How to Make Irish Stew in Your Slow Cooker
Updated: Aug. 04, 2023
Make this hearty Irish dish the easy way: in your Crockpot! We'll teach you how to make a slow-cooker Irish stew that's perfect for St. Patrick's Day (and the rest of the year, too).
We love Irish cooking (especially these classic Irish recipes). It’s exceptionally homey, with hearty ingredients and fresh produce. The best meals, like Colcannon potatoes, soda bread and Irish stew, make us feel warm and cozy.
A low-and-slow stew might seem like the kind of dinner you have to babysit all day, but making a traditional lamb stew doesn’t need to be difficult. In fact, when you opt to use a slow cooker, you can get that all-day flavor with minimal hands-on time. This slow-cooker Irish stew tastes like it’s 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
- 1-1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-in. cubes
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth, plus a splash for deglazing the pan
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1-in. pieces
- 2 medium parsnips, cut into 1-in. pieces (or substitute with additional carrots)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons water
Editor’s Tip: Lamb is the preferred meat for Irish stew, but you can easily use beef chuck roast.
Tools You’ll Need
- Slow Cooker: The Taste of Home Test Kitchen gave this slow cooker top marks. It has a ceramic-coated insert that’s nonstick, so cleanup is a breeze.
- Cast-Iron Skillet: This Lodge skillet is excellent for sauteing a variety of foods, including meat and vegetables.
- Wooden Spoon: I use a wooden slotted spoon like this one as a mini strainer to remove solids from liquids.
Directions
Step 1: Prep and brown the beef
Preheat your slow cooker on low and heat a cast-iron skillet (or another heavy pan) over medium-high heat.
Toss the meat with 1/3 cup of flour until coated. You can do this by sealing the two ingredients in a zip-top bag, then shaking, or by tossing them together in a large mixing bowl.
Once the skillet is hot, brown the meat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. You don’t need to cook the beef long—just enough to get some color on the outside. When it’s browned, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same pan, saute the onions and garlic for a minute or two. Hit this with a splash or two of the beef broth—this will help deglaze, or loosen all the tasty browned bits from the pan. You don’t need to cook them completely; the slow cooker will take care of that.
Even though this recipe relies on your trusty Crockpot to get that fork-tender texture, browning gives ingredients a big flavor boost.
Step 2: Start slow-cooking
When the slow cooker is warm, add the meat and the onion, garlic and broth mixture. You want every bit of flavor from the skillet going into the slow cooker! Then stir in the potatoes, carrots, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth.
Let the stew cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Step 3: Add the finishing touches
Peas cook quickly in the slow cooker, so wait until the last half hour to stir them in.
This is also the time to give your stew a bit more body. So, thicken the stew with a bit of flour: Whisk together 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water until nice and smooth. Then stir into the stew. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and let the stew bubble away for 30 minutes more.
The result is a hearty Irish stew that’s perfect for chilly evenings. We recommend serving it alongside a slice of homemade Irish soda bread.
Tips for Making Slow-Cooker Irish Stew
How do you thicken slow-cooker Irish stew?
Coating the meat with flour will help the stew thicken as it cooks. The flour slurry at the end helps the stew come together, too.
What do you serve with slow-cooker Irish stew?
Soda bread is most commonly served with Irish stew. Don’t forget about these other traditional Irish foods,
How do you store slow-cooker Irish stew?
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.
Classic Irish Recipes You'll Love
Colcannon PotatoesEvery Irish family has its own colcannon recipe, since it's a classic potato and cabbage dish. My recipe comes from my father's family in Ireland. It's part of my St. Patrick's Day menu, along with lamb chops, carrots and soda bread. —Marilou Robinson, Portland, Oregon
Irish Spiced BeefThe story goes that my Irish ancestors brought this recipe along when they immigrated to the U.S. Start it at least five days ahead to spice and tenderize the meat; the flavors are worth it. —Mary Shenk, Dekalb, Illinois
Red Roasted PotatoesSome fragrant rosemary, fresh or dried, gives these roasted red potatoes a distinctive and subtle taste. This dish is simple to prepare yet elegant in color and flavor. It's a wonderful addition to any menu. —Margie Wampler, Butler, Pennsylvania
Hearty Beef & Sweet Potato StewI have fond memories of growing up in an Irish-Italian family and learning to cook from my grandparents. Beefy stew reminds me of their precious contributions. —Renee Murphy, Smithtown, New York
Savory Beef & Cabbage SupperMy beef and cabbage supper began as an idea for a gluten-free Reuben sandwich. We also make this dish with smoked sausage. It’s comforting on cooler days. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
Irish Brown Bread
During our visit to Ireland, my family and I fell in love with Irish brown bread: a simple, rustic loaf with a crunchy crust, soft interior and rich wheat flavor. We missed it so much after leaving that I made my own Irish brown bread recipe. —Nancy Mock, Burlington, Vermont
Brown Sugar-Glazed Baby CarrotsThese delicious glazed carrots come to the rescue when I need a side dish for Irish recipes. They cook while I prepare the other dishes, and the slow-cooker simmering saves me precious oven space. —Anndrea Bailey, Huntington Beach, California
Date Pecan Tea BreadPacked with dates and pecans, this sweet bread is excellent on its own and even better topped with the chunky cream cheese spread. We enjoy it during the holiday season, but also for after-school and late-night snacks. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
Grandma’s Seafood ChowderMy grandmother makes this Irish recipe every year for Christmas morning—the only time we ever had it. Why wait, when you can enjoy this satisfying chowder anytime? It's also delicious topped with biscuits! —Melissa Obernesser, Utica, New York
Winning Apple CrispI live in apple country, and making a delicious apple crisp is one way to use the fruit. This treat doesn’t take a lot of time to assemble. —Gertrude Bartnick, Portage, Wisconsin
Candied Bacon-Wrapped FigsI stuffed figs with cream cheese and wrapped them in bacon and spices for an addictive flavor combo that’s sweet, salty and delicious. You can use dates, too. —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon
Stout & Shiitake Pot RoastIrish recipes that use Guinness are always winners. Mushrooms, onions and a bottle of Guinness add excellent flavor to my pot roast. This one-dish wonder may taste even better the next day. —Madeleine Bessette, Coeur d Alene, Idaho
Potato and Leek SoupFull of veggies and smoky bacon, with just a little tanginess from sour cream, bowls of this comforting soup taste just as terrific with sandwiches as they do with crackers. —Melanie Wooden, Reno, Nevada
Bread Pudding with NutmegI always make this Irish recipe for my dad on his birthday and on holidays. He says it tastes exactly like the bread pudding with nutmeg he enjoyed as a child. —Donna Powell, Montgomery City, Missouri
Guinness FloatThat very first sip of a Guinness is what inspired this quick and easy dessert. The rich, creamy foam that gathers on the top of a freshly poured draft made me think of vanilla ice cream. At that point, I knew I had to combine the two in a Guinness float. —James Schend, Dairy Freed
Garlic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard SauceIrish recipes like braised meats need hearty veggies to pair with. Don’t be afraid to bring out the roasted Brussels sprouts. Mellowed with mustard sauce, they may just delight even the most skeptical folks. —Becky Walch, Orland, California
Ham and Leek PiesI've been making these pies for years, so lots of friends and family now have the recipe. If you can't find leeks, a sweet or mild onion works just as well. —Bonny Tillman, Acworth, Georgia
Lemon Roasted Fingerlings and Brussels SproutsMy trick to roasting veggies is to choose ones that cook in the same amount of time. Other combinations to try? Cauliflower florets with baby carrots or okra with cherry tomatoes. —Courtney Gaylord, Columbus, Indiana
Beer-Braised Roast with Root VegetablesI like the combination of seasoned vegetables and lean meat in this recipe, and my wife likes how the seasonings complement the meat. I serve the roast with a garden salad and crusty multigrain bread. —Malcolm Cieszko, Washington, North Carolina
Homemade Irish Soda BreadSome people consider bread to be the most important part of a meal...and this Irish recipe satisfies such folks! This recipe is by far the best soda bread I've ever tried. With the addition of raisins, it is moist and delicious! —Evelyn Kenney, Trenton, New Jersey
Smoked Salmon Cheese SpreadPretzels, chips and veggies all taste awesome with this creamy blend of salmon, cheese and herbs. Thanks to a food processor, it's always ready in a hurry. —Jill Campbell, Huntsville, Texas
St. Patrick’s Irish Beef DinnerA variation on shepherd's pie, this hearty St. Patrick's Irish beef dinner brings together saucy beef, mashed potatoes, parsnips and other vegetables. It's always the star of our March 17th meal. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Originally Published: March 02, 2022
