Prepared with Guinness for robust flavor with a warm traditional feel. This Stout Irish Meatball recipe is sure to please everyday not just on St. Patrick’s Day. Some would even argue in my house at least, that Stout Irish Meatballs could replace the all American Irish tradition of good old corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day.

Stout Irish meatballs are a prime example of me creating something from nothing. Here’s how it all started… We were sitting around the dinner table eating, talking about meatballs. I had just made Meatballs For All! My youngest son who is sixteen now asked if I could make Irish meatballs. Pa used to call him his Irish meatball while growing up and we have never had them. I am going to be completely honest, we all laughed and said there is no such thing or at least we thought there was no such thing and that Pa had just made it up! We then decided to look it up and low and behold there is! Not sure how I didn’t know this or even how my husband didn’t to know this. He knows everything number 1 and number 2 his mother is directly from Ireland!

The Recipes I found online were vast, some were made in stew broth others in bbq sauce. I did some research and a majority of the recipes were variations with certain ingredients. So, keeping those ingredients in mind I was off to the supermarket. I picked up the essentials to make for the first time ever an Irish meatball.

The Essentials

These essential ingredients were Ground Beef, Ground Lamb, Guinness, and Worcestershire sauce. At this point I went home to create unbeknownst to me our new favorite St. Patrick’s day meal.

Once in the kitchen, I got a little carried away, grabbing a little of this and a bit of that. whatever I could get my hands on that I felt would make a flavorful contribution to the intended meal. Honestly, none of us had any expectations since we weren’t even sure we would like Irish meatballs in the first place. So it didn’t matter to me, we were all trying something new tonight!

As I was throwing everything and the kitchen sink into this mix. I was shouting out ingredients for my mother to write down so nothing went amiss and I could recreate these stout Irish meatballs “if we were to like them”…

Stout Irish Meatballs

Ingredients :

1 Lbs. – 90% Lean Ground Beef
1 Lbs. – Ground Lamb
2 1/2 Cups Bread crumbs – (I grind up Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing mix and use as bread crumbs)
3 Tbs. – Worcestershire Sauce
1 bottle of Guinness Stout
about a palm size bit of Alfalfa sprigs
1/2 a bushel of parsley freshly chopped
5 medium sized white mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh carrots
2 full sized celery stalks
2 Tbs. Olive Oil and some for the baking pan
1 tsp. kosher Salt
1 tsp. Black Ground Pepper
1 Tbs. Garlic (Minced)
1 Tbs. Garlic Powder
1 Tbs. Onion Powder

For all of this I used a chopper and a Large mixing bowl.

Stout Irish Meatballs Smothered in Guinness BBQ Sauce

Stout Irish Meatball Directions

Step 1 – In the large bowl combine the Ground Beef, Ground Lamb, Bread crumbs, Worcestershire Sauce, bottle of Guinness Stout, 2 Tbs. olive oil, Salt, Pepper, Minced Garlic, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and finely chopped parsley.

Step 2 – Moving to the chopper place and chop all of the rest of the ingredients – Alfalfa, Carrots, White Mushrooms, and Celery stalks.

Step 3 – Place all of the chopped ingredients into the large mixing bowl of meat. Then with gloves thoroughly mix by hand until all is well blended.

Step 4 – Round each meatball slightly smaller than the palm of your hand into tight meatballs and place on a well oiled baking pan. Repeat this step until you have nothing left in the bowl and a sheet pan of stout Irish meatballs. Makes approximately 26 meatballs

Bake at 375 degree’s until cooked through. About 35-40 minutes

Guinness BBQ Sauce Recipe

While your stout Irish Meatballs are cooking in the oven let’s turn to the stove top. Using a large heavy bottomed sauce pan add all of these ingredients except the corn starch.

Ingredients

2 Bottles of Guinness Stout
1 1/2 cups Ketchup
1 Cups Dijon Mustard
1 Small jar (12 fluid ounces) Honey
1 Cup Molasses
2 Tbs. Garlic Powder
2 Tbs. Onion Powder

Optional : I also added as more of a thickener, also flavor 1/4 cup of my Honey BBQ Sauce. I told you I was throwing everything into this!

2 Tbs. Corn Starch mixed with 1 teaspoon of water (this helps it to not clump up in the sauce when added)

Bring this mixture to a boil. Be careful it will boil over fast. So, when it comes to a boil, turn the temperature to low heat immediately and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Whisk in the Corn starch and water mixture to the Guinness BBQ Sauce let simmer 5-7 minutes or until thickened.

At this time the Stout Irish Meatballs should be about done in the oven. Remove them from the pan and place gently into the Guinness BBQ Sauce. Let them simmer for 10 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

I served Stout Irish Meatballs with a side of seasoned oven roasted red potato’s, mushrooms, and carrots.

Let me just say, I did not have high hopes for this meal but oh my god was it fabulous! It didn’t take forever to make and I was so surprised by how delicate and robust the meatballs were. An absolute new family favorite!

These could easily be served with mashed potatoes or you could get a bit more creative. Like a Stout Irish meatball sub with maybe a smoked cheddar cheese?? Yum!

I’m glad you all found my recipe. I hope you all take the plunge to try something new. I promise you won’t regret it.