We love Irish cuisine (especially these classic Irish recipes). It’s exceptionally homely, with hearty ingredients and fresh produce. The best foods, such as Colcannon potatoes, soda bread, and Irish stew, make us feel warm and welcoming.
A low, slow stew may seem like the kind of dinner you have to take care of all day, but making a traditional lamb stew doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, when you opt to use a slow cooker, you can get that flavor throughout the day with minimal hands-on time. This slow cooker Irish stew tastes straight from the Emerald Isle!
How to Make Slow Cooker Irish Stew
Our original Irish stew recipe uses a Dutch oven, but we’ve adapted it slightly for the slow cooker.
Ingredients
Jenna Urben for Taste of Home
- 1-1/2 pounds roast beef, cut into 1-inch cubes 1
- /3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- tablespoons olive oil, divided
- garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth, plus a splash to defrost the pan
- diced
- medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces (or substitute with extra carrots)
- dried thyme
- teaspoon
- Worcestershire sauce 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons water
, divided 3
1 large onion, chopped 3
3 medium potatoes, peeled and
2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 2
1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/
2
Editor’s tip: Lamb is the meat of choice for Irish stew, but you can easily use roast beef
.
Tools you’ll need
Slow cooker
- : The taste of homemade test cooking gave this slow cooker top marks. It has a ceramic coated insert that is non-stick, so cleaning is very easy.
- Cast Iron Skillet: This Lodge skillet is great for stirring a variety of foods, including meat and vegetables.
- : I use a wooden slotted spoon like this as a mini strainer to remove solids from liquids.
Wooden spoon
Step
1: Prepare and brown the meat Preheat
your slow cooker over low heat and heat a cast iron skillet (or other heavy skillet) over medium-high heat
.
Mix the meat with 1/3 cup of flour until covered. You can do this by sealing the two ingredients in a zippered bag, then shaking them or mixing them in a large bowl.
Once the pan is hot, brown the meat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. You don’t need to cook meat for a long time, just enough to get some color outside. When golden brown, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same skillet, sauté the onions and garlic for a minute or two. Hit this with a splash or two of the meat broth, this will help deglaze or loosen all the tasty golden pieces of the pan. You don’t need to cook them thoroughly; The slow cooker will take care of that.
Even though this recipe relies on its reliable Crockpot for that tender fork texture, the browning gives the ingredients a great flavor boost.
Step 2: Start cooking slowly
Jenna Urben for Taste of Home
When the slow
cooker is warm, add the meat and the onion, garlic and broth mixture. You want every bit of flavor in the pan to go to the slow cooker! Then add the potatoes, carrots, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth.
Let the stew simmer for 8 to 10 hours.
Step 3: Add the finishing touches The
peas cook quickly in the slow cooker, so wait until the last half hour to stir them
.
This is also the time to give your stew a little more body. So, thicken the stew with a little flour: whisk 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water until it is good and smooth. Then stir in the stew. Put the lid back in the slow cooker and let the stew bubble for 30 more minutes.
The result is a hearty Irish stew that’s perfect for cold nights. We recommend serving it along with a slice of homemade Irish soda bread.
Tips for Making Slow Cooker Irish Stew
Jenna Urben for Taste of Home
How do you thicken the slow cooker Irish
stew?
Coating the meat with flour will help the stew thicken as it cooks. The suspension of flour at the end also helps the stew come together.
What is served with the slow cooker Irish stew?
Soda bread is most commonly served with Irish stew. Don’t forget these other traditional Irish foods,
how is slow cooker Irish stew
stored? Store leftover Irish stew
in
an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. This stew can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
