The epitome of comfort food, traditional Irish stew has only a few ingredients: mutton, onions and potatoes. In southern Ireland carrots are added, and some cooks venture so far as to add turnips. These days, young lamb often replaces mutton for a more delicate version. Irish stew may be served brothy, or slightly thickened with mashed potato or flour.
Find more St. Patrick’s Day recipes.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lamb shoulder cut in 2-inch chunks (or use thick shoulder chops)
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds onions (about 6 medium), cut in wedges
- 1 pound carrots (about 6 medium), cut in 3-inch lengths
- 4 cups chicken, veal or beef broth (or water)
- 1 large sprig thyme
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 12 small), peeled and halved, or cut in 2-inch thick slices
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
1154 calories; 72 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 32 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 62 grams protein; 233 milligrams cholesterol; 1134 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
6 to 8 servings
Preparation
- Pat lamb dry and season well with salt and pepper. Put oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides, working in batches.
- Set meat aside and add onions and carrots to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook vegetables, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Return meat to pot, add broth and bring to a simmer. Put in thyme sprig and arrange potatoes on top (it’s fine if potatoes are not completely submerged). Season potatoes, cover pot and transfer to oven.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until lamb is quite tender when probed with a skewer or paring knife. Remove fat from top of broth. Ladle stew into shallow bowls and serve.
- Alternatively, cook stew on stovetop instead of baking; keep covered at a gentle simmer for about 1 hour. For a thicker stew, crush a few of the potatoes from the stew and simmer in broth, or thicken with a slurry of flour and water (about 4 tablespoons flour).
1 hour 30 minutes
Dining and Cooking