Irish stew is really just beef stew with a little something extra – beer! But as you'll see in the recipe below, this stew brings so much more than that. Hearty potatoes, big chunks of carrots and earthy mushrooms come to the forefront in this dish. In the background you'll get zesty tomatoes, the aromatics of thyme, rosemary and bay, and a little bit of garlic and onion to bring it all together.
You can brown the beef beforehand. Or, if you're pressed for time, you can just throw together everything into the slow cooker and let it bubble away and cook. Although the immense flavor is undeniable, one thing to love most about this stew is that there's so much of it. That's a good thing because this one's going to be a crowd-pleaser. Don't forget to serve it with crusty bread.
Slow Cooker Irish Stew
Ingredients3 pounds stewing beef, cubed
10 red new potatoes, skin left on, halved
1/2 onion, diced
3 large carrots, washed and cut in big pieces
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1/3 cup flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, halved
1-1/2 cups beef broth
1 bottle of beer
2 cans tomato sauce
3 bay leaves
1 sprig of thyme and 1 sprig of rosemary
1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper
Directions 1. Place the potatoes, onion, carrot chunks, garlic and celery in the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker. Top with bay leaves.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper in a bowl. Add flour and toss to coat.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute beef in batches until the pieces are browned on all sides. If the pan starts to run dry, add a little more olive oil.
4. Add the cooked meat to the slow cooker and top with mushrooms.
5. In a bowl, mix the beef broth, beer and tomato sauce. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
6. Place the sprigs of thyme and rosemary on top and put the lid on the slow cooker.
7. Cook for 8 hours on low heat or 4 hours on high.
