Irish Beef Stew with Root Vegetables (Printable)
Tender beef and root vegetables in a rich, savory broth. A hearty, comforting Irish classic.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2.6 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 2 large onions, chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 0.75 inch chunks
06 - 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 0.75 inch chunks
07 - 2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 0.75 inch cubes
08 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 0.75 inch cubes
09 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
→ Broth & Seasonings
10 - 3 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 5 cups low-sodium beef broth
12 - 1 tbsp alcohol-free Worcestershire sauce
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
16 - 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
17 - Salt to taste
→ Finishing Touches
18 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish
# Step-by-step:
01 - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown half the beef cubes on all sides until deeply caramelized, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and beef cubes.
02 - Add onions and garlic to the pot. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to incorporate.
04 - Return beef to the pot. Add carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, and celery. Stir well to combine all components.
05 - Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. Season with salt to taste.
06 - Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and vegetables are fully cooked through.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The recipe might look intimidating with all those vegetables, but I promise its actually quite forgiving - Ive accidentally forgotten ingredients and it still turned out magnificent.
- Each spoonful delivers a perfect balance of tender beef and sweet root vegetables that have absorbed all that savory broth like flavor sponges.
02 -
- I once rushed the browning step and regretted it immediately - those browned bits at the bottom of the pot are culinary gold that transforms your broth from good to extraordinary.
- Cutting the vegetables into similar-sized chunks ensures they cook evenly, a lesson I learned after serving a stew with perfectly tender carrots but rock-hard turnips.
03 -
- Let the stew rest for about 10 minutes off the heat before serving - this small pause allows the flavors to settle and the broth to reach the perfect temperature for appreciating all its complexity.
- If you find your stew too liquidy after the cooking time, remove the lid for the last 15-20 minutes to allow some reduction, concentrating those flavors even further.