Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon Recipe
Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon Recipe. This Irish-inspired dinner is a perfect choice for St. Patrick’s Day or any day you’re craving some comfort food.
It’s a heartwarming combo of rich beef stew and smooth colcannon, featuring straightforward ingredients that pack a punch of flavor.
The stew is loaded with beef, onions, carrots, and a splash of beer for depth, seasoned with a mix of herbs and spices.
The colcannon, a traditional Irish side, blends creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage and crispy bacon, enriched with a touch of milk and butter. It’s the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table, offering a taste of Ireland right in your kitchen.
Ideal for a hearty dinner, this dish is simple, satisfying, and sure to be a hit, especially when you’re looking to capture the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with authentic comfort food.
Tips and Tricks
Prepping the Ingredients
Chop Ahead of Time To save time, chop all the vegetables and prepare your ingredients before you start cooking. This will make the cooking process smoother and more efficient.
Browning the Beef
Get a Good Sear When browning the beef, make sure your Dutch oven is very hot before adding the meat. This ensures a good sear, which locks in the juices and adds flavor to your stew.
Using the Right Beer
Choose Wisely Use a dark beer like stout or porter for a richer, deeper flavor in your stew. Avoid light beers as they won’t provide the same depth of taste.
Adjusting the Seasoning
Taste as You Go As the stew cooks, taste it periodically and adjust the seasoning if needed. This will help you achieve the perfect balance of flavors.
Thickening the Stew
Flour Coating Sprinkling the beef with flour before adding the liquid helps thicken the stew naturally. If the stew is too thin, you can make a slurry with a bit of flour and water and stir it in during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Enhancing the Colcannon
Creamy Potatoes For extra creamy colcannon, warm the milk and butter before adding them to the potatoes. This prevents the potatoes from cooling down too much and helps them stay smooth and creamy.
Making Ahead
Better the Next Day Irish stew often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. If possible, prepare it a day in advance and reheat it before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Presentation Matters Serve the colcannon in individual bowls with a hollow in the center filled with the stew. This not only looks appealing but also makes it easy to get a bit of everything in each bite.
Related Recipes
Butternut Squash And Beef Stew
Easy Irish Soda Bread
Ground Beef And Tater Tot Casserole
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Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon
Equipment
Ingredients
Irish Stew:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 pound beef chuck roast trim and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 can (12 fluid ounce) dark beer
- 1 cup onion coarsely chopped
- 1 cup carrots coarsely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Colcannon:
- 3 slices bacon
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 cups cabbage thinly sliced
- ¼ cup warm milk
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
For the Stew:
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until it's very hot.
- Brown the beef in two batches, cooking and stirring until it's nicely browned.
- Put all the beef back into the Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour, and stir gently to coat the meat.
- Add beer, onion, carrot, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the Dutch oven.
- Place the covered Dutch oven in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover, stir the stew, and continue baking until the beef is tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.
For the Colcannon:
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, then crumble it and set it aside.
- Sauté the cabbage in the bacon grease, then set it aside.
- About 30 minutes before the stew is done, put the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with salted water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, add warm milk, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the sautéed cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until everything is well mixed.
To Serve:
- coop some colcannon onto a plate, make a hollow in the center, and fill it with beef stew.
Nutrition
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