Guinness Irish Stew
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St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t mean just serving up corned beef. This Guinness Irish Stew is a great alternative with an incredibly rich, thick broth. Lamb or beef get layered with flavors due to a slow braise in Guinness beer, vegetables and herbs. Plus it’s made all in one pot!
For today’s post I’m sharing my gramma’s Irish Stew recipe since St. Patrick’s Day is approaching.
Irish stew is traditionally made using mutton, an older sheep, and while most of us today don’t have that on hand lamb shoulder meat comes to the rescue. If lamb is not a meat you typically purchase, a good beef chuck roast would be a great substitute.
Irish Stew is pure comfort food and a classic recipe. For my version, and to add a richness and depth to the gravy, I use Guinness beer when simmering the stew. For those who do not drink alcohol this can easily be substituted with beef broth and some Worcestershire sauce if you prefer. Not the exact same flavor of course, but a good stand in for the beer. See my Recipe Note for more on this.
After sautéing the onion, leek and garlic I sprinkle flour on top, stir it around to cook a bit and add the Guinness and beef broth.
Along with the potatoes, this slow cooks and develops not only an amazing flavor, but a rich and thickened gravy.
This Guinness Irish Stew recipe and traditional Irish Stew recipes have only a few ingredients. Mutton (lamb), onions and potatoes.
In southern Ireland carrots and sometimes turnips are added. My gramma’s had more of a broth to it and I like to thicken it up a bit for dunking crusty bread in to sop up the goodness of that gravy.
Pretty simple dish that only requires one to brown the lamb and sauté some vegetables. Adding the beer and broth you cover and forget about it for a few hours. This Guinness Irish Stew is a keeper!
While this Guinness Irish Stew is incredible as is, you could also serve this without potatoes in the stew and have my Colcannon Irish Mashed Potatoes. If you’re hoping for a great corned beef recipe I got you covered, too! Also, if you have any leftovers, try my Corned Beef Potato Gratin with Brussels Sprouts. Enjoy!
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Guinness Irish Stew
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs lamb shoulder or beef chuck cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 onion large chopped (white or brown)
- 3 leeks (white stalks not green tops)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 22 oz Guinness Beer (See Note 1 and 2)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 4 carrots peeled and cut 1/2″ pieces
- 2 potatoes peeled and cut into 2″ pieces
- 3 sprigs thyme or sub with 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Peel and cut up carrots and potatoes, mince garlic. Trim root end off leeks, strip off tough greens. Cut leeks lengthwise and rinse any grit off under water. Slice into 1/2″ pieces. Cut the lamb into 2″ chunks. Pat dry and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or heavy based pot over high heat. Add lamb in batches and brown well all over. Remove to plate and repeat with remaining lamb. Set aside.
- Lower heat to medium and add remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and leek, cook for 3 minutes until softened, then add garlic, cook 2 minutes. Stir flour into the vegetable mixture and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Add Guinness beer (See Note 1 and 2), stirring and scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan then add beef broth.
- Return browned lamb to the pot, including any juices, along with carrots, potatoes and thyme tied with kitchen twine.
- If lamb and vegetables are not fully covered add enough water to do so. Cover, bring to a boil, stir then lower heat so it is bubbling gently. Cook 2 hours then remove lid and simmer for 30 minutes more until lamb falls apart and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove thyme bundle and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Substitute Guinness beer using 2 1/2 cups water mixed with 2 beef boullion cubes and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Not the same, but will due. See below regarding alcohol burned off if concerned.
- When slow-cooking food in beer at a low simmer for several hours most of the alcohol will evaporate away. The boiling point of alcohol is 173°F which is lower than that of water, 212°F. The United States Department of Agriculture states, simmering beer alone for 2.5 hours will remove 95 percent of the alcohol it contains, leaving 5 percent of the original alcohol content behind.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Just made this tonight since a friend gave me lamb meat. Holy cow is this a keeper! Delicious . Made my kitchen smell like an Irish grandma’s house. Will definitely make again
Love it! Thanks for making my morning Ayana!
I’ve been making your recipe for a few years now. It’s one of my family’s favorites. THANK YOU for sharing it!!!!
Fantastic! Love reading this. Thanks Kim. 🙂
Made the Guinness stew tonight. It was a hit as always. Great, hardy meal on a dreary April day!
Excellent! So glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for coming back to let me know Kimberly!
Can the stew be braised in the oven? If so what temp & how long.
I’d go 350°F covered for 2 hours. Check to see if there is enough liquid at the 90 mark and add some beer if needed.
This is going to be my Thanksgiving dinner with brown Irish soda bread (really tired of turkey!).
Now you’re talkin’ Linda! 🙂
I’m making this right now for tomorrow, so I will let you know tomorrow
Excellent, hope you enjoyed it Samantha. 🙂
Hi Kevin. Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker
Definitely Bridget. I have and used the Meat/Stew setting natural release, too.