Irish Beef Vegetable Stew (Printable)
Tender beef, root vegetables, and barley simmered slowly for a hearty Irish classic.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
06 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Grains
08 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
→ Liquids
09 - 6 cups beef broth, low sodium preferred
10 - 1 cup Guinness or dark stout beer (optional, substitute additional broth if desired)
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
→ Herbs & Spices
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Fats
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Garnish
18 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Brown meat in batches, turning to achieve even color on all sides. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, parsnips, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate flavor.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to develop its flavor. Return browned beef and any accumulated juices back into the pot.
04 - Pour in beef broth and stout if using. Add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients and distribute seasonings evenly.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour to begin tenderizing the beef and developing base flavors.
06 - After 1 hour, stir in potatoes and pearl barley. Cover again and continue cooking for 45–60 minutes, or until beef is fork-tender, barley is cooked through, and stew has thickened to desired consistency.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaves. Taste stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed to balance flavors.
08 - Ladle hot stew into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately with crusty bread for soaking up the rich broth.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The barley soaks up all that beefy flavor until its perfectly tender, almost like little pearls of comfort
- Everything simmers in one pot, leaving you with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor
02 -
- The stew will thicken considerably as it sits, so plan to add a splash more broth or water when reheating leftovers
- Browning the beef properly is the most important step, so resist overcrowding the pan or the meat will steam instead of sear
03 -
- Cutting all your vegetables into similar sizes ensures everything finishes cooking at the same time
- Letting the stew rest for 15 minutes off the heat before serving allows the flavors to settle and the broth to thicken slightly