Irish Beef Stew
Nothing beats a cozy Irish beef stew when you want comfort food that hugs your soul! This hearty one-pot wonder is perfect for busy families who crave rich, satisfying meals without all the fuss. You’ll love how the tender beef and veggies create the most amazing flavors that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
Recipe Details
Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 35 minutes, Additional Time: 1 hour 25 minutes, Total Time: 2 hours, Serves: 6 people.
Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Aging, Healthy Immunity, Soy-Free, Egg-Free.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 405 Calories, 12g Fat, 32g Carbs, 37g Protein.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chuck roast: You’ll need 2¼ pounds of boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces. This cut gets super tender and gives you that melt-in-your-mouth texture we all love!
Salt and pepper: ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper to season that beautiful beef. Don’t skip this step – it makes such a difference!
Neutral oil: 2 tablespoons divided – canola or avocado oil work perfectly. You’ll use this to get that gorgeous golden brown on your beef.
Yellow onion: 1 small onion chopped up adds that sweet, savory base flavor. Any onion you have on hand will work great!
Carrots: 3 medium carrots sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces. I love how they add natural sweetness and beautiful color to the stew.
Celery: 3 stalks cut into 1-inch pieces give you that perfect crunch and fresh flavor. Plus, it makes your kitchen smell amazing!
Tomato paste: Just 1 tablespoon adds incredible depth and richness to your broth. It’s like a secret flavor booster!
Stout beer: 1 bottle (12 fluid ounces) of stout beer like Guinness keeps it authentic and adds that signature Irish flavor. So good!
Fresh thyme: 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme brings that earthy, aromatic touch that makes everything taste gourmet.
Beef broth: 4 cups of low-sodium beef broth creates that rich, savory base. Low-sodium lets you control the salt perfectly.
Baby potatoes: 1½ pounds of baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved. These little beauties hold their shape and get so creamy!
Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water creates the perfect thickening slurry. This makes your stew nice and hearty!
Fresh parsley: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish. It adds that bright, fresh finish that ties everything together!
How to Make Irish Beef Stew
Step 1: Sprinkle your beef pieces all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook, turning to brown on 2 or 3 sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the gorgeous browned beef to a bowl and repeat with remaining beef and oil.
Step 2: Add onion, carrots, and celery to those amazing drippings in the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add beer and thyme, then cook while scraping the bottom to release those flavorful browned bits, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add broth and the beef with any accumulated juices back to the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until the beef is mostly tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes, cover, and cook until beef and potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 4: Whisk cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Increase heat to high and add the cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Garnish with extra parsley if you want!
Easy and Quick Irish Beef Stew Version
Want to speed things up? You can use pre-cut stew meat from the store to save 10 minutes of prep time! Also, try using a pressure cooker – cook everything for just 35 minutes on high pressure with natural release. You’ll get the same amazing flavors in half the time!
Serving Ideas
This hearty stew is practically a complete meal in a bowl! Serve it with some crusty Irish soda bread or warm dinner rolls to soak up every last drop of that incredible broth. A simple green salad on the side makes it feel extra special and adds a nice fresh crunch.
Storage
Store leftover stew in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. To reheat, warm it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months – just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating!
Substitutions
No stout beer? You can swap it for red wine or just use extra beef broth! Don’t have fresh thyme? Dried thyme works great – just use 1 teaspoon instead. You can also use regular potatoes cut into chunks if baby potatoes aren’t available. Sweet potatoes would be delicious too!
Pro Tips
- Brown the beef in batches: Don’t overcrowd your pot or the beef will steam instead of getting that beautiful golden crust!
- Scrape those browned bits: Those little pieces stuck to the bottom are pure flavor gold – make sure to scrape them up!
- Cut vegetables evenly: Same-sized pieces cook at the same rate, so everything finishes perfectly together.
- Taste and adjust: Add a pinch more salt or pepper at the end to make the flavors really pop!
FAQs
Can I make this stew ahead of time?
You bet! This stew actually tastes even better the next day as all the flavors have time to meld together. Just reheat gently on the stovetop and you’re all set!
What if I don’t drink alcohol – can I skip the beer?
Sure! Just replace the beer with an equal amount of beef broth or red wine vinegar mixed with broth. You’ll still get amazing flavor!
Can I use a slow cooker for this recipe?
Absolutely! Brown the beef and sauté the vegetables first, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add the cornstarch mixture in the last 30 minutes!
How do I know when the beef is tender enough?
The beef should easily shred with a fork when it’s ready. If it’s still a bit tough, just keep cooking – chuck roast gets more tender the longer it cooks!
I’d love to hear how your Irish beef stew turns out! Drop a comment and let me know if you tried any fun variations. There’s nothing better than sharing good food stories with fellow cooking friends!
