Crockpot Guinness Irish Stew ☘️

On a day like today when it’s cold, windy and snowy (in March 😡🙁😩) this Guinness Irish Stew will not only warm you up, it will definitely fill you up. It’s great for lunch, an after school snack or serve it with a salad and some of your favorite bread for dinner. I know my granddaughters would love to have this after school. The first thing they do when they get home is head to the kitchen for something to eat. My 5th grader eats lunch at 11:30 and is home eating again at 2:30. Sometimes I wonder if she eats lunch at all.

The traditional Irish Stew is made with lamb or mutton, but you can use a chunk roast if you are not a fan of lamb. I’ve also included a stovetop option incase you’d rather cook it that way. If your the type of person that likes to get up early and throw a meal in a crockpot, this is a hearty stew your whole family will love. Serves 10. You’ll need either a crockpot or a Dutch Oven.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 lb of lamb shoulder or chuck roast, cubed
3-4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
3-4 stalks of celery, cleaned and cut into 1” pieces
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
2-3 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
6-8 sprigs of thyme
3-4 sprigs of rosemary
Small bunch of fresh parsley
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6 cups of beef stock
Flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 oz can of Guinness beer or any dark stout
1/2 cup of pearl barley, cooked in 1 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth
4 tablespoons cornstarch (for the thickness)
Garnish: fresh parsley, chopped and a slice of a skinless tomato (optional)

Crockpot Directions:

In a medium size skillet add the olive oil. When the oil is hot dredge your cubed meat in the flour, season with salt and pepper and sear on both sides until they are golden brown about 3-4 minutes, set aside.

Tie together with butchers twine the thyme, rosemary and the small bunch of fresh parsley.

In your crockpot add in your vegetables (onions, celery, carrots, garlic and potatoes). On top the vegetables add your meat. In a small bowl combine the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and beer, the pour over the meat. Pour in the beef stock and add the bundle of herbs. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Add some water to the corn starch to make a smooth paste. When the stew is done remove the bundle of herbs and add 1/2 of the corn starch mixture and stir to thicken. Add in the cooked barley. If you need to make the stew thicker add in the remaining corn starch mixture and stir. Serve with a garnish of fresh  chopped parsley and a slice of a skinless tomato (if desired). And of course some bread to sop up the yummy gravy. Yum Yum!

Cook the barley: in a small saucepan bring the water or chicken broth to boil and add in the barley. Reduce heat to med/low. Cover and let cook 20-30 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.


Optional Stovetop Directions:

In your Dutch Oven add in the olive oil. When it’s hot dredge your cubed meat in the flour, season with salt and pepper and sear on both sides until golden brown about 3-4 minutes, set aside.

If you need more oil add it then add in the onions and sauté them for 3-4 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Remove and set aside. Add in the carrots and celery for the same amount of time. In the last minute add in the garlic and stir. Remove and set aside. If there is any oil left, drain.

On high heat add in the beer and scrape and brown bits off the bottom of the Dutch Oven, then reduce heat to med/high and add in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, stir to combine. Add in the vegetables, meat and bundle of herbs (still needed to tie them together). Pour in the beef stock. Salt and pepper, to taste. You might want to taste test the stew first before adding more salt, because the beef stock has a lot of sodium. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 3 hours.

When done remove the bundle of herbs and add 1/2 of the corn starch mixture, stir to thicken. Add in the cooked barley, stir to combine. If needed, add in the remaining corn starch mixture. Garnish and serve the same way as the crockpot method. Yum Yum!