Add a Splash of Irish to Your Stew for St. Patrick’s Day
RECIPES

Add a Splash of Irish to Your Stew for St. Patrick’s Day

This no-nonsense, comforting stew is guaranteed to warm you, whether you’re Irish or not.

Ready IN
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings
6
Save
By Lynda Balslev
Updated:

When St. Patrick’s Day approaches, celebrate with a beef stew fortified with Irish stout for good measure—and good luck. This no-nonsense, comforting stew is guaranteed to warm you, whether you’re Irish or not. As most beef stews go, it’s a humble and forgiving recipe. Chunks of meat slowly braise until fork-tender in a hearty broth brightened by tomato and spiked with stout ale. Once the beef is tender, chunky root vegetables join the pot, contributing their humble, earthy sweetness to the stew and balancing its meaty richness.

Stout is a full-bodied ale that lends toasty depth and hints of malt and hops to the broth. Many stouts lean bitter due to the hops, so only 8 ounces is needed for sufficient flavor (which nicely provides you with leftovers to drink while cooking, if desired). You can make this stew in one day, but if you have time, prepare it the day before and chill it overnight before adding the vegetables. Not only will this allow the flavors to develop, but the fat will have time to rise and solidify on the stew. The next day, simply lift off and discard the collected fat, then add the vegetables and finish the stew.

(Photo by Lynda Balslev for Tastefood)
Photo by Lynda Balslev for Tastefood
Add a Splash of Irish to Your Stew for St. Patrick’s Day
Lynda Balslev
Time
3 hrs 30 mins
(Prep 30 minsCook 3 hrs)
Servings
6
ingredients
  • olive oil
  • 2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef chuck, excess fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup stout beer, such as Guinness
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 3 cups beef (or chicken) stock, or more as needed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 large carrot, cut in 1/2-inch slices
  • 1 1/2 pounds root vegetables, such as rutabaga, parsnip, or celery root, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
  • Chopped Italian parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.
STEP 2
Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with a lid. Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. In batches without overcrowding the pan, brown the beef on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl and repeat with the remaining beef. Add the onion to the pot and saute until soft, scraping up any brown bits, 2 to 3 minutes.
STEP 3
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beer and bring to a simmer, then whisk in the tomato paste and stir to blend.
STEP 4
Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the stock, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. The meat should be just covered with liquid. If not, add additional stock to cover.
STEP 5
Bring the liquid to a boil and then turn off the heat. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven and transfer to the stovetop.
STEP 6
(At this point, the stew may be refrigerated. Let it cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the stew from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving. Discard any accumulated fat from the surface, then gently reheat on the stovetop.)
STEP 7
While the stew is cooking (or reheating), heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and root vegetables and lightly season with salt. Saute the vegetables until they are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
STEP 8
Add the vegetables to the stew. Bring the stew to a low boil and simmer over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is slightly reduced, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste for seasoning.
STEP 9
Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes.
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Lynda Balslev
Lynda Balslev
Author
Lynda Balslev is a cookbook author, food and travel writer, and recipe developer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her Danish husband, two children, a cat, and a dog. Balslev studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in Paris and worked as a personal chef, culinary instructor, and food writer in Switzerland and Denmark. Copyright 2026 Lynda Balslev. Distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication.