Instant Pot Irish Stew

5 from 13 votes

This recipe for Instant Pot Irish Stew features melt-in-your mouth beef, tender root veggies, and a rich, tangy, and robust Guinness-infused broth. No Instant Pot? I have instructions for making this stew in the slow cooker as well.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Pressure Build-Up and Release45

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Irish

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1¼ pounds beef or lamb stew meat cubed into 1½-inch chunks
kosher salt + black pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion minced
1 stalk celery diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
12 ounces Stout Beer
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar
2 bay leaves
1 pound Yukon Gold, Russet, or red potatoes cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 large carrots peeled, cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 small parsnips peeled, cut into 2½-inch pieces

Optional

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to saute, add 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and let heat. While the oil is heating, pat the stew meat dry with a paper towel and then season generously with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Once the oil has heated, add in the seasoned beef, minced onion, and diced celery and saute until the beef is fully browned and the onions and celery have softened.
With the Instant Pot still on saute, add in the minced garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves and saute for 30 seconds, just to toast the spices and tomato paste.
Add 12 ounces Stout Beer to the inner pot, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the mixture cook for 3-4 minutes to reduce slightly. Hit cancel to turn the saute function.
Add 2 cups low-sodium beef broth , 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 bay leaves, a good pinch of both kosher salt and pepper, potatoes, carrots, and parsnips to the inner pot and stir to combine.
Secure the lid on the instant pot. Set to cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes by using the manual or pressure cook button. When the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally on its own for 15 minutes.
At this point, the stew is ready to be served. However, if you would like a thicker stew, thicken it up by hitting cancel to turn off the keep warm feature and then hit saute. Whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the stew, and let simmer and bubble until thickened, stirring often.

Video

Notes

UPDATE: This recipe was originally published as a 2-step cooking process. I have made some slight changes and now the stew comes together with much less effort and perfect results.

Potatoes: I recommend waxy potatoes, like Yukon Gold for this stew. If using russet potatoes, be sure to peel them prior to adding them to the stew.

Parsnips: If you don’t care for parsnips, use additional carrots, or vice versa.

Maple Syrup: Use pure maple syrup or brown sugar in its place. You can certainly omit or cut the maple syrup in half if you are watching adding sugars.

Slow Cooker Instructions: Sear the seasoned beef, onion, and celery in a large dutch oven in heated oil, then transfer to the base of a crockpot. Add in the beer, 3 cups of broth, tomato paste, seasonings, and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. To thicken, remove the lid from the slow cooker, and turn the heat to high. Whisk together the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch is fully dissolved, then whisk into the crockpot. Let cook for 30 minutes on high, with the lid removed, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Storage: Leftover Irish Stew can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition