What makes Irish stew recipe different from regular stew?

Authentic Irish stew is typically made with lamb while classic beef stew is made with beef. Both stews do contain carrots and potatoes.

What should you cook Irish lamb stew in?

An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is ideal for making stews. It's thicker and heavier than steel pots and conducts and retains heat more effectively. A heavy bottomed stock pot is an alternative.

How do you store Irish stew?

Completely cool the stew and store in an airtight container. These meal prep glass containers are my favorites. Refrigerate for 4-5 days. The lamb stew can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

How do you reheat Irish lamb stew?

Heat leftover Irish stew in a microwave safe bowl lightly covered for 1-2 minutes on 60% power. Stir and continue heating at 30 second intervals until heated through. Alternately, heat in a pot on the stove over medium low heat. Stir occasionally until heated through. The stew can also be heated in a 350 degree F oven in a covered ovenproof dish for 15-20 minutes. If frozen, thaw the stew in the refrigerator before reheating following the above directions.

Irish Lamb Stew with Guinness

Name: Irish Lamb Stew with Guinness
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 2 pounds lamb shoulder (cut in 2-inch pieces); Salt and pepper; 3 tablespoons flour; 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 1 stalk of celery (diced); 4 garlic cloves (chopped); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 (14.9 ounce) can of Guinness Draught; 2 cups beef stock; 3 springs of fresh thyme; 2 large carrots (cut on bias in 1-inch pieces); 3 medium parsnips (cut on bias in 1-inch pieces); 1 pound small potatoes; 1 cup of frozen green peas

Description

A warm and cozy meal to share with family and friends for St. Patrick's Day is the delicious Irish lamb stew with Guinness includes carrots, parsnips, potatoes and peas.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds lamb shoulder (cut in 2-inch pieces)
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
1 stalk of celery (diced)
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.9 ounce) can of Guinness Draught
2 cups beef stock
3 springs of fresh thyme
2 large carrots (cut on bias in 1-inch pieces)
3 medium parsnips (cut on bias in 1-inch pieces)
1 pound small potatoes
1 cup of frozen green peas

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Instructions

Sear the lamb: Heat a Dutch oven or medium sized stock pot over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Shear the meat on all sides until browned or about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and place it in a bowl. Add the flour to the browned meat. Toss the meat with a spoon until it is coated with the flour. Set aside.
Sauté the aromatics: In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, the onion, celery and garlic. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste: Add the tomato paste and stir to combine with the vegetables. Continue cooking for an additional minute.
Add the stout and simmer: Add the Guinness, beef stock and thyme springs while stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil then add the browned lamb meat. Cover the pot, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer the stew for 1 and ½ hours or until the meat is tender.
Add the vegetables: Add the carrots, parsnips and potatoes and stir to combine. Return the cover to the pot and continue simmering for 30 to 35 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the peas: Add the peas and stir. Continue simmering until they are heated through.
Serving: The stew can be served immediately or stored for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat.

Notes

Use the right cut of meat. Lamb shoulder is best for stew instead of leg of lamb which is more suited to grilling or roasting.
An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is ideal for making stews. It is thicker and heavier than steel pots and therefore conducts and retains heat more effectively.
Don’t skip searing the meat. This step achieves a nice brown crust on the lamb and adds intense flavor to the stew.
Guinness beer adds a delicious roasted malty sweetness to the sauce of the stew. I highly encourage using it in the stew. If you would like to substitute a non-alcoholic liquid, try more beef stock or apple cider.
Start cooking the meat first and then add the vegetables for the last half hour so the vegetables do not get mushy.
Let the stew simmer slow and low. A great stew needs time to develop the rich flavors and for all the ingredients to be tender
Serve the steaming hot bowls of stew with a crusty loaf of Irish soda bread for sopping up the velvety gravy. It would be a shame to even waste a drop.

Nutritional information is an estimate and based on the ingredients and cooking methods used in this recipe.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 165 minutes
Category: entree
Method: simmer on stove top
Cuisine: Irish

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 507
Sugar: 7.1 g
Sodium: 411 mg
Fat: 16.4 g
Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 35.1 g
Fiber: 6.7 g
Protein: 47.7 g
Cholesterol: 136 mg