Slow Cooker Irish Stew with Guinness
This Slow Cooker Irish Stew with Guinness is perfect whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or just craving hearty comfort food! Tender beef, hearty vegetables, and plenty of herbs and spices are simmered in a rich broth — it’s sure to become a family favorite! Plus, thanks to the crockpot, it’s super easy to make!
Make sure you serve this Irish Stew with this super Easy Irish Soda Bread! And if you need another hearty stew recipe, try this Texas-Style Cowboy Stew!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Irish Beef Stew in the Crockpot:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Beef: Although lamb and mutton are traditional in Irish stew, beef is my preference. Beef labeled “stew meat” that is pre-cut is always a great time-saver! Otherwise, you can buy a chuck roast and cube it yourself. Avoid super lean cuts of beef as they tend to dry out with the long cooking time.
Beer: Guinness beer is the obvious choice for this slow-cooker Irish stew, but any dark stout beer will work just fine! Avoid lighter, “lager” type beers.
Potatoes: Baby red potatoes or baby Yukon Golds are perfect for this recipe. They tend to hold up better when slow-cooking than russet potatoes.
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER IRISH STEW: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the printable recipe card below!
Steps 1 & 2: In a hot pan, brown beef cubes on all sides. You should see a dark, rich brown color on all sides of the meat. This equals FLAVOR!
Add seared beef to your crock pot, along with onion, garlic, 3 cups of beef broth, Guinness (or other beer), sugar, paprika, thyme, carrots, and potatoes. Give everything a big stir!
Step 3: Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours until meat is tender.
Optional: Whisk 2 tablespoons of corn starch with the remaining 1/2 cup of COLD (or room temperature) beef broth. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Allow the stew a few more minutes to thicken. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve!
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Personally, I don’t like my stew too thick. However, to thicken this stew, simply whisk 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 1/2 cup of COLD (or room temperature) beef broth. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Allow the stew a few more minutes to thicken.
- You can prep this entire recipe in the crockpot the night before. Store in the fridge overnight and the next day, just turn on the crockpot!
Confidence Tip
When your stew is done, taste it. Then, season with salt, fresh pepper, and fresh parsley, if needed. Waiting to season at the end of cooking will allow the seasonings to stand out! Always TASTE your food at the end before adding seasonings!
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store this slow cooker Irish stew in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftovers are fantastic for lunch!
- Reheating: Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warmed through. Add a splash of beef broth if it’s too thick.
- Freezing: Allow the stew to cool completely. Then, transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for 4-6 months. When you are ready to enjoy the stew again, defrost in the fridge, then follow reheating instructions above.
ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
ADDITIONS:
- Veggies: Feel free to add other veggies! Root vegetables work best when slow-cooked–parsnips, turnips, and sweet potatoes provide great flavor and texture!
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Beer: Although not in traditional Irish stew, red wine also works great in place of beer!
- Vegetarian Option: Swap out the beef for mushrooms or lentils!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The best choice is Irish soda bread or nice crusty garlic bread for dunking in the delicious broth! You can also serve this stew with a nice green salad on the side.
Absolutely! In fact, lamb or mutton is used in a traditional Irish stew. My family happens to not like lamb, so we use beef.
Yes, you CAN…but I definitely recommend taking the extra 10 minutes to brown the beef! It adds SO MUCH flavor! Trust me!
But if you are asking if it’s SAFE to put raw beef in the crock pot…yes, it is!
I prefer this stew just the way the recipe is written, but if you are looking for more of a thick broth, simply whisk 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 1/2 cup of COLD (or room temperature) beef broth. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Allow the stew a few more minutes to thicken.
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I hope you love this Slow Cooker Irish Stew. If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Slow Cooker Irish Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat or chuck roast cut into 2" pieces
- 1 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper +more to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced the best garlic chopper
- 3 cups beef broth or beef stock
- 1 14.9 oz. can Guinness beer or any dark, stout beer
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sweet or smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme or 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
- 1 1/2 lbs. baby potatoes, cut into 1" pieces (red potatoes or Yukon Golds work great) optional, See Note 1
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley optional, for garnish
- 2 tbsp corn starch + 1/2 cup cold beef broth/stock optional, for thickening
Instructions
- Prep: Sprinkle the beef cubes all over with salt and pepper.
- Sear: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. When oil is hot, add beef cubes and sear on all sides (about 2-3 minutes on each side). You should see a nice, deep brown color on the beef.
- Transfer: Transfer meat to the slow cooker–make sure you scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and add those, too!. Then, add remaining ingredients: onion, garlic, 3 cups of beef broth, Guinness (or other beer), sugar, paprika, thyme, carrots and potatoes (if using). Give everything a big stir! [Note: reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth to thicken the stew later].
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or 4-5 hours on high or until meat is tender.
- Thicken (Optional): Whisk 2 tbsp corn starch with the remaining 1/2 cup of COLD (or room temperature) beef broth. Pour mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Allow the stew a few more minutes to thicken.
- Finish: Remove thyme sprigs (if using). Taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with Irish Soda Bread.
We made this stew for St. Patrick’s Day last year and loved it! I can’t wait to make it again this year!
I’m not a huge fan of corned beef and cabbage, so this will be the perfect meal for St. Patrick’s Day. I’m excited to try it!
I love adding guiness to recipes!! This stew sounds so warm and comforting, saving this for St Patrick’s Day 🙂
This hearty, flavorful stew is calling my name. Its comfort food at its finest.
I’ve been looking for another slow cooker dish and this beef stew is it. Can’t beat beef cooked slowly in beer – so comforting and delicious.
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try it soon!
I love how easy this is to make and the comforting flavors in it. And I definitely agree worth searing the meat first for extra flavor.
I absolutely love your recipes, and this one doesn’t disappoint either! It’s so simple, easy, and straightforward, and fed the whole family. The baby potatoes were a perfect pairing for the tender chunks of meat.
So many fantastic flavors packed into this stew! I love how easily it comes together in the slow cooker. Definitely perfect for the rainy weather today.