This hearty, soul-warming Irish Beef Stew is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any cold night. This traditional Irish recipe is packed with flavor and will warm your heart and spirit. It’s perfect for enjoying with a pint (or two) of Guinness.
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This tried-and-true dish is a common fixture on Irish dinner tables. It’s simple to prepare, filling, and tastes fantastic. In addition, it is a great way to warm yourself on a chilly night or celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Invite some friends over, blast some Celtic tunes, and prepare to whip up some delicious food.
What Cut of Beef Should You Use to Amp Up Your Stew?
Let’s begin with the beef, the dish’s main attraction. Choose a sturdy piece of beef that can withstand the extended cooking period and impart a deep, meaty flavor to your stew. Learn how to pick the best meat for your Irish beef stew by following these guidelines.
- Stews that take a while to cook in the oven benefit greatly from lean cuts of meat like chuck or round.
- If you want taste and tenderness, go for a marbled cut of beef.
- Before adding it to the stew, cut the steak into smaller pieces. Doing so will guarantee uniform cooking and flavorful mouthful after delicious bite.
Pot of Gold — All the Ingredients You Need
Now that the meat has been taken care of, you can turn your attention to the other components of your hearty Irish beef stew. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Potatoes: Choose a waxy variety of potato, like Yukon Gold or Red Bliss, which will hold up well in the stew without getting mushy.
- Carrots: Use fresh, whole carrots and slice them into rounds.
- Onions: Yellow onions are a good choice for this recipe, but you can also use white or red onions if that’s what you have on hand.
- Garlic: You can never have too much garlic. Trust us on this one.
- Beef broth: Choose a good-quality beef broth, or make your own if you have the time.
- Tomato paste: This will give your stew rich, deep flavor.
- Guinness: This is optional, but highly recommended. The dark, malty beer will add a wonderful depth of flavor to your stew.
How to Make Magic in the Pot
Now that you’ve got all your ingredients, it’s time to get cooking! Here’s how to make your Irish beef stew:
- Heat some oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- When the pan is hot, add the meat and brown it on both sides. Take the meat out of the stew and put it to one side.
- Add the onions to the pot and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the beef broth and Guinness, and stir to combine.
- Add the beef back to the pot, along with the potatoes and carrots.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for at least 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
Your Irish beef stew is now ready to serve! Here are some suggestions for how to enjoy it:
- Serve with crusty bread or soda bread for dipping into the stew.
- Top with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche for a creamy finish.
- Pair with a pint of Guinness or a glass of Irish whiskey.
- It’s not Irish, but somehow Sticky Toffee Pudding seems like a fitting dessert.
If you love meaty main dishes, try Brisket with Dried Fruit and Spices, Salpicon, Instant Pot Ham, and Air Fryer Carnitas.
Irish Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 ½ pounds beef stew meat cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup  all-purpose flour
- 1  small onion  chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
- 19 ounces Irish beer such as Guinness
- 1 ¾ cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1  tablespoon  Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound  small russet potatoes  chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 4  large carrots  peeled and cut into 1- to 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1  tablespoon  Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Place your Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and toss it in the flour to fully coat the pieces.
- Once the oil is hot, add the beef to the Dutch oven in a single layer (do this in a few batches to avoid crowding the pan and make sure each piece of meat is properly browned.) Turn the pieces every 5 minutes or so to sear all the sides.
- Once the meat is almost fully cooked, remove it and set aside. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots to the pan and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and return the meat to the Dutch oven.
- Pour a little bit of the beer into the Dutch oven and scrape the bottom to clear it of any stuck-on food.
- Add the remaining beer, the broth, and Worcestershire sauce and stir.
- Add the tomato paste, seasoning, and the bay leaf. Stir until the paste has incorporated.
- Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve hot.
