A good Irish Stew like this is the perfect solution for a chilly day when the best comfort food is desired. Chunks of tender lamb meat, carrots, potato and onion make up this delicious Irish Stew recipe.
Irish Stew
There is something very comforting about stew. I had never tried making Irish Stew before, but now I make this recipe from Rachel Allen’s Irish Family Food Cookbook often for my family. The first time I made this Irish Stew I put it into the oven around noon. It simmered for a couple of hours and delivered a scent to our kitchen that was decidedly welcome. It has become a regular dinner hit with my family.
This is a beautiful cookbook with lots of photos and easy to follow, traditional Irish recipes. If you have a section on your cookbook shelf where you like to collect ethnic-style cookbooks, this is a good one to add to your collection. This one is special because it’s from Ireland’s #1 bestselling cookbook author and if the Irish Stew is any indication, her cookbook is full of fabulous Irish recipes.
Here are some recipes in the book that have caught my eye:
- Fish Cakes, Kale & Bean Stew
- Pork Chops with Sage & Apple
- Hot Buttered Lobster
- Crumbed Bacon Chops with Sweet Whiskey Sauce (yes!)
- Roast Pork Belly with Cumin and Garlic Rub
- Beef and Red Wine Hot Pot
- Sticky Cumin and Apricot Roast Carrots & Parsnips
- Spotted Dog
- Fluffy Lemon Pudding
- Brown Bread Ice Cream.
🛒Ingredients needed:
- olive oil
- lamb stew meat
- carrots and onions
- kosher salt and freshy ground black pepper
- lamb or chicken stock
- potatoes
- fresh thyme, Italian parsley and chives
✏️How to make Irish Stew:
*The complete, printable recipe with all ingredients and instructions is at the end of this post.
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Preheat the oven to 325℉.
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Heat the olive oil in a medium to large Dutch oven or flameproof casserole dish. Add the lamb to the hot oil and cook until browned on all sides (a few minutes). Remove the meat from the pan and set it aside. Add the carrots and onions to the pan- stir and cook for a few minutes, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Return the meat to the pot, add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and season again with salt and pepper. Place thyme sprigs on top.
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Cover and bake in the oven for 1½ to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender. (see tips below for alternative step here) Add chopped herbs and serve.
➡️Recipe Tips:
- The author suggests using 3⅓ pounds lamb chops from the neck or shoulder, still on the bone (cut ¾-inch thick). I chose to use stew meat instead.
- If your stew yields excess fat, you may wish to pour off the cooking liquid and allow it to sit for a few minutes until the fat floats to the top (author suggests adding an ice cube to speed up the process). Spoon off the fat and pour the juices back over the stew. NOTE: I didn’t have a problem with excess fat using just lamb stew meat.
- You could also consider adding mushrooms or parsnips to this stew if those are veggies you love.
✔️What to do with Irish Stew:
- Double the recipe, making enough to serve 8 and you’ve got the main course for a St. Paddy’s Day party.
- Make this for friends or family going through a tough time. Irish Stew is the very definition of comfort food.
- Whip up some Irish Soda Bread to go with this stew and your whole meal is Irish themed!
★How to Store:
This stew will store beautifully in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days and can be frozen in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 months.
❤️Why I love this recipe:
- My husband is Irish and loves all things Irish. The fact that he enjoys this stew so much makes me love it.
- I’ve always been a fan of lamb, so I love having such a warm and cozy way of preparing it.
- If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, it’s even better the second day. Enjoy it for lunch!
Here are a few more Irish recipes you might enjoy:
- Irish Corned Beef Cabbage and Carrots
- Irish Whiskey Brownies
- Apricot- Glazed Corned Beef with Colcannon and Sauteed Cabbage
- Irish Mojito
- How to Make Irish Butter
- Irish Soda Bread Muffins
- Irish Apple Crisp
Irish Stew
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds lamb stew meat (see Recipe Notes below)
- 3 large carrots (peeled and cut into thick slices)
- 3 medium onions (peeled and cut into quarters)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups lamb or chicken stock (broth)
- 8 medium red or white potatoes (peeled and halved)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium to large Dutch oven or flameproof casserole dish. Add the lamb to the hot oil and cook until browned on all sides (a few minutes). Remove the meat from the pan and set it aside. Add the carrots and onions to the pan- stir and cook for a few minutes, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Return the meat to the pot, add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and season again with salt and pepper. Place thyme sprigs on top.
- Cover and bake in the oven for 1½ to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender. (see tips below for alternative step here) Add chopped herbs and serve.
Notes
- The author suggests using 3⅓ pounds lamb chops from the neck or shoulder, still on the bone (cut ¾-inch thick). I chose to use stew meat instead.
- If your stew yields excess fat, you may wish to pour off the cooking liquid and allow it to sit for a few minutes until the fat floats to the top (author suggests adding an ice cube to speed up the process). Spoon off the fat and pour the juices back over the stew. NOTE: I didn't have a problem with excess fat using just lamb stew meat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i have a recipe almost like that only different I use cooked bacon , sausage and apple cider instead of broth thanks, duane
I featured your irish stew in my blog.
Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe!
Delicious stew recipe, made this for St. Patrick’s Day except I used beef in place of lamb. It was flavorful and enjoyed by all. Thanks for sharing.
Could you make this in the crock pot?
I didn’t try it in the crockpot, so I’m not sure. Maybe if you cooked it low and slow…
Made this last night along with the Cheesy Soda Scones – it was great! Very simple to put together, and the house smells great while it’s in the oven. I used red new potatoes and left the skin on, which added nice color. I couldn’t find lamb stew meat, so I bought some leg steaks and cubed them up and it was falling apart tender in 1 1/2 hours. Delicious recipe! Thanks for sharing!
The stew looks so hearty and incredible! Love all the big chunks of veggies with the tender lamb!
Lori, what a great stew. I have been looking at Irish dishes all day, this looks amazing! Honestly I have never had lamb (that I can remember). But, this may just inspire me to try it! Thanks!
Lori: You’re absolutely right. I shouldn’t have phrased it the way I did. What I should have said is that our Irish pubs generally serve what we Americans think of as traditional Irish fare! Heck, my only knowledge of what’s ‘traditional’ comes from her mother-in-law’s book and that focuses on down and dirty traditional, down through the ages, with no modern influences. So that was an unfair comment I made. Sorry, Rachel Allen!:)
I’m sure the recipes are GREAT but I’ll bet the reason we don’t see these types of dishes in Irish pubs here is because they’re not traditional Irish dishes. They’re probably danged good, but they’re not “Irish”, so to speak, other than they’re made by an Irish woman:). Her mother-in-law, Darina Allen, has an excellent book, “Irish Traditional Cooking”. A REALLY good book if one is looking for traditional stuff. A wealth of information!
Well, I definitely don’t know her personally, but the author refers to the recipes in the book as family recipes inspired by both traditional and modern Irish cooking, and she writes about the different provinces and the foods/recipes that are common in each province. In any case, it all sounds wonderful to me!