Hearty Irish Beef Stew
Traditional Irish Recipes

Hearty Irish Beef Stew

On the Hob
serves 4

This hearty Irish beef stew keeps the cooking straightforward: brown the beef well, soften the vegetables, then let everything bubble gently until the gravy turns glossy and the meat is spoon-tender.

Stout gives the stew a deeper savoury edge, but extra beef stock works well if you prefer to keep it alcohol-free. Serve with buttered greens or crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.

StewDinnerMainComfort FoodOne-Pot
20 mins prep2 hrs 5 mins cook2 hrs 25 mins total

  1. Pat the beef dry, season well, then toss it with the flour until lightly coated.

  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large casserole pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, lifting each batch onto a plate so the pan does not overcrowd.

  3. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil, then cook the onion, celery and carrots for 6–8 minutes until beginning to soften.

  4. Stir in the garlic and tomato purée for 1 minute, then pour in the stout or extra stock and scrape up the browned bits from the base of the pan.

  5. Return the beef and any resting juices to the pan. Add the potatoes, stock, thyme and bay leaf, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover loosely.

  6. Cook gently for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the beef is tender and the potatoes are soft at the edges.

  7. Stir in the peas for the final 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then remove the bay leaf and finish with parsley before serving.

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