Our Irish beef stew is made in the slow cooker and uses beef rather than the traditional lamb or mutton. Flavors are brought out by searing the meat and then cooking all day in beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and lots of root vegetables. Gluten-free instructions are included.
From chilly summer nights to cold winter evenings, this Irish stew can be served any time of the year. You can bet it is especially popular on St. Patrick’s Day!
For more slow cooker favorites, check out our Rump Roast in the Crockpot, Easy Swedish Meatballs (Crockpot), Healthy Chicken and Rice, Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes and Crockpot Chicken and Noodles recipes.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 pounds cubed stew beef
- 6 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 large bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons ground thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5-6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3-4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3-4 small parsnips, peeled and sliced
- 1 large onion, cubed
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 can Guinness beer
Pro Tip: Easily turn this stew into a gluten-free recipe by swapping the Guinness for a gluten-free beer and double-checking the ingredient labels on the beef broth and balsamic vinegar.
How To Make
Start off the recipe by heating 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan.
Then, using tongs, place the beef stew meat into the pan and cook until the beef is a nice golden brown color. Turn the beef over and brown the other side. Next, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Taking the time to brown the stew meat before adding to the slow cooker is worth every second. It creates a delicious flavor for your stew.
Add the beef and garlic to the slow cooker. Pour about 1/3 cup of broth into the saucepan, scraping the sides to get all the droppings (this adds even more flavor!). Slowly pour the broth into the crockpot with the stew beef.
To the crockpot, add the sugar, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, ground thyme, salt, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, remaining beef broth, and beer. Then, cover the crockpot with the lid.
For this recipe, you will want to stick with root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions) as they slowly cook without becoming mushy. You could stir in any additional vegetables after the stew is cooked if desired.
Cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Then, remove the bay leaves and season with additional salt if needed.
Serve hot with freshly baked Gluten Free Corn Bread Muffins, Gluten Free Dinner Rolls or your family’s favorite crusty bread. It can also be served over mashed potatoes (for a gluten-free option) or Colcannon for a hearty meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you prefer a thicker beef stew, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl then pouring into the slow cooker about 30 minutes before the stew is done cooking.
This recipe makes about 8 servings depending on serving size.
This recipe might be even better the second day so plan on everyone enjoying leftovers the next night. Makes a great meal prep recipe! This stew can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an air tight container. Before placing in the fridge, let the stew cool. Freezing the stew is also an option, but keep in mind that when you thaw and reheat, the veggies will be softer.
More Stew and Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Stew
- Three Sisters Stew Recipe
- Slow Cooker Chunky Vegetable Soup
- Cheesy Vegetable Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Sausage and Pepper Soup
- Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Irish Beef Stew (Slow Cooker)
Equipment
- large saute pan
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 pounds cubed stew beef ✅
- 6 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ✅
- 2 large bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons ground thyme ✅
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5-6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3-4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3-4 small parsnips, peeled and sliced
- 1 large onion, cubed
- 4 cups beef broth ✅
- 1 can Guiness beer Use gluten-free beer if needed
Instructions
- ⭐️Brown the cubed stew beef. In a large saute pan, add the oil and heat. Using tongs, place the beef into the pan and cook until the beef gets a nice golden brown color, turn the beef over and brown the other side. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef to the slow cooker. Pour about 1/3 cup of broth into the saucepan, scraping the sides to get all the droppings. Pour into the crockpot.
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, ground thyme, salt, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, beef broth, and beer to the crockpot. Cover.
- ⭐️Cook the beef stew. Cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Season with additional salt if needed.
Notes
- If you prefer a thicker beef stew, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl and then pouring into the slow cooker about 30 minutes before the stew is done cooking.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Stick with only using root vegetables to prevent mushy veggies.
Nutrition
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