Irish Beef Stew – a rich, hearty and flavorful Instant Pot recipe made with tender beef, Guinness beer, potatoes, carrots, celery and onions. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any cold day. With gluten free / low carb / keto options.
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There’s nothing more comforting on a cold day than a big pot of homemade beef stew. It’s the ultimate comfort food that can warm you up even on the coldest day.
My family is crazy about beef stew and we usually rotate between:
- this classic homemade hearty beef stew made on the stove
- a slow cooker beef stew
- instant pot beef stew
And since St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, we added a little bit of Guinness stout for this Irish Beef Stew.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE WITH BEEF STEW AND IRISH STEW?
Irish stew is traditionally made with Guinness beer, mature lamb (year old) or mutton, potatoes, onions, and water, and is simply cooked low and slow.
Instead of lamb, today’s Irish beef stew recipe uses beef chuck roast, Guinness stout, potatoes, carrots, onions and peas. Feel free to substitute any of the ingredients with what you like or have on hand.
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE IRISH GUINNESS BEEF STEW?
- beef chuck roast
- salt & pepper
- onion powder
- oregano
- thyme
- rosemary
- flour
- onion
- garlic
- tomato paste
- Guinness Extra Stout (leave out for low carb, keto & paleo)
- Yukon potatoes (swap with turnips for low carb / keto)
- carrots (leave out for keto)
- celery
- peas (leave out for keto)
- Worcestershire sauce
- bay leaf
- beef broth
- water
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT IRISH BEEF STEW
- You’re going to start by combining the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, oregano, thyme and rosemary into a large zip-top bag. Add the meat and shake until well coated..
BROWN THE MEAT: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE, add cooking oil and brown the meat on all sides. The meat will not be cooked through which is okay – we just want to add that crispy caramel coating. (Do not crowd the pot – you may have to work in batches). Transfer browned meat onto a large plate.
- Place the inner pot back in the instant pot pressure cooker and add onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or two. Add the Guinness beer and tomato paste until just hot enough to deglaze the pot, about 1 minute.
- Add the browned beef back into the pot along with potatoes, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and beef broth. Stir to combine. If there is not enough liquid to cover the vegetables, add water – only as much as needed.
- Cover and seal the lid and set to 20 minutes with High Pressure on Manual mode. Allow the pressure cooker to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Add peas and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot with fresh parsley.
- TO THICKEN THE STEW (OPTIONAL) Make a slurry by whisking 3 tablespoons of cool water with 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch or flour (all purpose, gluten free or arrowroot powder). Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and allow the stew to come to a boil and thicken up.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST IRISH BEEF STEW:
- What type of meat do I use for Irish beef stew? We prefer using beef chuck since I find it produces the most tender beef but if you are in a pinch, you can use beef stew meat
- What is the best pressure cooker for making Irish beef stew? (Affiliate link) Be sure to use at least a 6 quart Instant Pot pressure cooker for this recipe. I use the 6 Quart DUO PLUS.
- Can I skip browning the meat? While you can skip this step, I would definitely brown the beef in the Instant Pot prior to adding the other ingredients. It’s an extra, more involved step but completely worth it for that caramelized and hearty depth and extra layer of flavor you get. On those days you are pressed for time, you are totally free to skip the browning if you’d prefer an easy dump and go recipe.
- What vegetables are in Irish beef stew? Can I use russet potatoes in beef stew? Our Irish beef stew recipe includes carrots, celery and we recommend Yukon potatoes over Russet since Russet potatoes are high in starch and break down in soups and stew. If you want a low carb / keto option, you can use turnips or cauliflower instead of potatoes.
- What other key ingredients do I need to make the best Irish beef stew? Add some tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Guinness Extra Stout and maybe even a star anise for a punch of flavor. If you can’t find a star anise or are not a fan, feel free to leave it out.
CAN YOU MAKE IRISH BEEF STEW AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, the great thing about this Instant Pot Irish Beef Stew recipe is that it works great for meal prep. Here are a few tips:
- chop the carrots and celery the day before and add them to a zip-top freezer bag in the fridge
- peel and chop the potatoes and onions and store them in a zip-top freezer bag in the freezer. This prevents the potatoes from changing color and the onions from spreading odors in the fridge.
- cut the beef into chunks and place in zip-top freezer bags. Store in the fridge.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH IRISH BEEF STEW?
- crusty bread
- Roasted Broccoli
- mashed potatoes
More Instant Pot recipes you might like:
Creamy Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
Creamy Lemon Chicken with Garlic in the Instant Pot
Irish Beef Stew
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Irish Beef Stew - a rich, hearty and flavorful Instant Pot recipe made with tender beef, Guinness beer, potatoes, carrots, celery and onions. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any cold day.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: beef stew recipes, Instant Pot, instant pot stew, irish beef stew
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 395 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds beef chuck roast , trimmed and cut into 1 - 2 inch chunks (or if you can't find chuck roast - use beef stew meat)
- 1 -2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/3 cup flour , use gluten free flour or arrowroot starch if needed (leave out for keto)
- cooking oil
- 1 medium onion cut into large chunks
- 3-4 cloves garlic , minced
- 6 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bottle , 1 pint 16 oz Guinness Extra Stout
- 4 medium Yukon potatoes , peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks (sub with turnips or cauliflower for low carb / keto)
- 3 medium carrots , peeled and cut into slices (leave out for low carb / keto)
- 2 celery rubs , chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups beef broth , homemade or low sodium
- water as needed to cover the vegetables
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- 1/2 star anise optional but adds SO much depth and flavor
- 1/2 cup peas , leave out for keto
- salt and pepper to taste
TO THICKEN STEW (OPTIONAL):
- Make a slurry with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch or flour , all purpose, gluten free or arrowroot powder+ 3 tablespoons cool water
- Instant Pot I have the 6 Quart DUO PLUS
Instructions
- In a large zip-top bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, oregano, thyme and rosemary. Add meat and shake until well coated.
- Browning the meat: (feel free to skip to step 5 and add all the ingredients together instead). Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE, add cooking oil and brown the meat on all sides. Meat will not be cooked through. (Be sure not to crowd the pot - you may have to work in batches). Transfer browned meat onto a large plate.
- Place the pot back in the pressure cooker and add onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or two then add the Guinness stout and tomato paste until just hot enough to deglaze the pot, about 1 minute.
- Add the beef back into the pot along with potatoes, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, bay leaf, beef broth and (star anise if using). Stir to combine. If there is not enough liquid to cover the vegetables, add water - only as much as needed.
- Cover and seal the lid and set to 20 minutes with High Pressure on Manual mode. Allow the pressure cooker to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary (discard star anise if used). Serve hot with fresh parsley.
TO THICKEN STEW (OPTIONAL):
- Make a slurry by whisking 3 tablespoons of cool water with 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch or flour (all purpose, gluten free or arrowroot powder). Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and allow the stew to come to a boil and thicken up.
Nutrition Facts
Irish Beef Stew
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 395
% Daily Value*
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 4g8%
* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
TERRI -
Delicious! I MADE THIS TONIGHT. I LEFT OUT THE CELERY, BUT ADDED 3 PARSNIPS. I ALSO ADDED MORE OREGANO, BASIL, THYME, GARLIC POWDER, OREGANO THAN RECIPE STATED. I DID DO THE SURRY AT THE END TO MAKE IT THICKER. NEEDED MORE S * P, BUT WE LIKE A LOT OF FLAVOR. BUT THE BASE WAS REALLY DELICIOUS! WILL DEFINITELY MAKE AGAIN.