recently been asked to share our favorite recipe for Irish beef stew without
wine.
Of course, if you know us, we usually have no reservations about cooking with wine. The alcohol is cooked leaving a depth of flavor that we enjoy in many recipes such as Irish shepherd pie, Burgundy meat and even in our homemade pasta sauce.
However, we know that for personal reasons, some people are unable or unwilling to use wine while cooking. And we totally understand that.
So, with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, we thought it would be a great time to share one of our favorite recipes we had while visiting Ireland several years ago.
Thick and hearty pieces of meat mixed with carrots, potatoes and onions in a rich sauce sauce that is perfect to serve as a standalone meal or on mashed potatoes.
Of course, don’t forget to make some Irish soda bread to absorb the juices once you’re done with your meal!
Irish Meat Stew Recipe
* Complete recipe instructions, including specific measurements, cooking temperatures, and timings, are located on a printable recipe card at the end of this article. However, be sure to read on for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Stew meat
- Salt and pepper
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery Garlic cloves
- Reddish potatoes
- Veal broth
- Dark beer Guinness Dried
- thyme
- Parsley (optional)
Instructions
Although this wine-free Irish beef stew recipe is primarily a clay pot recipe, there are a few steps we recommend you do before putting your whole slow cooker in.
First cut the large pieces of stew meat into manageable bite-sized pieces. Then season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Take a large skillet and place it over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Once hot, add the meat and seal on all sides until golden brown.
This should take about 10 minutes. Be sure to work in batches if your pan is not large enough to seal in a single layer.
Once the meat of the stew is golden all over, transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker
.
We love our 6-quart programmable clay pot. You can schedule the desired cooking time for this meat stew recipe and when you finish cooking, it will automatically move to a Keep Warm setting. This way, your food doesn’t overcook, but it’s still hot every time you come home!
Sauté the vegetables
In the same pan you used to brown the meat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and then add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until soft
.
This step will take approximately 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Then add some of the meat broth to the pan and deglaze the bottom of the pan to remove the stuck pieces.
Now transfer the pan mixture to the slow cooker with the meat and then add the potatoes, remaining broth, beer and thyme.
Do I have to use beer?
Although Guinness is used in many Irish recipes, including this Irish beef stew recipe without wine, it is not absolutely necessary. If you prefer not to use this famous dark beer, replace the liquid with more meat broth.
Stir the mixture once more, then cover and cook in HIGH for 3-4 hours, or LOW for 8 hours
.
Half an hour before the cooking time runs out, determine whether you want a thicker sauce or not. If you do, make a cornstarch suspension made from equal parts cornstarch and water.
Beat the suspension and then add it to the meat stew and stir. Let the mixture continue to cook and the liquid will thicken.
Serve with parsley as a side dish if desired along with mashed potatoes and Irish soda bread
.
Enjoy!
Mary and Jim
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