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Irish Beef Stew

Irish beef stew made with browned chuck cubes, stout gravy, and tender potatoes, carrots, and celery. Simmered until thick and hearty, then finished with fresh parsley after bay leaf removal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Cuisine: Irish
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck Cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Aromatics and flavor
  • 1 onion Chopped.
  • 3 clove garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup Irish stout
  • 4 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
Vegetables
  • 2 lb potatoes Cut into large chunks.
  • 4 carrots Cut into chunks.
  • 2 celery Stalks, sliced.
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef chuck cubes with salt and black pepper, then toss with the all-purpose flour to coat evenly. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  2. Brown the beef in batches, turning as needed, until deeply browned on the outside, about 3-5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate while you finish the rest.
Build the stout gravy
  1. Add the chopped onion to the Dutch oven and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly (about 1 minute).
  2. Pour in the Irish stout and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits. Add the beef broth, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves, then return the browned beef to the pot.
Simmer until tender and thick
  1. Cover and simmer at a gentle, steady bubble for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking. Keep the heat at a consistent simmer so the beef stays tender.
  2. Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery, then simmer for 45-60 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the stew has thickened. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
Finish
  1. Remove the bay leaves and stir well, then finish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot for the best chunky texture and rich stout gravy.

Notes

For the thickest stew, keep it at a gentle simmer during the long cook so the gravy reduces naturally; if it’s too thin near the end, simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes. Refrigerate in a sealed container up to 3-4 days; freeze up to 2-3 months. For a dairy-free swap, serve with Irish soda bread or use gluten-free flour-thickened slurry if needed—this recipe is naturally dairy-free as written.