Irish Stew

About This Recipe

Irish stew is the defining dish of Irish cuisine, born from centuries of rural life in which lamb and root vegetables were the most readily available ingredients. Traditional recipes insist on neck of lamb — cheap, flavoursome, and gelatinous — combined with floury potatoes, carrots, onion, and thyme. The potatoes break down to thicken the broth naturally, creating a hearty, nourishing pot that needs nothing more than soda bread on the side. It is a dish of profound honesty, a reflection of Ireland's agricultural landscape and the resilience of its people through difficult centuries.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgbone-in lamb neck chops or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 700 gfloury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 mediumcarrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 largeonions, roughly chopped
• 2 stalkscelery, sliced
• 1 litrelamb or chicken stock
• 4 sprigsfresh thyme
• 2 tbspfresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb

   Season the lamb pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a splash of oil in a large pot over high heat and brown the lamb in batches on all sides. Set aside.

2. 2

   Soften the aromatics

   In the same pot, reduce heat to medium and cook the onion and celery for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the carrots and stir for another 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Build the stew

   Return the lamb to the pot. Add the potatoes and pour over the stock. Tuck in the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting.

4. 4

   Slow simmer

   Cover and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is completely tender and the potatoes have broken down to thicken the broth.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Discard the thyme stalks. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve in deep bowls garnished with chopped parsley and warm soda bread alongside.

Variations

• •

  Guinness Irish stew uses dark stout to deepen the flavour of the broth.

• •

  Modern versions sometimes add pearl barley for extra body.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions