You don’t have to wait until St. Patrick’s Day to make this flavorful lamb stew. Guinness Stout beer gives this stew a deep flavor, but doesn’t dominate the blend of tender lamb (slow cooked for a few hours), hearty potatoes and carrots. Cooked barley is an optional ingredient, but add a lovely texture to the whole dish. Served with Irish Soda Bread, you have a heart dinner that’s perfect for a Fall/Winter dinner.
I seriously doubt that there’s any Irish D.N.A. on my German-Mexican family tree. However, my trip to Ireland (much too long ago) remains one of my most memorable trips. I fell in-love with the beauty of the Emerald Isle, the friendliness of the people– and, of course, the food. For that reason, I’m happy to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by making some of my favorite recipes of either Shepherd’s Pie or Corned Beef and Cabbage.
My son and I love lamb, and I am slowing converting my husband’s lackluster opinion of it over to our side. This St. Patrick’s Day, on the Monterey Peninsula, brought us a long overdue rainstorm with intermittent hail showers. We were having friends over for dinner, and a hearty stew seemed the perfect dish. One of our family recipes is my Beef Stew recipe, but I wanted to keep with the Irish theme. The Whole Foods meat counter was busy packaging corned beef, but I asked for a boneless lamb shoulder roast.
This cut of meat might seem a little pricey, but this is New Zealand lamb and my friends are worth it. I didn’t have a recipe to work from, so I decided to adapt a little from my beef stew and pot roast recipe. Instead of using red wine, I opted to use Guinness beer– of course!
While listening to an audio book, I patted the lamb dry and then patiently cut the roast into bite-sized pieces–then seasoned it with salt & pepper.
I added about 1/4 cup of flour and dredged the meat well until evenly coated with the flour. Using a very light coating of olive oil, I heated my trusty Dutch Oven to very high heat and added just enough lamb pieces so as not to crowed them.
Seared meat is a beautiful sight, don’t you think? That beautiful golden crust is going to give my sauce a lot of flavor.
It took three batches of about 8-10 minutes, each, to create this lovely pile of lamb.
A stew needs vegetables, of course. I love potatoes, so I peeled four Russet potatoes, washed four carrots and peeled four yellow onions, and cut them in half. I’m not a fan of cooked celery, but I set aside (and didn’t photograph) 4 stalks of celery with their leafy greens still attached. I prefer to add the celery, whole, to flavor the broth and then I toss it aside.
For years, I used to toss my vegetables into my stews “raw”. I’ve had a change of heart, by taking a little extra time to caramelize the vegetables in a little of the fat or olive oil. I think it adds more flavor.
It takes about 3-5 minutes to caramelize the vegetables on medium-high heat, then remove them. Now that the pan is empty, and full of that dark crust, it’s time to deglaze the pan with liquid– in this case, I used a 14 oz. can of Guinness Stout beer on very high heat. Scrape all the flavor off!
I find that tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce adds so much flavor to stews. This prep time has taken about an hour, but the rest of the cooking will happen on it’s own. Now, for the final steps:
Add the cooked vegetables and seared lamb back into the pot. I made my own beef stock, a few days ago so that’s why it’s light in color and looks like chicken stock. Boxed beef stock will do, too. Add 6 cups of beef stock (or enough to just cover the meat and vegetables). Bring the stew to a boil, covered. Then reduce to a low simmer, and let is cook for about 3 hours. Yes, you can finish this off in a slow cooker or even pressure cook it for about 45 minutes. On a rainy day, though, I love the smell of dinner wafting throughout the kitchen.
I read, somewhere, that authentic Irish Stew has barley in it. While the stew was simmering, I cooked 1 cup of pearl barley to a half and half blend of 3 cups water and chicken stock.
My company arrived, and so I didn’t take photos of the stew just as it finished it’s 3 hours on the stove. I did, however, taste the stew and then added salt until it had just the right seasoning. NOTE: When I make chicken or beef stock, I don’t add salt.
Finishing the stew: I like a thick gravy-like consistency to my stews. To accomplish this, I take about 4 tablespoons cornstarch and whisk in 4 Tablespoons of water until smooth and lump-free. On medium-high heat, I carefully add about half of that mixture and wait for a minute or two. I add more cornstarch mixture until the thickness I want is achieved.
For the optional barley: I debated if potatoes and barley made sense– two starches together? So, I poured half the stew into a smaller pot and added the barley. I loved it, and the barley thickens the stew– so I’m glad that I didn’t too much cornstarch mixture. NOTE: I only used about 2 cups of cook barley, so the rest will become a barley salad.
Guinness Irish Lamb Stew and…
Slightly sweet, delicious and warm, Irish Soda Bread…
(not pictured) A glass of cold Irish Harp Beer. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
TASTING NOTES: For those of you who aren’t fond of lamb, because it tastes very strong– believe me, the lamb was not only buttery tender, but mild. I only wish I had invested in a couple more pounds of meat, because I loved it. My husband has been won over by this lamb dish. Everyone had second helpings. I’m a convert to using Guinness in recipes, as it doesn’t leave a “beer” taste. Instead, it adds a depth of flavor that is subtle, yet flavorful. This recipe makes a lot, and I’m so glad. This morning, it’s raining and hailing and I plan to have it for lunch…again. You don’t have to wait for the luck o’ the Irish to make this. Keeper recipe, if I do say so myself– and one of my own creation. Yay!
Guinness Irish Lamb Stew
You don’t have to wait until St. Patrick’s Day to make this flavorful stew. Guinness Stout beer gives this stew a deep flavor, but doesn’t dominate the blend of tender lamb (slow cooked for a few hours), hearty potatoes and carrots. Cooked barley is an optional ingredient, but add a lovely texture to the whole dish. Served with Irish Soda Bread, you have a heart dinner that’s perfect for a Fall/Winter dinner. NOTE: I see no reason why this stew wouldn’t be delicious if made with beef, instead of lamb.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 57kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lamb shoulder cubed
- 3 to 4 Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 3 large carrots washed and cut into large chunks
- 2-3 yellow onions peeled and cut into half
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic peeled and smashed
- 3-4 stalks celery whole
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley
- 2 Tbs. tomato paste
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 12-14 oz. Guinness beer or any dark stout beer
- flour
Instructions
For the lamb:
- The best cut of lamb is to buy is a boneless lamb shoulder. Pat the lamb very dry, so that there isn't any moisture (for better searing). Cut into cubes and season with salt & pepper. Dredge in flour.NOTE: If switching to beef, I highly recommend asking for Chuck Eye Roast (not chuck roast).
- Vegetable preparation:
- Cut off one end of the onion (I leave the root end on), then cut the onion in half. Remove the outer first layer of peel.
- Wash the carrots (I don’t peel them) and cut into large chunks.
- Wash the celery and keep whole (I personally don’t care for cooked celery) so I use the whole celery to flavor the broth, and then remove it before serving.
- Tie the thyme, rosemary and parsley with kitchen twine.
- In a Dutch oven, heat a small amount of olive oil and bring to high heat. Sear the lamb by cooking, untouched, for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Cook in batches, so that the meat doesn’t become crowded. Set the cook lamb aside. The more brown crust on the bottom of the pot, the more flavor. Lamb is fatty, so you most likely won’t need to add any additional oil to brown the vegetables.
For the vegetables:
- On medium-high heat, add the onion halves, flat side down and cook until lightly brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the carrots for the same amount of time as the onion and set aside.
- Last, cook the garlic cloves for about 1 minute and set aside.
- If there is any leftover fat/oil, carefully drain it from the pot.
- On high heat, add the beer and scrape with a rubber spatula to loosen up the brown bits, and stir. Turn the heat down to medium-high.
- Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and stir (or whisk) until combined. Add the onion, lamb and carrots; add the beef stock, celery stalks and the tied herbs.
- Bring the stew to a boil, covered, and them turn the heat down to a low simmer. Simmer for about 3 hours.
- OPTIONAL: If you are going to add the barley, bring 1-1/2 cups water or chicken stock (or a combination of both) to a boil. Add the barley, cover and cook on medium-low until the liquid has evaporated–20-30 minutes. Set aside.
- Final Touches: Taste the liquid for seasoning. I make my own beef stock, and I don’t salt it. Add salt, to your liking.
- To thicken the stew: Whisk 4 Tablespoons cornstarch and cold water until smooth and lump-free. Very slowly, while stirring, pour HALF the cornstarch mixture into the stew. Wait a minute or two, for the sauce to thicken. Add the barley, and wait a few more minutes to see how much it thickens. Only add the remaining cornstarch mixture if the stew hasn’t quite thickened enough so that Homemade Irish Soda Bread can sop up that tasty gravy.
Notes
OPTIONAL: If you are going to add the barley, bring 1-1/2 cups water or chicken stock (or a combination of both) to a boil. Add the barley, cover and cook on medium-low until the liquid has evaporated–20-30 minutes. Set aside.
Final Touches: Taste the liquid for seasoning. I make my own beef stock, and I don’t salt it. Add salt, to your liking.
To thicken the stew: Whisk 4 Tablespoons cornstarch and cold water until smooth and lump-free. Very slowly, while stirring, pour HALF the cornstarch mixture into the stew. Wait a minute or two, for the sauce to thicken.
Add the barley, and wait a few more minutes to see how much it thickens. Only add the remaining cornstarch mixture if the stew hasn’t quite thickened enough so that Homemade Irish Soda Bread can sop up that tasty gravy.
Because I love lamb, I plan to increase the lamb meat to 5 pounds, so I can have plenty in each bite!
Nutrition
Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5260IU | Vitamin C: 8.2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @afeastfortheeyes or tag #afeastfortheeyesblog!
Irish Soda Bread
This is the perfect Irish Soda Bread! Lightly sweet and nutty, it the perfect companion to any hearty dishes like stew.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 423kcal
Ingredients
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 1/2 stick cup chilled margarine or butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons butter melted, optional
- 1 tablespoon oatmeal not Irish oatmeal
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Spray heavy baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk both flours, sugar, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Add butter and cut in until the butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Grating the butter makes this task must easier. Add buttermilk; stir until shaggy dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until dough comes together, about 10 turns.
- Shape dough into 9-inch round (the round should be about 1 inch high). Place dough on prepared baking sheet. Cut large X, 1/2 inch deep, in top of dough, almost all the way to the edges of the round.
- Bake bread in center of oven until deep brown and bottom sounds hollow when firmly tapped (a bamboo skewer inserted into the center of the bread should emerge clean without any stickiness or moistness), about 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer bread to rack and cool completely.
Notes
I used my food processor to blend the ingredients, then turned it out onto a floured surface to knead. It takes some elbow grease, faith and patience, to work the dough, but it does comes together. Be sure to bake the bread to a dark golden color. The ends might turn out to be baked, but the center can be a little raw in the middle. The first time, this happened to me but I simply returned it to the oven and it was fine.
Recipe Source: Bon Apetit Magazine
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 312mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 3.9mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @afeastfortheeyes or tag #afeastfortheeyesblog!
The former vegetarian in me hates to admit it, but I love lamb! Your stew looks so hearty and scrumptious, I wish I could run over and have a helping. 😀
I love it when a recipe is so good you can't wait to have it for leftovers the next day.
This is definitely worthy of a special meal Debbie.
I tend to love guinness in savory recipes also, especially comfort food like this! It adds a little summin summin 😛
This looks so hearty and very good. It's fun when a recipe you create works out so well.
Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays. 😉
LOVE IT!!!
I love irish stew and I'm crazy about soda bread so, perfect meal for me!!
Cheers,
LIa.
I too, had a memorable trip in Ireland. (You would appreciate this one – SPP and I did a horseback tour!) You look like you had a lot of fun devising that stew recipe (I LOVE LAMB), but your brown bread brought back the real memories. I must have eaten a half a loaf at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Best bread ever spread with that rich Irish butter.
This looks like SUCH a delicious stew – so full of goodness and flavor – fantastic!
Mary x
Hi Debby – thanks so much for stopping by my blog and for your kind comments. It is always great to pick up a new fan, isn't it? 🙂 Your blog is equally lovely, and I will be back! Are you registered on my other site, DessertStalking.com? You should – your photography is very nice!
I haven't made a pot of stew in ages and now I'm craving it. I always use red wine but am eager to try the Guinness instead, and the addition of barley…delicious! Your home must have smelled wonderful as this simmered on the stove.
Oh, I just love lamb… and stew… so this is a perfect combination for me. It looks so rich… just right for a rainy day!
You know how to make the irish happy! This was one rocking stew. The flavors were jumping out of these photos.
Velva
Hi Debby, I really enjoyed finding your blog, I am fascinated with the recipes.
Hugs from Portugal:)
Debby, This is the perfect St. Patrick's Day Menu. Cudos to you and I am copying the two recipes.
Oh, this is right up my alley! Love lamb, stew and barley. I've always used red wine, so haven't tried Guinness in a stew…I think it's a must next time!
What a meal! Would have loved to join you 🙂
What a perfect Saint Patrick's Day menu Debbie. Happy belated St. Patty's day. I have a sister-in-law that's Irish and I'm going to forward this to her.
Sam
Ooh, don't know what looks the best…the stew or the bread! YUMMY! Hugs and blessings, Cindy
I'm sure your guests appreciated this delicious looking stew. I bet everyone wanted seconds.
Oh my goodness! This stew looks fabulous! I spent a few years in a Scottish boarding school when I was young and they fed us mutton. I can't seem to get beyond that taste! But I would LOVE to make this with a chuck roast. It is beautiful and full of big bold flavors and lots of hearty ingredients!
Thanks for bringing this yummy Irish stew to ON THE MENU MONDAY!
Yvonne
I can't believe how good this looks, really delicious and comforting
I've been craving lamb and this is the perfect recipe! This stew really looks delicious. I've always wanted to make soda bread and I'm sure it goes wonderfully with the stew. Definitely trying this on!!