Easy Irish Beef Stew Recipe

Irish Beef Stew is made with a delicious combination of tender pieces of beef, creamy potatoes, and slightly sweet carrots. Tarragon and stout beer give it a wonderful hearty flavor. Make this stew to celebrate St. Patrick's Day or for a cozy, filling meal on a cold winter evening.

St. Patrick's Day is around the corner, and it is time to plan our traditional family meal; Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread. My husband is half-Irish, so I honor his heritage by making this meal on St. Patrick's Day. The stew is also perfect to eat anytime you want a cozy meal, especially on a cold day.

Is this an Authentic Irish Beef Stew Recipe?

I often wondered if the stew I make is authentic. When I visited Dublin, Ireland a few years ago, I discovered that my fears were unfounded. I ate several types of stew in Dublin, and they tasted similar to this recipe. Whew! 

The tarragon is what gives it the distinctive Irish Stew taste. My favorite stew in Dublin was at The Hairy Lemon. It was served with brown bread, a dense, slightly sweet bread, and an excellent accompaniment to the meal.   The creamy Irish butter was perfect on the brown bread.

Ingredients for Irish Beef Stew

1. Beef- The Irish use lamb to make stew. However, I prefer making it with beef because it is less expensive, and I am not a fan of lamb. The stew is amazing without the lamb.   If you like lamb, you can make it with lamb or use a combination of lamb and beef to keep the price reasonable.
2. Carrots-sliced raw carrots are the best for this stew. Note: You do not need to peel the carrots. Just be sure to wash them. You could use frozen sliced carrots; however, I feel fresh carrots taste better.
3. Potatoes-I recommend using yellow boiling potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are delicious in this recipe.
4. Beef broth-I recommend using beef broth that comes in a box. My favorite brand is Pacific Foods.
5. Beer-Be sure to use Stout Beef. To keep it authentic, I use Guinness Stout Beer.
6. Tarragon-this spice is an important ingredient because it gives the stew a distinctive flavor. If you don't usually cook with tarragon, purchase a small jar. You can use it in chicken dishes such as a chicken salad or roasted chicken.
7. Onions & Garlic-add delicious flavor to the stew. Yellow or white onions are best for this stew.

How to make Irish stew

Brown beef cubes in oil.

PRO TIP: Get a nice brown sear on the meat. This adds delicious flavor.

Add onions, garlic, bay leaf, beef broth, stout beer, salt, pepper, and water. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add carrots, potatoes, and tarragon, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Make a slurry by combining water and flour. PRO TIP: Whisk the water and flour until it is smooth to prevent lumpy gravy.

Add slurry to the stew. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the stew has thickened.

Serve the stew in your favorite soup bowls! Ask your smart speaker to play traditional Irish folk music and imagine being in Ireland in an Irish pub. Enjoy!

Make Irish Beef Stew for St. Patricks Day

Puff Pastry Shamrocks

On St. Patrick's Day, I make Shamrocks from puff pastry to top off the stew.   I purchase store-bought puff pastry, cut out shamrocks, and bake them. My family loves the flaky texture of the pastry.   They look cute on top of the stew and are the perfect finishing touch on St. Patrick's Day. 

How to make Puff Pastry Shamrocks

1. Cut out puff pastry with a 3" shamrock cookie cutter.
2. Place shamrocks on the cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 400°F oven for about 5-8 minutes until lightly browned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Large cooking pot or Dutch oven
• Vegetable peeler
• Small bowl
• Small whisk
• Cooking spoon to stir the stew
• Sheet pan

Leftovers

Storing tips

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The stew can also be frozen for up to one month.

Reheating leftovers

Heat leftovers in the microwave, a saucepan on the stove, or a casserole dish in the oven. Heat to 165°F.

What to Serve with Stew

The stew is a meal on its own. However, you can serve it with a salad such as Kale and Cabbage Salad.

On St. Patrick's Day, I serve it with this delicious Irish Soda Bread. The combination is fantastic and your family will love it! I hope you give it a try.

I hope you try this recipe! Please rate it and comment below. I love hearing from you! ❤️

📋 Recipe

Easy Irish Beef Stew

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• Author: Gitta Grether-Sweeney
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 75 minutes
• Total Time: 90 minutes
• Yield: 6 people 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Irish

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Description

Irish beef stew with tender pieces of meat, creamy potatoes, and sweet carrots flavored with tarragon and stout beer. A family favorite!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Stew

• 2 pounds beef sirloin, boneless, lean, cut into 1-inch cubes or boneless beef chuck roast (see note)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ¾ cups onions, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 each bay leaves
• 2 cups beef broth
• ¾ cup Guinness Stout beer
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup sliced (½ inch) carrots, (about 5 carrots)
• ½ pound yellow potatoes, cut into ¾ inch cubes
• 1-2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• 2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
• 4 tablespoons water, beef broth or stout beer

Puff Pastry Shamrocks

• ½ package frozen puff pastry, thawed

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Instructions

Irish Beef Stew

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add cubed meat and brown meat on all sides.  You might have to do this in two batches.  
2. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, beef broth, stout beer, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Cover.  Lower the heat so the mixture is simmering.  Cook for about 30 minutes.
3. Add carrots, potatoes, and tarragon.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves.  
4. Combine the flour and 4 tablespoons water or beef broth or beer.  Stir the mixture until there are no lumps.  Add the mixture slowly to the stew stirring constantly.  
5. Cook for about 5 minutes until the stew is thick.  

Shamrock Shaped Puff Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Thaw the pastry dough according to the instructions on the package.
3. Using a shamrock cookie cutter, cut out shamrocks and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  I used a 3" cookie cutter but you can also use a 5".  If you do not have a shamrock cookie cutter,  cut out other shapes or use a biscuit cutter and cut out circles.  
4. Bake about 5-8 minutes until lightly brown.  
5. Spoon stew into bowls and top with the shamrock puff pastry.  

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Notes

• Note: The recipe calls for sirloin beef. However, I also make it with boneless chuck roast. If you use chuck roast, you will need to cook the stew for an additional hour so that the meat will be fork tender. Therefore, cook the stew for 1 ½ hours before adding the carrots, potatoes, and tarragon.   
• This recipe is adapted from a Southern Living recipe.  

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 554
• Sugar: 9.1 g
• Sodium: 2662.3 mg
• Fat: 15.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 57.7 g
• Protein: 44.5 g
• Cholesterol: 100 mg