Irish Beef Stew Brown (Printable)

Tender beef and vegetables slow-cooked in a rich brown gravy for a comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 3 large carrots, sliced
03 - 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
04 - 2 large onions, chopped
05 - 2 stalks celery, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups beef stock
08 - 1 cup Guinness stout or other dark beer (optional; substitute more stock if desired)
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

→ Thickener

11 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour if needed)

→ Fats

12 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil

→ Herbs & Spices

13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# Step-by-step:

01 - Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides. Remove and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil, onions, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Stir in the flour and tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes to form a roux.
05 - Gradually pour in Guinness (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
06 - Return the beef to the pot. Add beef stock, carrots, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Stir well.
07 - Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the gravy has thickened.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaves.
09 - Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The gravy becomes impossibly rich without needing any fancy techniques
  • Everything simmers in one pot, leaving you with minimal cleanup
  • The beef gets so tender you could cut it with a spoon
02 -
  • Drying the beef thoroughly is the difference between gray, steamed meat and beautifully browned cubes
  • The flour needs to cook with the tomato paste for at least two minutes or you'll taste raw starch
  • Your stew will taste even better the next day, so don't stress about leftovers
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables into similar sizes so everything finishes cooking at the same time
  • Don't skip the Worcestershire sauce—It's the umami bomb that ties everything together

Go back