Irish Stew

This Irish Stew is rich, delicious, and full of flavor. Guinness beer adds to that richness, and chunky vegetables make this into a hearty meal.

Why this recipe works

Irish stew, also known as Guinness stew, is robust in flavor thanks to the addition of Guinness beer, seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce.

Today, we used beef stew meat, but Irish stew is commonly made with lamb or mutton, so feel free to substitute with the meat of your choice. Either way, you’ll have a hearty pot of beef stew waiting to be devoured on a chilly fall or winter day.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

How to Make Irish Stew

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Combine salt, pepper, and flour. Spread flour in a dish or on a piece of parchment paper and toss stew meat in the flour mixture to coat it on all sides.
2. Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Brown stew meat on all sides (about 5 minutes). Brown the meat in batches so that the pieces are not overcrowded in the pot.
3. Remove meat from the pot and set aside.
4. Add additional oil if needed. Add onion and garlic to the pot and saute for 3-5 minutes, or just until onions begin to soften and caramelize around the edges. Do not burn the garlic.
5. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot over the onion and garlic. Add the meat back into the pot over the other ingredients.
6. Pour beer and beef broth over the meat. Add Worchestire sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, and 2 sprigs of thyme. Stir.
7. Bring stew to a boil. Reduce heat and cover with a lid. Cook for about 2 hours over low heat. Stir occasionally to keep the stew from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
8. After 2 hours, remove the lid and continue simmering until the liquid has reduced down to your desired consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can freeze this Irish Stew by allowing it to cool completely, then portioning into freezer safe containers. This stew can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

This Irish stew is often referred to as Guinness Stew because of the addition of Guinness beer. If you really want to substitute the beer, you can use strong coffee, dry red wine, or “no salt added” beef broth.

Crusty bread is always a good choice as a side to this Irish beef stew. A side salad would be great as well. You may want to try our amazing Italian bread, these homemade biscuits, or our herb buttermilk biscuits.

Serving Suggestions

This beef stew is cooked slow and low to achieve a tender, melt in your mouth meat. Pair it with crusty bread and a fresh side salad for a meal your family will love!

We hope you enjoy!

More Beef Recipes

• Beef Stroganoff
• Hamburger Stew
• Corned Beef and Cabbage
• Instant Pot Corned Beef
• Crockpot Corned Beef
• Beef Bourguignon

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This post was originally published here on February 15, 2021.