Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 3 hrs 15 mins
Total: 3 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 12 servings
When you conjure up thoughts of Ireland, you likely think of sloping thatched-roof houses with gardens in front and huge fireplaces in rooms where the owners take refuge from Ireland’s frequent rain. And on the table, by the fire, you would probably find Irish stew, a regular one-pot meal. Rustic, simple, and hearty, there’s no one true recipe for the stew. It has evolved and adapted over time and different places, but it’s usually made with lamb, onions, and potatoes. Other ingredients have been added or replaced over time; originally the stew was made with mutton—older animals with tougher and fattier meat—but nowadays lamb’s shoulder seems to be the go-to cut. It was also made without potatoes, as these came to Ireland only in the 16th century when they were brought over from South America.
Each family has a favorite variation, but most people like to add carrots. Parsnips, peas, turnips, or celery can also appear, and even Guinness is added in some versions. Our recipe has tasty bacon and bacon fat to add an extra layer of flavor to the broth.
What Is the Difference Between a Stew and an Irish Stew?
What mainly sets the Irish stew apart from other stews is that it is, in origin, made with very few ingredients, like lamb, potatoes and carrots. Nowadays, the recipes have many more ingredients, but the true base is a humble and simple one-pot meal. Besides the number of ingredients, what differentiates Irish stews from other similar preparations is that they’re thickened by the starch in the potatoes, and not by a roux. Even if adding a slurry of flour and cooled broth from the stew would thicken the consistency, Irish stews rarely rely on this trick.
This recipe appears in "The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors" by Jeff Smith.
Tips for Making This Irish Stew
- In traditional fashion, make this stew the day before and refrigerate overnight, as it is even better reheated. The flavors have time to blend together more, which results in a more flavorful dish.
- Accompany your meal with a loaf of good soda bread. Some pickles and sauerkraut can complement the earthy and bold flavors of the lamb.
- If you want to use fewer dishes, cook the bacon, lamb, and garlic-onion mixture in the Dutch oven before making the stew.
«I was shocked that only 4 cups of beef stock produced so much stew. The lamb is super-tender and the veggies are tender without being mushy. Very nice recipe and relatively easy once you’re cooking it.» —Melissa Gray
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon, cut thin crosswise strips
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6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
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1 teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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Vegetable oil, as needed
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2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
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3 large yellow onions, 1 finely chopped, 2 thinly sliced
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4 cups store-bought or homemade beef stock
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2 teaspoons granulated sugar
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4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
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3 pounds potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
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1 teaspoon dried thyme
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1 bay leaf
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1/2 cup dry white wine
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Chopped parsley, for garnish
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Soda bread, for serving, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a large skillet, sauté the bacon until crisp. Drain the fat and reserve both the bacon and the fat. Don’t wash the skillet; you’ll use it again.
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In a large bowl, place the lamb, salt, pepper, and flour. Toss to coat evenly.
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Add some of the bacon fat to the reserved skillet. In batches, brown the lamb on all sides. If you run out of fat, use some of the vegetable oil.
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Transfer the browned meat to a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot, leaving about 1/4 cup of fat in the skillet.
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Add the garlic and the chopped yellow onion to the pan and sauté until the onion begins to color a bit.
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Add the garlic-onion mixture to the Dutch oven with the reserved bacon, beef stock, and sugar.
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Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is tender.
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Add the sliced onions, carrots, potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and wine to the pot and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
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Garnish with parsley and serve with soda bread, if desired.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 12 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 584 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 22g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat 7g | 34% |
| Cholesterol 164mg | 55% |
| Sodium 832mg | 36% |
| Total Carbohydrate 35g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 13% |
| Total Sugars 5g | |
| Protein 57g | |
| Vitamin C 14mg | 69% |
| Calcium 70mg | 5% |
| Iron 6mg | 34% |
| Potassium 1607mg | 34% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
