Irish Lamb Stew with Guinness

Whoa guys, it’s been a while. Since we last hung out, I’ve survived a weekend in Atlantic City, started half training in earnest, watched a TON of college basketball, discovered my new fave tapas place in NYC, come in third place at Friends trivia, and prepped for an all-new exciting project at work.

What I haven’t been doing? Cooking, cleaning, unpacking the many suitcases I’ve used over the past month, folding laundry, catching up on Mad Men ahead of the final season premiere(!!) and just generally being at home for extended periods of time. Which is why this recipe comes to you so late.

Three weeks ago, when “Feels like 17F” was still a thing and “hearty” was the only acceptable kind of meal, this recipe would have been super useful. Now? Oh you know, it’s just a delicious, warming stew that takes your last lingering root vegetables, plus the best of spring’s new produce and meat,* to form a rich meal relatively cheaply. NBD.

Stews are a staple in Ireland, always served with hearty bread and creamy, dreamy butter. (No seriously, I still dream about that butter.) Made with beef or lamb, with whatever vegetables are around — sturdier root vegetables in the winter, more peas and carrots in warmer weather — it’s the quintessential comfort food. I also had a bottle of Guinness in the fridge, so I threw that in, adding a bit of malty body to the stew.

It was delicious two weeks ago when I made it, but this Irish lamb stew would be just as delicious now, one last hearty meal to usher you into spring.

*Did you know that meat is seasonal too? Animals have natural growth and slaughter cycles, which is why we associate turkeys with fall (ie. Thanksgiving) and ham or lamb with Easter and spring. Here’s a good explainer from Polyface Farm owner and small-farm advocate Joel Salatin.

Irish Lamb Stew with Guinness
Adapted from Once Upon A Chef
Makes 6 servings

– 3 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 2-inch pieces

– salt and pepper, to taste

– 2 tablespoons olive oil

– 2 medium yellow onions, chopped

– 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

– 3 tablespoons tomato paste

– 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

– 1 cup Guinness

– 3 cups beef broth

– 2 cups water

– 1 bay leaf

– 1 small sprig fresh rosemary

– 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks on diagonal

– 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks on diagonal

– 1 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 2-inch chunks

– 1 cup frozen green peas

1) Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the lamb in batches — avoid overcrowding the pan and let the meat form a nice crust before turning it. (It should take 5-8 minutes per batch.) Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.

2) Add the onions and garlic to the pot. Cook until the onions are soft, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes more.

3) Add the lamb with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1-2 minutes.

4) Add the Guinness, beef broth, water, bay leaf and rosemary sprig. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil, then cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 90 minutes.

5) Add the carrots and potatoes to the stew, then cover and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked through and the meat is tender, 30-40 minutes. (Stir everything occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pot.)

6) Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig, and then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are warmed through. Serve with crusty bread.