There are as many recipes for Irish Beef Stew as there are people who make it. This is a distinctive version that uses Guinness beer and when cooked in a slow cooker comes out thick and rich and luxuriously comforting!
Beef stew is among one of Ireland’s most iconic pub foods. This beef stew has a distinct one of a kind flavor and that is thanks to only one source – Guinness beer. I am not a huge fan of drinking Guinness, however, the deep, robust, almost black looking beer is what puts this stew AND the gravy in a category all it’s own.
Ingredients in Guinness Beef Stew:
In addition to the beef and the Guinness beer, here are some other ingredients:
- Carrots – an essential ingredient
- Onion, Celery, Garlic – again, essentials
- Mushrooms – optional, but I love them
- Flour, Cornstarch and Tomato Paste – all used to thicken the stew
- Beer, Wine and Broth – all used to braise the beef
- Parsley, Thyme, Bay leaf – aromatics
Why is beer added to Beef Stew?
- As the beer cooks down and evaporates it is also tenderizing the beef. Chuck roast is the most common, as well as preferred, cut of meat, however it does take hours to break down and become tender. Beer contains alpha acids that help break down the meat fibers.
- The alcohol is evaporated as the stew simmers and you are left with a deep and robust flavor. If you use any other beer besides Guinness EXTRA STOUT you will still get a great stew, but it may not be as robust or as deep.
Red wine and beef broth are also added to this robust stew for added depth of flavor and complexity. Root vegetables, such as onions and carrots, act as a thickening agent as the stew cooks down.
How to get the most flavor out of your Irish Beef Stew:
- Sear the beef over high heat in a hot skillet. Flavor comes from a good sear. Take your time with this. Also, scraping up those caramelized brown bits from the bottom of the pan (otherwise known as deglazing) is going to give your stew a deep, rich flavor.
- Brown the beef in batches. Yes it will take a little more time, but if you crowd the pan the beef will not sear, instead it will steam, resulting in gray unattractive lumps of meat.
- This stew uses not one but two types of alcohol, red wine AND Guinness, each giving the stew a deeper dimension of flavor.
- Don’t throw the onions in raw! Use that hot skillet with all that flavor to your advantage and get those onions nice and brown.
- If you are adding potatoes to the stew, we prefer to add them about 3 hours in so they don’t completely fall apart.
Tips to to making Beef Stew a weeknight meal:
- Cut up the veggies the night before (onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms). Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can even cut up the potatoes to save some time, just keep them in a pot of water overnight so they don’t turn brown.
- Ask your butcher to cut up the beef for you in BIG CHUNKS. We want this stew to cook for a loooong time, so little cuts simply won’t do.
- Measure out the spices and grab the pantry ingredients – put them on the counter so when it comes time to make the stew in the morning you’re not searching for anything.
Once the beef is fall apart tender, you can serve it as is. However, I take it one step further. I like to thicken the gravy by scooping out about a cup of the hot liquid and adding cornstarch to it to make a slurry. Stir it back into the stew and let cook another 10-15 minutes or until the gravy has thickened and become glossy.
Side note: This beef stew recipe does not have any potatoes in it because our kids liked it better served over mashed potatoes. You can certainly add them. The instructions are listed below in the recipe card.
The ULTIMATE Crockpot Beef Stew
- Total Time: 6 hrs 30 min
Description
Among Ireland’s most iconic pub foods, this rich and robust Irish Beef and Guinness Stew will make your taste buds sing and have you begging for seconds!
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs. Beef Chuck, cubed (purchasing 3 lbs of beef chuck will result in approx. 2 lbs. when all trimmed, cut up and cubed)
- flour for coating
- 3–4 Carrots, washed, peeled and chopped
- 2–3 Stalks Celery, washed and diced (approx. 2 cups)
- 2 Onions, peeled and cut (approx. 2 cups)
- 8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
- 3–4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ Cup Semi dry red wine
- 2 ½ Cups Beef Broth
- 1 bottle Guinness Extra Stout beer
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 oz. Tomato Paste
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- ¼ Cup Parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Allspice
- 1–2 Tablespoons Cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
Optional: 5 Red Potatoes, washed and cut up into cubes (approx. 4 cups)
Instructions
- Wash, prep and cut up all the veggies. Place the carrots, mushrooms and celery in the crockpot.
- Trim off the fat from the meat and cut into large bite size pieces. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside.
- Heat up a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until hot. Add approx. 1-2 Tablespoons of oil. Let the skillet get VERY HOT. We want to SEAR the meat and brown it quickly without cooking it through.
- Sprinkle some flour on to the beef (or use a Ziploc bag to coat) and place enough of the beef into the pan that it is not crowded. Flip after approx. 3-4 minutes or until the beef is nice and browned. Continue on all sides, putting it in the crockpot. Continue until all the beef has been browned.
- Next, add the onions to the pan (add a little oil if necessary) and season again with salt and pepper. Cook approx. 4-5 minutes – or until the onions get a nice charred color on the edges. Add the garlic. Cook another minute more. Add this to the crockpot.
- To deglaze the pan, add the wine and the Guinness scrape up any bits left of the bottom. Add to the crockpot.
- Lastly, combine the broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste in a measuring cup or bowl. Stir to combine and add to the crockpot.
- Add the spices (bay leaf, thyme, parsley and allspice) to the crockpot – give it all a good stir.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, stir the stew and turn the crockpot to LOW and ADD THE POTATOES IF DESIRED. Continue cooking another 3-4 hours.
- About 1 hour prior to serving, scoop out about ½ cup of the hot liquid and whisk in the cornstarch (or arrowroot). Add it back to the stew and gently stir. The more cornstarch you add, the thicker the stew will become. Also taste for seasonings and adjust at this point.
Notes
The addition of red potatoes is listed as optional because I have found that my family prefers beef stew served over mashed potatoes. If you prefer the potatoes IN the stew add them in Step 10.
Cal 355; Fat 9.8 gr; Chol 98.3 gr; Sodium 441 mg; Carbs 23.6; Fiber 4.0 gr; Sugar 3.3 gr; Protein 33.7 gr
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 6 hrs
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This is an amazing recipe! I have made it for company several times and everyone has said it is by far the best stew they have ever eaten. So flavorful and the allspice gives it the extra boost to take it over the edge. This is one of my go to winter recipes when entertaining. A must try!
★★★★★
thanks for the wonderful feedback Diane. I appreciate your kind words.
This is an exceptional recipe. Our family loves it. Thank you!
★★★★★
WOW! Thank you Jon
This is seriously a favorite winter recipe! It’s so easy (yay for crock pots!), and most of the ingredients are cheap or stuff I have in the kitchen anyway. It’s SO flavorful with the spices, Guinness, and wine. I don’t have Allspice, but I’ve substituted ground cloves instead and it tastes just as good. I would 100% recommend this!
★★★★★
This looks like a fabulous recipe. I wanted to know if it could be bake in the oven instead of doing it in the crockpot and how long would you bake it for?
Hi! Is there a way I can just cook this on low all day instead of the 3 hours on high?? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Dawn … I’m not sure I would cook it ‘all day’. but yes I get the idea. You can set this before you go to work on low and cook it for 8 hours. I have made this so many times and I find it always comes out the best when the beef isn’t over cooked. So I’m not sure I would cook it any longer than that.
Just wondering on how many servings and what size portion did you base your nutritional information on ? I understand it Is an estimate but it would help me.
Thanx
Jennifer
So,I made this stew for dinner tonight and it was awesome. A very rich and flavorful stew. My husband really liked it. I will definitely make this again. Thanks.
Can I use a sweet red wine if that is all I have?
I think that would be fine
Go buy a $10 bottle of dry red wine and drink it with the stew. Ask at your local liquor store for their recommendation…don’t spend more than $10
I tried to look carefully, but must have missed how many servings this recipe makes? I need to make enough for about 10 adults and 5 kids (likely in more than one crockpot). What do you suggest? Thanks for the help! 🙂
Hi Jae ~ I would double the recipe!
Thank you. Can’t wait to try it!
Can you use stew meat already cut up?
of course! 🙂
What specific wine do you use? I am horrible about knowing which ones do what. Thanks!
This is by far the best stew I have ever made, and I have made quite a few. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I also cut and sliced up items the night before so the next morning would go smoother.. Thanks!
thanks for your comment Gail! I’m glad you liked it ! 🙂
Is it possible to cook this entire recipe on high or will it compromise the flavor? Or on low for a prolonged period. My prep is done and unfortunately I didn’t read all the way through. I was about to brown the meat and am glad to pre-cook all the things in the cast iron skillet.
If it will not come out without following your time guidelines in your opinions, just tell me that and I’ll follow the recipe.
T
Is arrowroot healthier than cornstarch?
HI Carole ~ that’s a good question. People tend to use arrowroot who are allergic to corn or avoiding GMOs. You can buy Non-GMO cornstarch now too. Arrowroot results in a clearer, shinier texture than cornstarch. It survives the freezing process much better and works better in acidic liquids (certain sauces, soups, etc.)
Where it doesn’t work so well is in many fruit pies and some other baked goods because it tends to break down under high heat, and in dairy dishes because you’ll end up with a gooey texture.
I hope that helps. Thanks for your question!
Use arrowroot in place of corn starch whenever your needs match the above.
Deane – thanks for finding all those typos!! I’m not sure how all that got past me. Working from home with kids can do that to a person. I fixed all of them (and found another). You’re my editor from now on! 😉
Sorry you found the stew bland, it’s one of my favorites. Hopefully you’ll give it another try and let us know if you added anything to make it more tasteful for you.
Hi
I want to try this but are there any substitutions for the wine and beer?? Thanks in advance!
If you’re worried about the alcohol, Julie, it cooks out. Adds great flavor.