavor to brown gravy. Yellow mustard is also a delicious addition, as I do in my Onion Gravy.

Unsalted Butter is Best for Sauce and Gravy

Most broths and stocks are salty, so it’s always best to cook with unsalted butter to control the salt level at the end. You can always add salt, but you can’t take it away.

When you melt butter for the start of the gravy, it’s the perfect time to add the onions to soften and add flavor. Then, add the flour and mix to cook out the raw flavor. Stir well to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan until mixed into the butter, then slowly add beef stock or broth until it thickens. This method also works well with Roast Chicken Gravy.

Guinness Types

There are three types of Guinness: Draught, Stout, and Blonde. Draught is slightly stronger than Stout. You can use either in this recipe. Guinness Blonde is a lager and will not impart the same flavor.

Guinness stout adds a delicious depth of flavor to gravy, which is why I use it in my Irish Beef and Guinness Stew, Luck of the Irish Chili Con Carne, and Steak and Kidney Pudding.

Because Guinness has a slightly bitter taste, cooking can intensify it. To balance this, I taste the gravy near the end and add a tiny pinch of sugar to balance.

Guinness Onion Gravy Serving Suggestions

If you’re planning a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, this stout gravy is a great way to enhance any meat dishes. Roast beef or corned beef, Irish bangers, and Colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes) just to name a few.

In England, we like to serve chips (French fries) topped with a thick gravy, similar to the Canadian poutine but without the cheese curds.

If you’ve made my Guinness Gravy, please leave a star rating and a review, or you can also ask a question.