The Costco Prepared Meal That Transports You To A Cozy Irish Inn In Under 25 Minutes

It's no secret that Costco's prepared foods are a major life hack. They're some of the best ways to get a delicious meal on the table in minutes, and the variety? Well, let's just say Costco has you covered no matter what you're craving. As the temperatures drop and you're looking for something to warm your bones, add Ruprecht Irish Beef Stew to your shopping cart for a lunch or dinner that's ready to eat in less than half an hour.

Ruprecht Irish Beef Stew will transport you to a cozy Irish inn, but requires under 25 minutes instead of hours on an airplane. This fully cooked stew pairs USDA choice beef with potatoes, carrots, and pearl onions in a rich beef gravy that might convince you to forgive them for using beef instead of the traditional Irish lamb. The packaging offers three preparation methods: Simmer in a pot over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, microwave on high for eight to nine minutes, or take advantage of the sous vide packaging and simmer the sealed package in a large pot of water for 20 to 24 minutes — the most time-consuming but also most foolproof option.

"Since it's sous vide, the preparation was really easy," says one Reddit user. "If you like beef stew, and your store carries it, I recommend giving it a try." Adds another, "We were SO pleasantly surprised!!! The meat is so tender." That texture is thanks to the sous vide method, which uses lower and consistent heat to gently cook foods, melting away connective tissue and ensuring even results.

The beef stew packaging notes one cup, or 240 grams, per serving. The product doesn't have a set weight and is instead sold by the pound, and Costco SameDay in Denver estimates a per-package weight of 3.09 pounds (or about 1402 grams). That comes out to almost six servings per package, but we can all agree that a single cup of stew isn't going to satisfy everyone. "[A]s I was cooking, I suddenly realized I needed a more substantial side as the stew portions are small," noted a reviewer on Reddit. Thankfully, another Redditor had a great suggestion: "We just boil some carrots and then throw them in at the end," they explain. "[It] gives us another 2 meals and doesn't have the wonky meat/vegetable ratio."

To make this stew a full meal, you'll definitely want to add some sides to your menu. Irish soda bread is likely the first traditional Irish dish to come to mind. Irish soda bread uses baking soda and buttermilk for lift instead of yeast, so you can get this quick bread from the mixing bowl to the table in about an hour — perfect to pair with a stew that's ready to heat and eat.

While Ruprecht Irish Beef Stew does already include potatoes, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who would argue with a great bowl of mashed potatoes next to a cozy bowl of stew. Colcannon potatoes up the ante with the addition of greens like cabbage or kale, so you can absolutely count this side dish as a serving of vegetables, too.