Irish Beef Vegetable Stew (Print View)
Tender beef with barley and root vegetables simmered in a flavorful Irish-style broth.
# 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
10 - 1 cup Guinness or other dark stout beer
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
# How to Make:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Brown meat in batches, searing all sides until deeply caramelized. Transfer browned beef to a plate and reserve.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, parsnips, celery, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and onions turn translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen flavor. Return browned beef to the pot.
04 - Pour in beef broth and stout. Add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour to develop base flavors.
06 - Stir in potatoes and pearl barley. Cover again and cook for 45-60 minutes until beef is fork-tender, barley is plump, and stew has thickened naturally.
07 - Remove bay leaves and discard. Taste stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle hot stew into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up the rich broth.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The barley absorbs all those beefy flavors and thickens the broth naturally without any fuss
- This is one of those rare meals that tastes even more incredible on day two
02 -
- The stew is done when the beef shreds easily with a fork and the barley is completely tender
- The broth will continue to thicken as it cools, so do not worry if it seems slightly thin while simmering
03 -
- Pat the beef completely dry before searing or it will steam instead of brown
- Do not rush the initial browning step, it creates the foundation for all the flavor