This Guinness Irish stew slow cooker recipe is a hearty and delicious one-pot meal easy enough for any busy weeknight! You'll love the savory herb and Guinness broth that complements the tender beef and vegetables perfectly. Your house will smell just as amazing as this meal tastes! Ready to make it?
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You'll Love This Beef Stew Irish Slow Cooker Recipe
One Pot Meal. Whether I make this during the workweek or on the weekend- it's perfect for any busy day! It is so nice to prep your dinner in the morning and let it cook all day. No sides are needed, as this recipe includes veggies and potatoes!
Hearty and Delicious. A hearty stew with tender chunks of beef stew meat, cooked carrots, and potatoes simmering in a thick and delicious Guinness herb beef broth. What's not to love about that? It's super tasty, and I love dipping a thick piece of crusty French bread in all the yummy juices!
Oh the smell! It is SO true that you eat with all of your senses. Coming home to the smell of this crockpot meal that's been slow cooking all day is just so wonderful! It instantly makes me hungry!
Irish Beef Stew Recipe Slow Cooker Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this Guinness beef stew slow cooker recipe:
- Beef Stew Meat: I used 2 pounds of beef stew meat; you can also use lamb meat if preferred.
- Yellow Onion: I used a yellow onion, but you can use any variety you'd like.
- Carrots: peel and slice large carrots for the best result; you can also use baby carrots if preferred (just toss them in whole).
- Russet Potatoes: you need a hearty potato in a slow cooker recipe as they hold up best with longer cooking. My favorite for this recipe is a russet potato.
- Guinness Beer: you can use any variety of Guinness beer in this recipe.
- Beef Stock: regular or reduced-sodium varieties both work well in this recipe. If using reduced sodium, you may need to increase the amount of added kosher salt for taste.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Tomato Paste: added as a thickener to increase acidity.
- Thyme: use fresh or dried in this recipe. If using fresh, do not add until about 30 minutes prior to serving.
- Rosemary: use fresh or dried; if using fresh, add 30 minutes prior to serving for the best result.
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Parsley
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
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Substitutions and Variations
- You can use any potato variety in this recipe. Gold or yellow potatoes are softer, so they may end up losing their shape the longer they cook. Russet potatoes will give you the best result as they can hold up with longer cooking.
- Substitute lamb for the beef or use a combination of the two.
- Omit the beer in this recipe if desired and replace it with beef broth.
- Adjust any seasonings or herbs in this recipe as desired.
- Omit the potatoes in this recipe, and then make mashed potatoes. Serve the beef and vegetables over mashed potatoes with extra sauce.
- Low and slow is the preferred method to allow the beef time to tenderize, but if in a hurry, you can cook on high.
- Thicken the stew with a cornstarch slurry. This is an equal ratio of cold water and cornstarch whisked together and then added to the stew mixture. Start with 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch and increase if needed.
- If you want to add some spice, I would recommend adding crushed red pepper flakes. Start with a quarter teaspoon and add more to taste.
How To Make Slow Cooker Irish Stew with Guinness
This is intended as an overview only. For detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below. Enjoy!
1. Add all ingredients except parsley to the crockpot.
2. Cover and cook on low until the meat and vegetables are tender.
3. If desired, thicken juices with flour or cornstarch whisked with cold water or broth.
4. Stir in the parsley, or use as a garnish. Adjust seasoning to taste.
How to Serve It
Serve with your favorite warm crusty bread or top with crackers.
Serve with Irish soda bread for an authentic Irish meal!
Meal idea! Serve this stew with a fresh garden side salad with your favorite dressing and toppings. Don't forget to get your favorite crusty bread or breadsticks to soak up every last drop!
Best Irish Stew Slow Cooker Tips
- If using fresh herbs instead of dried ones, I would suggest adding them to the slow cooker about half an hour before serving to release their oils while keeping their integrity.
- For the best results, cook beef stew meat low and slow. This will allow time for the protein to break down. Cook on low for 6-8 hours for the best result.
- Alternative cooking methods for this recipe are using an Instant Pot for a quicker result or cooking in a Dutch oven. Cooking times will differ for each method, so adjust as needed.
FAQ's
Once cooled, you can store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If desired, you can store in the freezer in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
From the fridge, transfer the amount you want to reheat into a microwave-safe dish. Heat in 1-minute increments until your desired temperature is met.
From the freezer, remove the night before to allow time to thaw in the fridge. Once thawed, follow instructions to reheat from the fridge. You can also reheat in a pot on the stove until your desired temperature is met.
A dark stout beer does have some bitterness to it. If you find that your stew is too bitter, you can add some sweetness to counteract the bitterness. I suggest adding 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to help and adding more as needed.
Two main ways to thicken this stew are by either adding flour or cornstarch. Alternatively, I like making a cornstarch slurry, which is just an equal ratio of cold water to cornstarch whisked together. Add to your stew to thicken. Let the stew sit for a few minutes with the lid off, and it will slowly thicken. Use more thickener, if needed, until your desired consistency is reached.
There is very little difference between stew and Irish stew. Traditionally a stew is often made using beef stew meat. Irish stew was traditionally made using lamb meat (but very frequently nowadays, beef is used). Lamb can be difficult to find in the store if you live in the States, and some people prefer using beef anyway. As with any recipe, there are many variations.
📖 The recipe.
Guinness and Beef Irish Stew Stew Slow Cooker Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 2 large onions halved then sliced
- 4 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and cut into 1" chunks
- 12 ounces Guinness beer
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or ½ tablespoon fresh
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the crockpot (except parsley).
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the beef is done and the vegetables are tender.
- If desired, thicken juices with a tablespoon of flour or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
- Stir in parsley (or use as a garnish) and adjust seasoning to taste if needed.
Notes
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Use any favorite potato variety, including baby potatoes; Substitute lamb for the beef - or use a combination; Omit the beer and use beef broth instead.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve with crusty bread or crackers and a fresh green salad with a favorite salad dressing.
Nutrition
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