Slow Cooker Paleo Irish Beef Stew (Gluten free, Whole30)

This slow cooker Paleo Irish beef stew is a rich and satisfying crock pot recipe where beef, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms are seasoned with tomato, beef broth and lots of spices until tender. Perfect for dinner or lunch on a cold day or for St. Patrick’s day!

There’s just something so cozy about a good beef stew. The longer it cooks, the better. Which is why I love using a slow cooker for this type of recipe.

This Irish stew is a favorite of mine because it is simple, yet it is full of flavor. It is made with healthy ingredients and it is incredibly delicious. It’s a recipe I make often in the winter and around St. Patricks Day. Along with my dairy free Irish cream liqueur and healthy potato pancakes.

Why this recipe works

• It has great flavor. I don’t like when beef stew is bland, but if you add lots of spices and herbs, like in this recipe, it tastes great.
• This stew is great for those with allergies, it is dairy free, gluten free, grain free and nut free.
• It is made with healthy ingredients.
• It is easy to make. All you have to do is brown the meat, and put all the ingredients into a slow cooker / crock pot and it cooks itself.
• It works for those following a healthy life style or who are following a Paleo or Whole30 diet.

Recipe ingredients

• carrots– you can use large or baby carrots here, just as long as you cut them to bite sized pieces.
• potatoes– gold potatoes work best here in terms of flavor, but you can use any potato you want.
• stew meat– a good quality stew meat works best here.
• fresh onion– this seasons the meat when browning it.
• fresh garlic– this seasons the meat when browning it.
• tomato paste– this seasons the meat when browning it and then seasons the sauce of the stew.
• beef broth– I like using bone broth as well.
• apple juice– this replaces wine that is often used in traditional recipes.
• dried rosemary– this is used to season the stew.
• chili powder– this is used to season the stew.
• dried thyme– this is used to season the stew.
• blackstrap molasses– this adds great flavor to the stew and is used to replace Worcestershire sauce. Note: blackstrap molasses is not Whole30 so omit if following a Whole30.
• paprika– you can use any type of paprika that you want.
• mushrooms– these add depth to the stew, but can be optional.
• tapioca flour– this thickens the stew.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Additions/ Substitutions

• Instead of fresh onion, you can use onion powder. I would use 1 1/2 teaspoons in the recipe to replace the onion.
• Instead of fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder. I would use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Instead of beef broth, you can use chicken broth or any kind of bone broth.
• Instead of apple juice, you can add more beef broth.
• Instead of blackstrap molasses, you can use maple syrup or date syrup.
• You don’t have to use mushrooms at all if you don’t like them.
• Instead of tapioca flour, you can use arrowroot starch.

Step by step recipe instructions

Step 1: Put the cut up carrots and potatoes into the slow cooker.

Step 2: Sear the meat. Add the meat, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and tomato paste to a pan and brown over medium-high heat for a few minutes.

Step 3: Add the beef broth, apple juice, blackstrap molasses and the rest of the spices to the crock pot.

Step 4: Cook everything for 6-8 hours in the slow cooker.

If you are adding mushrooms, add them after 4 hours.

Make sure to add the tapioca flour and water mixture to the crock pot in the last hour of cooking to thicken it.

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5 from 23 votes

Slow Cooker Paleo Irish Beef Stew (Gluten free, Whole30)

By: Dominique

Servings: 8

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 8 hours hrs

Total: 8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

This slow cooker Paleo Irish beef stew is a rich and satisfying crock pot recipe where beef, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms are seasoned with tomato, beef broth and lots of spices until tender.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 lb carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
• ▢ 1.5 lbs potatoes, cut into larger diced chunks ( I used dutch baby yellow potatoes and cut them in fourths)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 lbs beef chuck or stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-2 inch cubes
• ▢ 1 onion, diced large
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic, diced
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt , 1 teaspoon to put on the meat, and 1 teaspoon to put in the slow cooker.
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon to put on the meat, and 1/2 teaspoon to put in the slow cooker.
• ▢ 3 cups beef broth
• ▢ 1 cup apple juice
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons blackstrap molasses, (omit if following a Whole30 diet)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 10 ounces baby bella mushrooms, quartered
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons water
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons tapioca flour

Instructions 

• Place the cut carrots and potatoes into a large slow cooker.
• Brown the meat. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Put the beef cubes, diced garlic, diced onion, tomato paste, 1 salt and 1/2 tsp ground pepper in pan, mix and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Place the browned meat on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker. 
• Add the beef broth, apple juice, and blackstrap molasses to the slow cooker. Top with all the stew seasoning ( 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon paprika). Mix the seasoning into the liquid in the slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on High for 5 hours (or Low for 8 hours). After 4 hours of cooking, add the quartered mushrooms. During the last hour of cooking, dissolve the tapioca flour in water in a small bowl, and then stir the mixture into the broth.

Notes

• Instead of fresh onion, you can use onion powder. I would use 1 1/2 teaspoons in the recipe to replace the onion.
• Instead of fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder. I would use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Instead of beef broth, you can use chicken broth or any kind of bone broth.
• Instead of apple juice, you can add more beef broth.
• Instead of blackstrap molasses, you can use maple syrup, but the flavor won’t be as distinct.
• You don’t have to use mushrooms at all if you don’t like them.
• Instead of tapioca flour, you can use arrowroot starch.

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 27gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 1109mgPotassium: 1332mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 9687IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: slow cooker

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