Irish Lamb Stew

My Traditional Irish Stew certainly wouldn’t win any beauty competitions, but it’s a delicious flavourful one pot wonder, so I make it time and time again.

When we were young, you were guaranteed Irish Stew for dinner at least once a week (along with bacon & cabbage), though with the introduction of foreign cuisines into our diets we have these traditional Irish meals less frequently now.

There are umpteen recipes out there for Irish stew, but this is a simple stew, leaving the meat on the bone for extra flavour.  Irish stew traditionally is made from lamb or mutton, boiled with potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. Though these days you can make any stew with these ingredients or similar and call it Irish Stew. A particular popular Irish Stew is Beef & Guinness, though I think this is more of a casserole. 

Everyone’s interpretation is different and usually it stems from ‘how mammy used to make it’, and I sure as hell amn’t going to knock any! I actually like tasting different variations of Irish Stews, I think the difference might stem from region to region, though that’s just an idle theory, that I have no basis for funnily enough, just a ‘thinking out loud’ ramble!!!! Anyways…..moving on to ‘how my mammy made it’…

In honour of St Patrick’s Day this year, I thought I’d revisit my mom’s recipe for a lamb stew and share it round. (The secret ingredient here is the Worchestshire sauce).

Serves 2

Ingredients

 

·         4 Lamb chops on the bone

·         4 peeled rooster potatoes, quartered

·         3 carrots, peeled and chopped into thirds

·         2 onions, quartered

·         2 bay leaves

·         4 sprigs of thyme

·         500ml of chicken stock

·         7-8 mushrooms, halved

·         3 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

·         Salt and pepper

Method

1.       Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2.       Get an oven proof casserole dish on a medium heat.

3.       Brown the chops on either side.

4.       Removed from the pan and add the onions, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and mushrooms. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.

5.       Return the chops to the pan and cover with the chicken stock and add salt and pepper. Add the Worcestershire sauce.

6.       Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 1 ½ - 2 hours. (alternatively, turn the heat on the hob down to the lowest setting and simmer for 1 hour).

7.       Once completely cooled, the stew will keep for up to 2 days when stored correctly, i.e in fridge