Traditional Irish Lamb Stew

Recipes from Ireland will always contain a lamb stew. And this one is very simple, robust, and traditionally Irish. It's everything you love in a lamb stew. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Total Time2 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 417kcal

Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

2-3 lbs lamb shoulder or leg of lamb, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons cooking oil divided
1 large onion thickly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4-5 cups water or chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 medium russet potatoes thickly sliced (about 1.5 lbs)
3 carrots chopped into chunks
1 turnip peeled and chopped into chunks
3 celery stalks cut into large pieces
fresh thyme and parsley for serving

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Instructions

Season lamb with salt and pepper to taste. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat and brown the seasoned lamb in small batches. Remove from the pot to a nearby plate.
Add the onions to the pot along with the remaining oil and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and add to the lamb.
Deglaze the pot with a splash of water or broth. Then, whisk butter and flour together and cook for one minute. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the water or broth in small amounts. Continue to whisk and add the liquid until it's smooth.
Add the lamb and onions back into the pot and simmer for 90 minutes or until the lamb is fork tender. Then add the potatoes, carrots, turnips, and thyme. Simmer for 25 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.
Taste and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve the stew in deep plates or bowls, and scatter freshly chopped parsley over the top. Irish soda bread is the perfect accompaniment!

Notes

Lamb: Some cuts of lamb can be more fatty. If needed, skim the foam or fat off the top of the stew. Be careful not to boil the lamb. As the old saying goes, "A stew boiled is a stew spoiled."
Thickening: If you would like the stew thicker, make a slurry with equal parts cornstarch and water (1-2 tablespoons) and slowly stir it into the simmering stew near the end of cooking. Add a little at a time until it's as thick as you desire.

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