Crock Pot Dump Guinness Beef Stew

Crockpot Irish Guinness Beef Stew – A classic Irish beef stew with a Guinness base, packed with potatoes, carrots, and tender slow-cooked beef. Full of fresh herbs, this stew evokes a feeling of true comfort on cold winter nights.

bowl of beef stew next to a bottle of guinness beer.

Guinness Stew

I already have a classic slow cooker beef stew but this hearty Irish Guinness beef stew is a little bit different.

The rich and flavorful broth is packed with potatoes, carrots, and beef and cooked in Guinness beer and beef stock. The stew is seasoned with fresh thyme and garlic, making it taste absolutely delicious.

It's so easy to make and it'll warm your soul. Served with a loaf of Irish soda breadb, it makes a fantastic St. Patrick's Day meal or weeknight dinner during the fall and winter months.

If you haven't tried cooking with Guinness beer before, now is the time! It gives the stew a wonderfully earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with beef.

Why you'll love Slow Cooker Irish Stew Recipe

It's a hearty and filling meal that's perfect for cold winter nights.
It's cooked low and slow in the crockpot rendering the moist, fork-tender beef.
Kids and adults both love this beef stew recipe.
The Guinness adds a unique flavor that makes this stew stand out from the rest.
It's a make-ahead meal, so you can prep it in the morning and come home to dinner at night!

overhead shot of guinness beef stew in the crockpot.

Equipment needed to make this Irish Beef Stew

Slow Cooker – This 6 quart Hamilton Beach is my slow cooker of choice.
Kitchen Knife – Having a high quality knife makes working in the kitchen even more enjoyable.
Veggie Chopper – I swear by this little guy. It's perfect for chopping uniform carrots, celery, and onions really quickly.

Ingredients for your Guinness Beef Stew

Below is a list of ingredients to help you prep. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.

Beef – In most beef dishes, like my lasagna, I recommend sirloin which is lean and more expensive. Stew is the opposite. Stew is the perfect time to skip the more expensive cuts of meat and go for the cheaper, tougher cuts like chuck. Chuck is perfect for slow cooking because it breaks down and becomes nice and tender.
Veggies – You'll need three stalks of celery, one large sweet onion (or two medium), a few medium potatoes, and 3 large carrots. I used yukon gold potatoes here but russets or red skins can also be used.
Stock – I prefer low sodium beef stock but you can use regular.
Guinness Beer – Guinness Extra Stout is the best choice for slow cooking because of the deep flavor.
Flour – You will coat the beef with a light coating of flour before searing. The starch in the flour will quickly caramelize and give a deeper color and flavor. It will also help to thicken the stew.
Garlic – Three cloves of garlic. Using garlic packed in oil will also work if that's what you have on hand.
Bay Leaves – With dried bay leaves, you'll smell a somewhat floral scent that is similar to oregano and thyme.
Fresh Thyme – Thyme is earthy, minty, and slightly lemony. If you don't have fresh thyme, you can use dried, but use less as dried herbs are stronger.
Olive Oil – To saute the beef and veggies.
Salt & Pepper – To taste.

How to make Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew

This stew is very simple to make but it does require some prep before it goes into the slow cooker.

STEP ONE: First, prepare all the veggies by washing, peeling, and dicing the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Keep them similar in size so they will cook evenly. Set aside while you prepare the beef.

STEP TWO: Next, prepare the beef by cutting it into bite sized pieces, seasoning with salt and pepper, and then coating it lightly with flour. You can either dredge the pieces in a bowl, or add the flour to a zip top bag and shaking the beef to coat. Either way, make sure you shake off any excess flour, it should be a light coating.

Add oil to the pan and sear the beef. Don't just brown it, you want a nice crust on each side for the best flavor. Once seared, remove and set aside.

collage of 4 photos showing diced veggies and cubed beef prepping for stew.

STEP THREE: Then, to the same large skillet, add half the oil, the diced onion and minced garlic. Saute until fragrant then add the carrots and celery and cook until softened.

STEP FOUR: Finally, to the basin of the slow cooker, add the seared beef, sauteed veggies, beef stock, and Guinness beer. Add in the cubed potatoes, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir, season to taste and then cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.

collage of 4 photos showing veggies and beef going into the crockpot for stew.

What To Serve With Your Irish Stew

This stew is filling enough to eat on its own, but you could also serve it with some crusty sourdough bread, onion dill bread, or Irish soda bread.

For dessert, a pistachio cake or 7-Up pound cake would be the perfect ending to this meal.

How to store and reheat leftovers

You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days in the fridge or two months in the freezer.

When reheating, you can heat it up in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven. If you'd like, you can even reheat it in the slow cooker!

Can I freeze the Irish stew?

Yes! This Guinness beef stew recipe freezes wonderfully. Just make sure to cool it down completely before freezing. You can store it in an airtight container for up to two months.

Irish Beef Stew FAQs

What If I can't find beef stew pieces – can I cube a chuck roast?

Absolutely! If you can't find beef stew pieces, you can cube a chuck roast. I recommend cutting it into one-inch cubes and then trimming off any excess fat before browning the beef.

How do you thicken Irish stew?

To thicken this Guinness beef stew recipe, you can make a roux with flour in butter or take out some potato cubes and mash them and add it back in.

Note: Due to the veggies being precooked and the addition of the flour on the beef, it should not necessary to thicken this stew. If you find that it is too watery when you're ready to serve, use the above method.

What can I substitute the Guinness for?

If you can't find Guinness at your local grocery store, you can use any other stout beer like Murphy's Irish Stout. You can also use additional beef stock with a splash of Worcestershire sauce for a non-alcoholic version of this recipe.

Tips and Suggestions

Use chuck in your stew. The tougher cut breaks down beautifully in the slow cooker.
Sear the meat. I usually like "dump & go" slow cooker recipes but this one requires some prep. Searing the beef is essential in beef stew if you want a deep, rich flavor (which you do!). Don't just brown the beef, let it sit in the hot pan and form a crust before you flip to the next side.
Give it time. Low and slow is the way to go with stew. I recommend cooking it on LOW for the best results.
Serve with a piece of crusty bread of noodles to sop up the gravy.

Need more slow cooker beef recipes? Try these:

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Chili Recipe
Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

Click here for my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.

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bowl of beef stew next to a bottle of guinness beer.

Irish Guinness Beef Stew (Crockpot Recipe)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 6 hrs

Total Time 6 hrs 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 594 kcal

2.5 pounds beef chuck cut into bite-sized pieces
3 large celery stalks diced
1 large yellow onion diced
3-4 medium yellow potatoes cubed
3 large carrots diced
32 ounces low sodium beef stock
12 ounce Guinness beer stout or draught
½ cup white flour
3 cloves garlic finely minced
2 medium bay leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil divided
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Prepare the celery, onion, and potatoes by washing and dicing them. Keep them somewhat similar in size so they'll cook evenly. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the beef pieces and lightly salt. Add in the flour and stir to coat.
To a large frying pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour-coated beef and cook until golden brown. Work in batches if needed, to avoid overcrowding the pan. When done, remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
To the same pan, over medium heat, add two more tablespoons of olive oil and the diced onion and minced garlic. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and saute until fragrant.
Add the diced carrot and celery and cook until soft, approximately 10 minutes.
To the bowl of the slow cooker, add the browned meat, the cooked veggies, and the cubed potatoes and mix well.
Pour in the Guinness beer and beef stock. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours, or until your potatoes are soft and the broth has thickened.

Use chuck in your stew. The tougher cut breaks down beautifully in the slow cooker.
Sear the meat. I usually like "dump & go" slow cooker recipes but this one requires some prep. Searing the beef is essential in beef stew if you want a deep, rich flavor (which you do!). Don't just brown the beef, let it sit in the hot pan and form a crust before you flip to the next side.
Give it time. Low and slow is the way to go with stew. I recommend cooking it on LOW for the best results.
Serve with a piece of crusty bread of noodles to sop up the gravy.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Serving: 1 g Calories: 594 kcal Carbohydrates: 33 g Protein: 43 g Fat: 31 g Saturated Fat: 11 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g Monounsaturated Fat: 18 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 130 mg Sodium: 486 mg Potassium: 1443 mg Fiber: 4 g Sugar: 4 g Vitamin A: 6084 IU Vitamin C: 22 mg Calcium: 80 mg Iron: 6 mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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