Recipe for beef stew – where did it come from?

We’ve already mentioned on this site that beef stew was orginally made with lamb. What about before then, however? How did beef stew even originate?

Beef stew was originally a peasant dish dating back many years in Irish and, to a lesser extent, English history. Traditionally eaten by farmers in what we would now regard as the central counties (Offaly, Laois, etc.) it was also popular in working class pubs around Dublin.

The recipe for beef stew – always changing…but not by much

Such a simple dish to make, the recipe for beef stew never changed too much over time – except for the main meat of choice. Before lamb became the signature meat in the dish dumplings were the main ingredient of choice. Today, these plain dumplings are nothing more than a vegetarian option or often made into smaller sizes and added to a lamb or beef stew as an additional ingredient. Traditionally, meat was often expensive and out of the reach of the common labourers with whom the dish first originated – hence the use of flour dumplings (often infused with parsley or similar for added flavour).

Recipe for Beef Stew –  Today

Nowadays, we can also see a more French introduction into the humble recipe for beef stew with the use of a roux. The golden flour/butter(oil) combination creates the thick gravy-like texture of the broth and ultimately makes the dish even more hearty. In the original recipes, barley was often used to accomplish the same effect and is still used today – though this is mainly only in Ireland in the most rural and traditional locations. Perhaps the one ingredient that is most steadfast in its use across time has been the potato. In all recipes, all variations, and all countries, the potato remains in every single recipe for beef stew. Accomplishing the same effect as the barley, the potato was originally the source of thickening and oftentimes for the poorer citizens it was the only ingredient in the stew at all!

Indeed, across all countries and all variations on St. Patrick’s day there may be many distinct kinds, but they all share the genes with the original peasant heritage.

Click here for a basic recipe for beef stew video

No related posts.