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Bursting with flavor, tender beef, creamy potatoes, and a rich broth flavored with Guinness beer, this Irish Stew is the ultimate comfort food.
This stovetop recipe is similar to my traditional beef stew, but I replaced the red wine with stout beer. Small bits of bacon are also added for additional flavor and texture. I usually make my stew with peas but this simple version just features potatoes and carrots. It may take a long time to make, but you are sure to love one of Ireland’s most iconic pub foods.
Why I Love This Recipe
I always make this in March because I always have Guinness beer on hand this time of year.
- Incredible flavor – The slow cooking method of braising the meat on the stove combined with the rich flavors of the dark beer and root vegetables create the most hearty stew with deep flavor.
- Great leftovers – This Irish beef stew recipe freezes well and is super easy to reheat.
- Irish food – What better way to celebrate St. Patty’s Day! You can make a loaf of Guinness beer bread to serve on the side and complete the meal.
Complete this hearty meal with one of these fun desserts: Guinness Chocolate Cake or a Guinness Float topped with Guinness Chocolate Sauce.
Ingredients That Make Irish Beef Stew Different
A full list of ingredients with quantities is listed in the recipe card below. Here are a few of the ingredients that I include in this recipe that differ from my regular Old Fashioned Beef Stew or my Instant Pot Beef Stew.
- Beef Stew Meat – Although I use beef in this recipe as well as my other beef stew recipes, lamb can be used for a more traditional Irish stew.
- Rasher Bacon – I used thick-cut Rasher bacon. My butcher carries Irish bacon rashers which are cut from the meaty and lean loin and then smoked. This, as you can imagine, adds a salty and smoky flavor to the stew. You can also use pancetta.
- Stout Beer – Guinness is the most common choice, but for this recipe I found a local stout. I love braising meat with beer, and a dark stout adds a distinct rich flavor.
How to Make Irish Beef Stew
I’ve made homemade stew countless times using different methods including the stove top, slow cooker, and Instant Pot. Although this recipe can be easily adapted for any of these methods, I’ll detail how I make it on the stove top in a Dutch oven.
Sear the stew meat
You can buy stew meat from the grocery store or the butcher, or you can cut a chuck roast into small pieces.
Either way, one of the ways to create amazing flavor is to sear the meat first.
Step 1: Sear the meat
The most important factors in getting a good sear on stew meat is to make sure the oil is very hot before you add the meat, avoid over crowding, and allow it to cook undisturbed.
Step 2: Set the meat aside
You will likely have to cook the meat in batches. Once you get a nice sear on at least one side, set the meat aside while you make the stew.
Make the Stew
After you’ve seared the beef stew meat, follow these steps to continue making the stew.
1. Sauté onions: Add the chopped onions and bacon to the pot. Give them a good stir and then let them sit, undisturbed, to let them brown just a bit. Add the garlic and tomato paste.
2. Make roux: Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to coat. Allow the flour to cook for several minutes while stirring to prevent burning. The mixture should start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Deglaze: Add the stout to the mixture and stir with a flat bottom spoon to release any of the browned bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot. A rich, thick gravy will form.
4. Braise meat: Add the beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, and seared stew meat (along with any liquid in the bowl) to the pot. Stir well to combine. Cover the pot loosely and simmer for one hour to allow the depth of flavor to develop.
5. Cook potatoes and carrots: After the stew has cooked for at least an hour, stir in the prepared potatoes and carrots. Mix in the salt. Continue cooking with a gentle simmer, uncovered this time, for another hour. As the liquid evaporates with the lid off, the stew will slightly thicken.
6. Season and serve: Taste the stew and add freshly ground black pepper and additional salt, if needed. Remove the thyme stem and bay leaves prior to serving. Tastes great with Irish soda bread!
Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
If you’re looking for other traditional Irish recipes to make on St. Patrick’s Day, try some of these favorites.
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Colcannon
- Irish Cheddar Shepherd’s Pie
- Bangers and Mash with Guinness Gravy
- Corned Beef Hash
- Irish Coffee
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds beef or lamb stew meat
- 2 large onions chopped
- 6 ounces bacon diced (I used thick cut Rancher's bacon, you can also use pancetta)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup stout beer
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/5 pounds baby potatoes skin on, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 pound carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 pound is about 4 large carrots)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Sear meat: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add half of the stew meat. Arrange in a single layer and do not stir. Allow the meat to sit, undisturbed, until golden to dark brown on the bottom. This will take about 5 minutes. You do not want to cook the meat all the way through; you just want to give one side a good sear. When done, transfer the seared meat to a bowl and repeat with the second batch.
- Sauté onions: Add the chopped onions and bacon to the pot. Give them a good stir to coat them in the residual oil, and then let them sit, undisturbed, to let them brown just a bit. After 5-10 minutes, add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Make roux: Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to coat. Allow the flour to cook for several minutes while stirring to prevent burning. The mixture should start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Deglaze: Add the stout to the mixture and stir with a flat bottom spoon to release anything that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot. A rich, thick gravy will form.
- Braise meat: Add the beef broth, thyme, bay leaves, and seared stew meat (along with any liquid in the bowl) to the pot. Stir well to combine. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to the lowest amount needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot loosely and simmer for one hour.
- Cook potatoes and carrots: After the stew has cooked for at least an hour, stir in the prepared potatoes and carrots. Mix in the salt. Continue cooking with a gentle simmer, uncovered this time, for another hour. As the liquid evaporates with the lid off, the stew will slightly thicken.
- Season and serve: Taste the stew and add freshly ground pepper and additional salt, if needed. Remove the thyme stem and bay leaves prior to serving. Tastes great with Irish soda bread!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Krissy! I made this for St Patrick’s Day and used a chuck roast. I used red onions for the onions and Extra Stout Guinness. It was phenomenal. So good. I make a lot of your recipes. Thanks. A+
Thanks Lisa! So glad to hear that it turned out and that you’re a fan of the recipes. I make them a lot too. 🙂
I do much the same except i use some rosemary and a bit of cayenne just enough to give someone a pause and then keep enjoying it. I usually dont use tomato paste either. I’ll try it next time.