Slow Cooker Guinness Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

There aren’t many dinners that feel more suited to a cold, miserable day than a big bowl of lamb stew. This version is made in the slow cooker with Guinness, potatoes and plenty of root vegetables, so it’s exactly the sort of dinner I want when autumn and winter arrive.

The recipe uses chunks of lamb with carrots, parsnips, turnip, potatoes, onion, tomatoes and beef stock. Then there’s 200ml of Guinness, which adds a lovely depth to the gravy without making dinner taste like you’re drinking a pint!

Most of the ingredients simply go into the slow cooker together and cook on LOW for around seven hours. Towards the end, I thicken the gravy and add the peas, so there isn’t much to do when you’re actually ready for dinner.

It’s a substantial meal in its own right, which is one of the things I like about slow cooker stews. You can add some crusty bread if you want something to mop up the gravy, but you certainly don’t need to start making several side dishes.

If this is your sort of cold-weather dinner, have a look through my other slow cooker recipes too because I’ve got plenty more stews, casseroles and curries.

It is easy to make as well as delicious and you can cook it all in the same pot, so you have fewer dishes to clean. In fact, all you have to do is toss it all in the slow cooker and let it cook all day while you do whatever. Also, this Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Cabbage is another winner dinner that requires minimum effort but tastes delicious.

What lamb should I use for slow cooker Guinness stew?

My recipe uses boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat and cut into chunks of roughly the same size.

You may see other slow cooker lamb stews made with shoulder or neck because long, slow cooking works well with several cuts of lamb. That’s absolutely fine, but the timings and finished texture can vary depending on the cut you use.

If you want to make the recipe exactly as I’ve written and tested it, stick with boneless lamb leg.

You don’t need beautifully perfect cubes, but keeping the pieces roughly similar in size helps them cook evenly.

What does Guinness add to lamb stew?

I use 200ml of Guinness in this recipe alongside beef stock and chopped tomatoes.

It adds a deeper, slightly malty flavour to the gravy rather than making the whole stew taste strongly of beer.

That also means you won’t need the entire can for the recipe. What happens to the rest is entirely your decision!

Can I make the stew without Guinness?

If you don’t want to cook with alcohol, I’d use additional stock rather than simply leaving out 200ml of liquid.

It won’t taste exactly the same because the Guinness is part of what gives this particular stew its flavour, but you’ll still end up with a lamb and root vegetable stew.

If you’re avoiding alcohol for a particular dietary, religious or medical reason, remember that substituting the Guinness is more appropriate than assuming all the alcohol disappears during slow cooking.

Ingredients needed

Read this section before changing anything in this slow-cooker lamb stew recipe. Then, scroll down to our recipe FAQs and a recipe card for complete instructions and exact measurements.

• Boneless leg of lamb: Cut into cubes.
• Guinness Beer
• Beef stock
• Frozen green peas
• Carrots: Peeled and chopped.
• Medium brown onion: Roughly chopped.
• Small red potatoes: Cleaned and cut in half.
• Large parsnips: Peeled and chopped.
• Small turnip: Peeled and chopped.
• Tinned chopped tomatoes
• Plain flour
• Bay leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

How to make slow cooker Irish lamb stew from scratch?

Toss it in the slow cooker: First, add lamb cubes, Guinness Beer, beef stock, carrots, onions, potatoes, parsnip, turnip, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the crock pot.

Lamb cubes and Guinness get put in the slow cooker first

Followed by the potatoes, stock and tomatoes.

Then add onions, parsnip and turnip.

Finally add the salt and pepper, and bay leaves.

When should I add the peas?

I add the frozen peas towards the end rather than putting them into the slow cooker for the full seven hours.

Once the lamb and root vegetables are cooked, thicken the gravy, switch the slow cooker to HIGH and let it cook for around another 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and stir in the frozen peas before serving.

There’s really no reason to give frozen peas a seven-hour head start. They don’t need it, and adding them later keeps considerably more of their colour and texture.

How do I thicken the stew?

Once the lamb and vegetables are tender, mix the plain flour with the water until it’s completely smooth.

Don’t just tip dry flour straight into your slow cooker unless you fancy spending dinner trying to squash little floury lumps against the side with a spoon!

Stir the flour mixture into the stew, switch the slow cooker to HIGH and cook for around another 20 minutes until the gravy has thickened.

If it’s thicker than you’d like, add a small splash of hot stock. If it’s still thinner than you prefer, give it a little longer before adding more thickener.

Recipe variations

Guinness beef stew: Instead of Irish lamb stew, substitute beef. Use chuck roast to make Irish beef stew (or slow cooker Guinness beef stew). Other meats you can use are corned beef, pork, turkey, or chicken.

Herbs and spices: You could also add other herbs and spices like fresh thyme, rosemary, smoked paprika, garlic cloves, and fresh parsley,

Rich gravy: Add tomato paste to your sauce to make a hearty Irish stew with rich sauce for dipping.

Serve with bread: Serve with Irish soda bread, or any crusty bread for a hearty meal.

More veggies: Add other root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, onions, and beets for more fibre and flavour.

Red wine: Feel free to add your own favourite tastes, like white or red wine, balsamic vinegar, or Worcestershire sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this in something besides a slow cooker?

This Guinness Irish stew can also be cooked in a large Dutch oven. First, dredge the lamb in a shallow dish of seasoned flour while heating olive oil or vegetable oil over medium-high heat on the stove. Then, brown the lamb meat on all sides, stirring constantly. Then, turn it to medium heat and add everything except the peas to the browned lamb. Cover and cook for about two hours on low or until the lamb is tender.

Alternatively, you could make your Irish lamb stew in an instant pot for 35 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

Which cut of lamb should I get?

The lamb shoulder is the best for Guinness stew because it is tender but not so tender that it will fall apart when cooking for a long time in the crock pot.

The lamb neck is also a good choice as long as you cook it for a long enough time. This will give you tender chunks of meat with an incredible flavour and thick sauce.

Lamb loin chops and shoulder chops are too tender to be used in the crock pot.

Can I change the root vegetables?

My recipe uses potatoes, carrots, parsnips and turnip, which gives you a lovely mixture of flavours and textures.

You don’t have to panic if you can’t find exactly the same combination, though. Stews are pretty forgiving, and this can also be a useful way to use vegetables you’ve already got.

Just bear in mind that different vegetables cook at different speeds. Whatever you use, cut harder root vegetables into sensible chunks rather than leaving enormous pieces and hoping seven hours will sort everything out!

Can I freeze Guinness lamb stew?

Yes, this is a lovely recipe for batch cooking, particularly because you’re already putting the slow cooker on for most of the day.

Cool any leftovers appropriately and store them in the fridge or freezer. I prefer freezing stew in individual portions because they’re much easier to defrost when only one person needs dinner.

Bear in mind that potatoes and some of the other vegetables can change texture slightly after freezing, but that doesn’t bother me particularly with a stew.

When reheating, make sure the lamb, vegetables and gravy are thoroughly heated all the way through rather than relying on a fixed microwave time.

For current advice about cooling, storing and reheating leftovers, check the Food Standards Agency guidance.

More slow cooker recipes for colder days

If this is your sort of dinner, try my beef and root vegetable stew next. It’s another proper cold-weather slow cooker meal but without the Guinness and lamb.

My Caribbean pepperpot stew is a completely different take on beef stew, with jerk seasoning, sweet potato and peppers.

For something using mince instead, my slow cooker chilli con carne is an easy family dinner and particularly good for batch cooking.

You can find all of these in my slow cooker recipes collection, along with curries, chicken dishes, casseroles and vegetarian meals.

I’ve also collected together my favourite autumn slow cooker recipes for exactly those days when the weather suddenly makes salad seem like a terrible idea.

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