Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

It’s easy to make a comforting Irish Beef Stew right in your slow cooker for St. Patrick’s Day! Packed with beef, vegetables and a delicious gravy, this is comfort food at its finest.

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (1)

We are absolutely a “meat and potatoes” household. I think we’d gladly eat that for every meal of the week, ha! And this stew is no different – I first shared this recipe in 2016, but thought it finally needed an update before I miss another St. Patrick’s Day. So, here we are now (March 9th 2020) ☺️?

The more kids I have ?, the more I’ve been using my slow cooker. While I make a mean Beef and Guiness Stew in my Dutch oven (and like to get vocal about my dislike of the trusty old crockpot, haha!) and a great Irish Stew in my Instant Pot – honestly, nothing beats the crock on a crazy day with 3 little kids running about.

Note: I’m adding the instructions for the stove and for the instant pot at the bottom of this post for your convenience, but I definitely make stew most often in the slow cooker these days.

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (2)

Ingredient notes

  • Beef: Use cheap stew meat here. This cooks for a long time in the crockpot and will get tender this way.
  • Broth: I recommend beef broth for the best flavor and color. If you only have chicken, I strongly recommend adding 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 extra teaspoon Worcestershire sauce to the stew (reduce the salt to taste).
  • Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes and celery are classic in an Irish stew. Feel free to leave out the celery if you don’t like it.

A note about the liquid: I used to use a dark beer in Irish stew when my kids were still on baby/toddler meals, but now the older two are eating all of the same foods as we do and they hate the taste of beer. So, I now use stock vs beer.

If you want to use beer, I STRONGLY recommend taking the time to at least sauté the onions. Use the beer to deglaze the pan and simmer for a couple of minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.

How to make Irish Beef Stew in the slow cooker

Please note: I always brown the beef and sauté the onions and garlic before adding everything to the slow cooker. The rest of the stew basically cooks itself, and the extra work is worth it in terms of more flavor.

If you need to skip the browning and sautéing because of time or other restraints, I don’t recommend using any beer in the stew.

Steps to make this stew:

1) brown the beef and remove to the slow cooker, then

2) sauté the onion and garlic.

3) Deglaze the pan and

4) add onions and liquid to slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (3)

5) Add vegetables, herbs and liquid to crock,

6) slow cook.

7) Finish with a cornstarch slurry to thicken.

Recipe tips

  • Make sure to whisk the flour very well into the broth, otherwise you’ll have a lumpy gravy.
  • If your beef stew doesn’t thicken to your liking even after adding the cornstarch slurry, try blending 1 cup of the stew. Stir it back into the slow cooker and you should have a thicker gravy.
  • Even though you usually need to leave the slow cooker lid on for the whole cooking process, you really need to leave it open for the last 15-30 minutes here to properly thicken the stew. Make sure the crockpot is safely standing on the counter and pets or children cannot get to it.
Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (4)

Dutch oven or instant pot instructions

Dutch oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Brown the meat/sauté the onions in a large Dutch oven. Deglaze with beer or broth, then take off the heat. Add the vegetables, broth/flour/Worcestershire mixture and herbs. Close with the lid and put in the oven for 1-2 hours. CAREFULLY remove, using oven gloves (!!). Put on the stove, remove the lid and stir in the cornstarch slurry over medium heat. Simmer 10-15 minutes, or until thickened to your liking.

Instant Pot: Set the instant pot to “sauté” and brown the meat in batches. Remove, then sauté the onion. Deglaze with beer or broth, then switch off the instant pot.

Add the meat back in, and add the vegetables, broth/flour/Worcestershire mixture and herbs. Close the instant pot and set the valve to “sealing”. Press the “stew” button.

Once the pot is indicating it’s done with cooking, do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes (just unplug your pot and leave it alone). Then manually release any remaining pressure and open the lid.

To thicken, set the instant pot to sauté and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Simmer until thickened. Alternatively, you can blend 1 cup of the stew and stir it back in.

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (5)

Serving suggestions

We usually eat this stew by itself, maybe with a side of crusty bread. Either a traditional whole wheat soda bread, or a no knead bread are my favorites here!

The stew also very delicious over mashed potatoes, if you have big eaters in the house (my teenage brothers always needed this with their stew!). I recommend either making a batch of instant pot mashed potatoes, or whip up this traditional colcannon (it’s EASY!) if you want to go all-in for St. Patrick’s Day.

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (6)

More St. Patrick’s Day recipes

  • Sausages and Onion Gravy: Bangers and Mash!
  • Irish Soda Bread with Raisins
  • Colcannon
  • Homemade Shepherd’s Pie

PSIf you try this recipe, please leavea review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along onPinterest,FacebookorInstagram.

Printable recipe

Printable Recipe Card

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (11)

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Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew

A flavorful Irish Beef Stew you can make in your slow cooker! The long cooking time really allows the flavors to melt together.

Recipe by Nora from Savory Nothings

made it? tap the stars to add your rating!

4.90 from 38 votes

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Recipe details

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 7 hours hrs

Total 8 hours hrs

Servings 6 Servings

Difficulty Easy

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1.5 lbs beef stew meat in 1-2 inch cubes
  • 2 small-medium onions peeled and cut into slim wedges
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 pound waxy potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 medium carrots peeled and cut into chunks
  • 3 sticks celery sliced
  • 4 cups beef broth see notes if want to use beer
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce can use soy sauce in place
  • 4 tablespoons white flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 sprig thyme OR ¼ teaspoon dried
  • 1 sprig rosemary OR ¼ teaspoon dried
  • 1 bay leaf skip if you don’t have
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch stirred into 3 tablespoon cool water to make a slurry (use more cornstarch for an extra-thick gravy, but don’t overdo it – it will thicken more as it cools slightly)

Instructions

  • Brown meat: Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown; remove and add to 4-6 quart slow cooker.

  • Sauté onions: Add onions to hot skillet and sauté over medium heat until softened. Pour in about ½ cup of the beef broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan (see notes for using dark beer in this step). Take off the heat and carefully pour into slow cooker over meat.

  • Cook stew: Place potatoes, carrots and celery in slow cooker. Whisk together broth, Worcestershire sauce and flour in a measuring jug. Pour over meat and vegetables in slow cooker, then carefully stir. Tuck in herbs, close lid and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

  • Thicken: Open slow cooker and carefully stir. Pour in cornstarch slurry, stirring to combine well. Simmer WITHOUT the lid for 15-30 minuets on HIGH, until thickened.

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Notes

Recipe tips

  • Make sure to whisk the flour very well into the broth, otherwise you’ll have a lumpy gravy.
  • If your beef stew doesn’t thicken to your liking even after adding the cornstarch slurry, try blending 1 cup of the stew. Stir it back into the slow cooker and you should have a thicker gravy.
  • Even though you usually need to leave the slow cooker lid on for the whole cooking process, you really need to leave it open for the last 15-30 minutes here to properly thicken the stew. Make sure the crockpot is safely standing on the counter and pets or children cannot get to it.

Ingredient notes

  • Beef: Use cheap stew meat here. This cooks for a long time in the crockpot and will get tender this way.
  • Broth: I recommend beef broth for the best flavor and color. If you only have chicken, I strongly recommend adding 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 extra teaspoon Worcestershire sauce to the stew (reduce the salt to taste).
  • Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes and celery are classic in an Irish stew. Feel free to leave out the celery if you don’t like it.

To use beer:

Use 1 cup dark beer (like Guinness for example) to deglaze the pan after sautéing the onions. Simmer for 5 minutes. Only add 3 ¼ cups of beef broth to finish assembling the stew.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 30gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 940mgPotassium: 1075mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 6884IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition is an estimate.

More recipe information

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between beef stew and Irish stew? ›

While Irish stew (in the modern sense) can be made with mutton, lamb, or beef, beef stew is always made with beef. Both stews can contain potatoes, root vegetables, flavorings like beer or wine and herbs, and thickened with potato, flour, cornstarch, or nothing at all.

Why is my beef stew tough in slow cooker? ›

“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.

Do I have to brown stew meat before slow cooking? ›

"The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish." If you are making a slow-cooked recipe that calls for ground beef, like chili, beef stew, or meat sauce, browning the meat beforehand makes a huge difference.

What is the best cut of beef for stew in Ireland? ›

WHICH MEATS?
  • BEEF: Look for Chuck from the top forequarter and round from the rump. ...
  • PORK Shoulder is super. ...
  • LAMB: Shoulder is good for stewing or very slow roasting, having some fat layers in the meat. ...
  • CHICKEN: Use the economical legs and cook on the bone for hearty flavoursome chicken stew or casserole.

What thickens Irish stew? ›

FLOUR: I prefer my stew sauce a bit thick, not watery, so I always add flour to slightly thicken the sauce.

How do you thicken Irish beef stew? ›

An Irish beef or lamb stew, made with meat and vegetables is commonly thickened with a roux made from butter and flour. Flour can also be added without liquid while searing the meat, removing any raw flour taste. Grated potatoes or corn starch can be a thickening agents as well.

Can you overcook stew in a slow cooker? ›

A stew can simmer the extra 3 hours without too much worry about the broth reduction, although the meat and vegetables may near collapse into a near porridge texture. Overcooking can be one of the drawbacks of slow cooking.

Can you cook beef stew too long in slow cooker? ›

You want to cook stew meat long enough for the meat to become tender, but even when immersed in liquid, if it cooks too long it basically just loses all its texture and disintegrates. Stew really only needs to cook for two to three hours, and you should stop when the meat reaches the desired texture.

Is it better to cook stew on low or high? ›

While many slow cooker recipes can be made on high for 3-4 hours, I highly recommend cooking this beef stew on low for the full 7-8 hours. This will ensure that the beef gets nice and tender. Thicken your stew properly.

Do I need to cook onions before putting in slow cooker? ›

It can be nice to cook the onions beforehand, as the flavour is different to when you put them in raw, but experiment both ways as you may find you prefer one. It can also be good to brown meat to give it some colour, but again, this is not essential.

Is beef stew better on stove or crockpot? ›

While you can make a beef stew on the stovetop or also in the Instant Pot, I'm partial to using my slow cooker for beef stew, to give the ingredients that long, unattended time they need to become really tender and delicious.

Which potatoes are best for beef stew? ›

The best potatoes for beef stew are those that hold their shape and texture well during cooking, providing a creamy yet sturdy addition to the dish. Yukon Golds have a creamy texture and slightly waxy consistency that holds up well in stews without becoming overly mushy. They add a nice richness to the stew.

What is the difference between English stew and Irish stew? ›

There are differences, but there are lots of similarity. Irish stew is traditionally made with lamb onions carrots and potatoes. Beef stew is traditionally made with beef onions carrots and potatoes.

What is another name for Irish stew? ›

Irish stew, "ballymaloe" or "stobhach gaelach" as it is called in Gaelic, traditionally contains chunks of lamb or mutton (less tender meat from sheep more than two years of age), potatoes, onions and parsley. Often the neck bones, shanks and other trimmings were the only basis for the stock.

Why do they call it Irish stew? ›

Irish stew is considered a national dish of Ireland. Irish stew is a celebrated Irish dish, yet its composition is a matter of dispute. Purists maintain that the only acceptable and traditional ingredients are neck mutton chops or kid, potatoes, onions, and water.

Is Irish stew thick or watery? ›

Irish stew is similar to beef stew; both stews are thick and hearty. However, Irish stew is traditionally made with lamb or mutton instead of beef. Meat and vegetables take up most of the space, so the consistency is very thick and not watery.

What is Irish stew made of? ›

The epitome of comfort food, traditional Irish stew has only a few ingredients: mutton, onions and potatoes. In southern Ireland carrots are added, and some cooks venture so far as to add turnips. These days, young lamb often replaces mutton for a more delicate version.

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