Irish Beef Stew
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Warming up with a big bowl of stew on a cold winter night is so comforting! Try this easy Irish Beef Stew for an easy twist on traditional stew. With the addition of Guinness Beer the sauce develops a rich, deep flavor. Add that flavor to fall apart tender stew meat and the combination is delicious.

Have you ever used beer to make stew before? It’s a really easy way to add flavor and richness, and one of the best kinds of beer to use is Guinness. The flavor pairs perfectly with beef, and together they make the best beef stew!
Guinness is an Irish stout that is very dark in color with a strong malty flavor with hints of coffee and chocolate. When you simmer it with the other ingredients you get the most amazing stew with a thick gravy-like sauce. It makes the best Irish beef stew!
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s layered with so many flavors – bacon, beef, herbs, and beer!
- This is an easy homemade stew recipe that you can make on the stove with one pot.
- Once you’ve combined it all, you can leave it to simmer on the stove until the stew meat is falling apart tender.
- The leftovers are amazing! In fact, it tastes even better the day after it’s made.
If you’ve never made Guinness stew, you should definitely give this recipe a try. It’s great on a cold night when you’re craving a cozy dinner. Serve it with bread on the side to soak up every last drop!
Ingredients
- Chopped bacon
- Olive oil
- Beef stew meat
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Dice onion
- Minced garlic
- All-purpose flour
- Guinness beer
- Tomato paste
- Beef stock
- Chopped carrots or parsnips
- Worcestershire sauce
- Chopped celery
- Bay leaves and thyme
- Peeled and chopped potatoes
Cook the Bacon and Brown the Beef
The first thing you will need to do is cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once it’s cooked, set it aside on a plate with paper towels.
Add the olive oil to the pot, and then brown the beef. This is an important step, so don’t skip it. Browning the meat gives it a lot of flavor and also leaves behind browned bits on the bottom of the pot. When you add the broth, those bits will give the broth so much flavor.
Once the beef is browned, take it out of the pot and set it aside. Melt the butter in the pot and then add the onions and garlic and cook them until they’re softened.
How to Thicken Beef Stew
To thicken the broth, you will make a roux with the butter and some flour. All you do is sprinkle the flour into the pot with the onions and butter and then stir to create a paste. This paste will thicken the broth as it simmers, creating a loose gravy when the stew is done.
Simmer the Stew
Once you have your roux, pour the Guinness into the pot while whisking. You want to break up any lumps, so whisk continuously until you have a smooth sauce.
At this point, you can add all of the other ingredients along with the cooked beef and bacon. Stir to combine and then bring the liquid to a boil. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat to maintain a simmer.
Place a lid on the pot and simmer the stew for up to two hours. It’s ready when the beef is tender, and the liquid has thickened to a loose gravy.
What to Serve with Beef Stew
This Irish beef stew is a meal all on it’s own, but you can also serve it with some sides! Here are some ideas:
- Some crusty sliced bread or dinner rolls are great for soaking up that delicious gravy!
- The stew is thick enough that you can serve it over mashed potatoes for a hearty dinner.
- Make a batch of homemade biscuits to go with it.
- For a light side, serve it with a fresh green salad.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can make this Guinness beef stew a day in advance so the flavors can develop even more. Just cool the stew before storing it in a container. It will thicken even more in the fridge so add some more beef broth when you warm it up.
Any leftovers will keep for three to four days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.
There’s nothing better than a hearty stew on a cold winter’s night. This Irish stew is one of our favorites, so be sure to add it to your meal plan so you can give it a try!
More Hearty Stew, Soup, and Chili Recipes
- Have an Instant Pot? Use it to make my Beef Stew for a delicious dinner!
- Treat yourself to a bowl of Crock Pot Chili with all the toppings!
- Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup is a cozy meal your family will love!
- Chicken Tortilla Soup is always a hit! It’s loaded with chicken, veggies, and seasonings for a filling bowl of soup.
- These soup recipes are easy, delicious and hearty. You’ll find over 40 easy soup recipes that the entire family will love.
Try it and love it? Rate it, please! Seriously though a five-star rating below will make my day!
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Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Irish Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs stew meat
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ½ c. yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ c. all-purpose flour
- 11.2 oz Guinness beer (1 bottle)
- 4 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 c. beef stock
- 3 carrots or parsnips chopped
- ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp thyme
- 3 c. potatoes peeled and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven cook bacon over a medium high heat until desired crispness, remove and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Season beef with salt and pepper.
- Add olive oil to Dutch oven over medium heat. Then add stew meat to Dutch oven and brown the beef. When the beef is done remove and set aside.
- In the same Dutch oven add the butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Then add in flour and whisk to make a roux, cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the Guinness beer and whisk until there are no more lumps in the sauce.
- Add tomato paste, beef stock, carrots or parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme to the sauce in the Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
- Add cooked stew meat, potatoes, and bacon to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for up to 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened to a loose gravy and vegetables are fork tender.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove the Bay Leaves from the stew and serve immediately.
Jeff Smith says
Why does Irish stew look “orange?. Because of the beer ?
Courtney says
I suppose because of the mixture of all the different vegetable juices. 🤷♀️
Deb Keynton says
Made this Guiness beef stew today for St. Patrick’s Day. Thick, tender deliciousness served with crusty bread and Irish butter!! YUM!!
Julie Evink says
Wonderful to hear Deb! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Canan says
Absolutely delicious and easy to put together. Made it exactly per the recipe, however the sauce did not thicken as much as the photo on your site. it was super tasty though and the whole family enjoyed every bite!
Julie Evink says
I’m sorry to hear it didn’t thicken up! I would try removing a little broth and adding some cornstarch next time and adding that back in at the end to try and thicken it!
Jessica says
This recipe was fantastic. I am so happy I get your push notifications because I would not have seen it otherwise. 10/10 would recommend.
Michelle Sperr says
Awesome to hear Jessica! Glad to hear you loved this beef stew recipe!
Randa Anthony says
Can you substitute broth for the beer, would it still be good?
Michelle Sperr says
Thanks for the question Randa. You certainly could use broth instead of the beer! Totally up to you and your taste preferences! Let me know how it turns out.
Laurilli J Bazille says
Do you know if it has to be Guinness beer, or can any beer work? Thanks
Michelle Sperr says
Hi Laurilli – I love this recipe with Guinness beer and personally haven’t tired it with another kind. With that being said, I’m sure you could try it with another type of beer that you prefer! Let me know how it turns out.
Renee Goerger says
I’m super excited to make this recipe. I love parsnips and am always on the lookout for recipes using them.
Thanks!!
Michelle Sperr says
You’re welcome Renee! Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Katie says
Perfect for St Patrick’s Day this week! I’m thinking I’ll try this one.
Michelle Sperr says
Hi Katie! Let me know how it turned out!
ANNE MARIE HIGGINS says
Hi Julie,
Would this recipe work using my crockpot.? If so, how long do you think for cooking.
Hope all is well where you are. Here in Mass. , it’s going to be up to 50 degrees tmorrow. Almost pool weather.
You are doing a great job
Thank you for your help.
~ Anne Marie Higgins~
Michelle Sperr says
Hi Anne Marie, I haven’t tired making Irish Beef Stew in my crockpot but you could certainly give it a try! If you were to prep the stew as the recipe states and just finish it off in a crockpot (instead of the stovetop) it should yield a fairly similar result. You’d want to use a low setting and I’d start by letting it simmer 2 hours and then check it. It may need more time depending on the size and type of crockpot you’re using! Hope this helps! I’d love to hear how it turns out if you make it.