Irish stew is one of the best cozy, stick-to-the-ribs dishes that fills bellies and keeps everyone warm. When you think of classic, savory Irish recipes<\/a>, it’s right up there along with things like shepherd’s pie<\/a>, a big Irish breakfast<\/a> and slow-cooked corned beef<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Simmered for several hours in a stockpot, this Irish beef stew has big chunks of meat and vegetables, with a savory gravy that gets lots of flavor from stout beer and herbs. The payoff of a long cook time is an abundance of rich stew to feed a crowd. This hearty dish is ideal for St. Patrick’s Day<\/a> or for any big gathering of family and friends. Seriously, it’s one of our favorite stew recipes<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Classic beef stew<\/a> is made with tough cuts of beef that are simmered with potatoes, carrots, peas, onions and other vegetables until tender. The cooking liquid is thickened into gravy with a flour-based roux.<\/p>\n
Cook the bacon in a stockpot over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep the bacon drippings in the pot for the next step.<\/p>\n
Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the beef to the mixture, and toss to coat. Brown the beef in the reserved bacon drippings. Remove and set aside.<\/p>\n
Editor’s Tip: <\/em>To avoid overcrowding the pot with beef, brown the meat in batches as needed. Transfer the browned beef to a plate, and continue browning the rest of the pieces in batches.<\/p>\n
Add to the same pot the mushrooms, leeks, carrots, celery and oil. Cook over medium heat until the veggies become tender. Add in the minced garlic, and cook for one minute more.<\/p>\n
Stir in the tomato paste, then add the broth, beer and dried herbs. Add the browned beef and cooked bacon. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook until the beef is tender, about two hours.<\/p>\n
Add the cubed potatoes to the stew, and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for about one hour, until the potatoes are fork-tender.<\/p>\n
Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small dish, then stir the mixture into the stew. Bring the stew back to a boil; cook and stir everything for two minutes, until the stew is thickened. Finally, stir in the frozen peas. Once the peas are heated through, remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve.<\/p>\n
This stew freezes very well and will last in the freezer for up to three months. However, you’ll need to make a few modifications to the recipe. The potatoes may become grainy from freezing and thawing, so cook them separately, and only add them to the stew after freezing and thawing. Also, the cornstarch slurry might separate when it’s frozen, so don’t add it to the stew before freezing and thawing. Otherwise, cook the stew as directed, and let it cool completely, then spoon it into freezer-proof dishes or resealable bags. Let the stew thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat. Once warmed, add the precooked potatoes and the cornstarch slurry.<\/p>\n
Yes, this stew can be made ahead of time. Let the stew cool completely, then store it, covered, in the fridge for up to three or four days. Reheat the stew over medium-low heat on the stove, or in a slow cooker, until heated through.<\/p>\n
Yes, you can easily make this a slow-cooker Irish beef stew. Follow the steps to cook the bacon, then brown the beef and cook the veggies. Add everything to a large slow cooker. Cook the stew for eight hours on low heat. Add the potatoes for the last hour of cooking. Follow the recipe to add the cornstarch slurry and peas at the very end.<\/p>\n
Chuck roast, a tough cut with a lot of connective tissue, is the preferred cut of beef to cook in a long-simmering stew. The low, slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissue and makes the beef incredibly tender and juicy. It can be found as a whole roast or sliced and packaged as stew beef. Chuck also tends to be less expensive than other cuts; when you find it on sale, stash it in the freezer to make this stew down the road.<\/p>\n
We like to sear the cubed beef before simmering to create more flavor in the stew. The browned surface and the browned bits left in the pan (known as “fond<\/a>“) create a depth of flavor that make the whole stew taste richer and more sumptuous. That being said, if you’re short on time the browning step can be skipped; just add the cubed beef directly to the pot.<\/p>\n
Irish beef stew has your meat, vegetables and potatoes all in one dish, so serve some bread to round out the meal and sop up the gravy. Some good options include potato rolls<\/a>, simple two-ingredient quick biscuits<\/a> and slices of hearty Irish brown bread<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"