Irish Lamb Stew

You guys know how much I love a good stew – it’s one of the easiest things you can cook that easily feeds a crowd. There’s also nothing cozier to tuck into on a cold chilly evening…

This Irish Lamb Stew is dedicated to my husband and his side of the family who hailed from Dublin before immigrating to Canada. Traditional Irish cooking is known for hearty, wholesome and simple recipes and this stew is no different.

Most people make Irish stew with beef but I think I actually prefer this stew with lamb as it becomes so incredibly tender it practically melts in the mouth! Absolutely delicious served simply with a side of soda bread to mop up all the delicious gravy.

Best Lamb Cut for Stew

You want a well-marbled cut of lamb for this stew and my first choice would be lamb neck. It is a less known cut of lamb that requires long, slow cooking but yields exceptionally tender results. You can also use any stewing lamb cuts such as boneless shoulder or shank.

Here’s What You’ll Need

You can use a combination of root vegetables for this stew but I kept the ingredients list short and sweet so feel free to improvise! Turnips, parsnips and peas are all good additions.

• Lamb – I used diced lamb neck but you can use shoulder of lamb, leg or shank.
• Bacon – use streaky rashers for best results.
• Guinness – I love using Guinness in cooking and baking. Guinness Zero is a good option if you don’t like cooking with alcohol. You can also use other dark beer varieties or replace with more broth.
• Beef broth – or chicken broth, canned or made using stock cubes or bouillon powder.
• Worcester sauce.
• Potatoes – Yukon Gold or Russet if you are in the US, Maris Piper or King Edwards potatoes are good options if you are based in the UK.
• Carrots – I used rainbow carrots.
• Leeks – I love that leeks simply melt into the gravy but you can use onions if preferred.
• Bay leaves, thyme and parsley
• Tomato paste (optional)
• Cornstarch (cornflour) to thicken the gravy

How to Make Irish Lamb Stew

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Heat olive oil in a large casserole dish (such as a cast iron braiser). Add the bacon and cook for a couple of minutes until it starts to crisp up. Add the diced lamb and cook until nicely browned.
2. Deglaze the pan with a little Guinness or broth, making sure to scrape any brown bits stuck to the pan loose with your wooden spoon. Cook down until almost all liquid is gone or transfer to the bowl with the meat.

1. Add a splash more oil to the pan, if needed, and cook the leeks for 5 minutes or until softened, stirring so they don’t stick.

1. Add the carrots potatoes, thyme and seasoning and cook for a minute. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, Guinness and beef broth and bring to a simmer. Add the lamb, bacon and bay leaf, cover with a tight fitting lid and transfer to the oven for 90 minutes.

1. Check the lamb – it should be completely tender. Take the casserole out of the oven and adjust the seasoning as needed. Stir in a little cornstarch slurry and heat through to thicken the gravy (or see notes). Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with some crusty bread.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Brown the bacon and lamb and add to the crock pot (or do this directly in the slow cooker if it has a browning function). Add all remaining ingredients but only use 2 cups (500ml) of broth. Cover and cook on the high setting for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Add the cornstarch slurry and heat through on HIGH until the gravy thickens.

Recipe Notes

• You can replace the Guinness Draught with beef broth or other types of beer. Alcohol-free Guinness is another great option if you are avoiding alcohol.
• Use an immersion blender to blitz some of the braising liquid with a couple of potato and carrot pieces to thicken the stew without adding cornstarch.

If you loved my Irish Lamb Stew recipe, please give it a star rating! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #Nusde – don’t forget to tag me @supergolden88