Traditional Irish Lamb Stew
A robust and comforting stew, featuring tender lamb, hearty root vegetables, and a savory broth enriched with a touch of stout, slow-cooked to perfection.
Ingredients
- •1.5 lb lamb shoulder or neck, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- •2 tablespoon olive oil
- •2 large yellow onions, peeled and roughly chopped
- •3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- •2 medium celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- •3 large garlic cloves, minced
- •2 tablespoon plain flour
- •1 cup Guinness or other dry Irish stout
- •3 cup lamb or beef stock
- •2 large bay leaves
- •4 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
- •1.5 lb potatoes, floury variety (e.g., Russet, Maris Piper), peeled and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- •0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- • to taste salt
- • to taste black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- 1.
Pat the lamb cubes dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 2.
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, brown the lamb on all sides until well-caramelized. Remove the lamb and set aside.
- 3.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and lightly brown.
- 4.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- 5.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste.
- 6.
Pour in the Guinness, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze and release any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until the liquid slightly reduces.
- 7.
Return the browned lamb to the pot. Add the lamb or beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Stir well. Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 1.5 hours, or until the lamb is very tender.
- 8.
After 1.5 hours, add the peeled and chunked potatoes to the stew. Stir gently to submerge them. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 45-60 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the stew has thickened to your desired consistency.
- 9.
Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- 10.
Ladle the hot stew into bowls and garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Tips
- 💡**Quality Lamb**: Use a good quality cut like lamb shoulder or neck. These cuts have connective tissue that breaks down beautifully during slow cooking, resulting in incredibly tender meat.
- 💡**Browning is Key**: Don't skip browning the lamb. This step adds a deep, rich flavor (Maillard reaction) to the stew that cannot be achieved otherwise. Do it in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, which would steam the meat instead of browning it.
- 💡**Stout Selection**: A dry Irish stout like Guinness is traditional and adds a wonderful depth and slight bitterness that balances the richness of the lamb and vegetables. Avoid sweet stouts.
- 💡**Potatoes Last**: Adding the potatoes later in the cooking process prevents them from disintegrating entirely, ensuring they hold their shape while still becoming tender.
- 💡**Resting Improves Flavor**: Like many stews, this dish often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. If possible, make it a day ahead and gently reheat.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux