Crock Pot Irish Beef Stew Recipe

If you are looking for a delicious and easy to make recipe to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or if you want a true comfort meal that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours you are going to love this Crock Pot Irish Beef Stew Recipe.

This is a rich and hearty stew that is bursting with flavor. Every bite is full of tender, fall apart bits of beef that literally melt in your mouth and seasoned vegetables that are coated in a thick and tasty sauce.

It is one of those recipes that you wonder why you don’t make it more often. And like many soups and stew recipes it only gets better with time so you may enjoy the leftovers maybe even more.

Why You Will Love Crock Pot Irish Beef Stew

Convenience: There is nothing easier then making dinner in a crock pot. Prep the ingredients in the morning, add them to the slow cooker and set the timer.

Then the stew cooks all day without a worry. It is a great option for busy weeknights or when you don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen making dinner.

Tender Beef: The low and slow cooking method of the slow cooker turns traditionally tough cuts of beef into tender, flavorful meat. While the meat cooks connective tissue in tougher cuts of beef result in tender, flavorful meat that falls apart in your mouth.

Flavor: The addition of a few common spices and Guinness stout puts this recipe over the top of goodness. The end result is a rich and hearty stew that is bursting with flavor.

Versatile Recipe: This is a versatile dish that can be customized to suit your preferences or dietary restrictions. You can easily add vegetables such as mushrooms or bell peppers to make the dish even more hearty and nutritious.

However you can also adjust the ingredients to make the stew gluten-free or low-carb if you prefer.

The Difference Between Irish Beef Stew and Traditional Beef Stew

So what makes this recipe different than standard beef stew? While both dishes are similar in that they consist of tender pieces of beef simmered with vegetables and seasonings, there are a few key differences that set them apart.

1. Use of Guinness or other stout beer: Irish stew often includes a dark and rich beer such as Guinness stout which adds a complex flavor to the dish. Traditional Beef Stew does not include beer as one of the ingredients, although it may contain red wine for an added depth of flavor.

2. Potatoes: Traditional beef stew recipes may or may not include potatoes, depending on the recipe. However, you can be sure to find this pantry staple in Irish stew.

3. Spices: Thyme, parsley, and bay leaves are commonly used in Irish cooking and are often added to soups and stews. Although they may also be used in traditional beef stew recipes, additional spices may be added such as rosemary and paprika.

While both dishes are similar, the addition of beer, potatoes, and different seasonings gives Irish beef stew its own unique and complex flavor.

Lamb vs. Beef

Historically lamb was the meat of choice in Ireland due to its wide availability. However in current times both lamb and beef are commonly used to make stew, although this still depends on the region, availability and personal preference.

Lamb is often used in Irish stew in the spring, as it is widely available at that time. However, beef is also a popular choice for stew and is often used in colder months.

Therefore, when the question arrives at which type of meat to make for stew, the choice really is up to you. However, for this recipe I am using beef because that is what is commonly used in my area.

What Cut of Beef Makes The Best Stew

Crock Pot Irish beef stew uses tough cuts of beef that are suitable for slow cooking methods or when cooking Stew In A Pressure Cooker. These various cuts of meat have a lot of connective tissue and require a longer cooking time to become tender and flavorful.

Some common cuts of beef used to make this stew include:

1. Chuck Roast: This cut comes from the shoulder and neck area of the cow and has a good amount of connective tissue but also some fat marbling.

2. Brisket: This cut comes from the breast area of the cow and is known for its rich, beefy flavor.

3. Beef Shank: This cut comes from the leg of the cow and is often used in stews. The ratio of connective tissue and fat is idea for making stew meat.

4. Round Roast: This cut comes from the rear of the cow and is leaner than some other cuts. When cooked low and slow the meat becomes nice and tender, but lacks that strong beefy taste.

Although you can use any of the above cuts of meat to make Irish Beef Stew, the most commonly used is chuck roast or beef stew meat.

Beef Stew Meat

Beef stew meat that you find in the grocery store is not a specific cut of beef. Instead, it is the leftover sections of beef that remain after the steaks and roasts are removed.

Therefore it is a combination of types of meat that is typically cut into smaller size pieces. Because of the variations of cuts each piece will have its own unique marbling of fat.

This combination is ideal when making stew. The long, slow cooking process helps to break down the connective tissue in the meat, and the fat will break down and making it tender and flavorful.

Crock Pot Irish Beef Stew Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch – 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cups Guinness beer
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in making Crock Pot Irish Beef Stew is to season the beef cubes with salt and pepper to taste. Then add the beef cubes to a large bowl or a large resealable plastic bag and add the flour. Toss until the beef cubes are fully coated.

Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the beef cubes and brown on all sides, working in batches if needed. Remove beef from pan and transfer them to the slow cooker. Add the potatoes and carrots to the slow cooker.

Return the pan to the heat source and add the other tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot add the diced onions. Saute for 5 minutes or until the onions become tender.

Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir. Saute for 30 seconds or until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Stir in the beef broth and use a wooden spatula to scrape up any stuck bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, thyme and dried parsley. Whisk to combine.

Carefully pour the liquid mixture over the beef, potatoes and carrots. Add the bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

How To Make Irish Beef Stew Thicker

After cooking, if you want the broth to be thicker use a slurry made of flour and the hot broth from the slow cooker. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to a bowl.

Then pour in 1/4 cup of the hot broth and whisk until no clumps are visible. Pour the slurry in the slow cooker and stir.

Continue to cook for 30 minutes so that the broth can thicken to the desired consistency.

Serve warm garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Enjoy! Mary

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