Easy Irish Beef Stew Recipe-Perfect on a Cold Day

This 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 for eating anytime during the winter because it warms you up on a cold day. 

Is this an Authentic Irish Beef Stew Recipe?

I often wonder if the stew I make is authentic. When I visited Ireland, 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. Note: The recipe calls for sirloin beef. However, I also make it with stew meat (chuck). If you use stew meat you will need to cook the stew an additional hour. Therefore, cook the stew for 1 ½ hours before adding the carrots, potatoes, and tarragon.
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. Onions & Garlic-add deliscous flavor to the stew.

How to make the stew

1. Brown beef cubes in oil. PRO TIP: Be sure to get a nice brown sear on the meat. This adds deliscous flavor.
2. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf, beef broth, stout beer, salt, pepper, and water. Simmer 30 minutes.
3. Add carrots, potatoes and tarragon, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Make a slurry by combining the water and flour. PRO TIP: Be sure to whisk (affiliate link) the water and flour until it is smooth to prevent a lumpy gravy.
5. Add slurry to the stew. Cook about 5 minutes or until the stew has thickened.

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

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 boys love the flaky texture of the pastry.   They look cute on top of the stew, and they 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

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

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

📋 Recipe

Easy Irish Beef Stew

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• 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
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ¾ cups onions, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 each bay leaves
• 8 ounces beef broth
• ¾ cup Guinness Stout beer
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sliced (¼ inch) carrots
• ½ pound yellow potatoes, cut into ¾ inch cubes
• 1-2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• 2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
• 4 tablespoons water

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, pepper, and water.  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.  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

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

Keywords: Irish beef stew, beef stew