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A pot of rich lamb stew with tender chunks of meat, carrots, and herbs in a dark, glossy broth.
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Lamb Stew Recipe (Irish Stew)

This hearty lamb stew is rich, savory, and slow-simmered with Guinness, herbs, and vegetables. The perfect comfort food for chilly nights.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: Comfort food, fall, lamb, stews
Servings: 2
Author: August DeWindt

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lamb neck or shoulder cut into pieces for stew
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Flour
  • 2 slices bacon chopped
  • ½ tbsp oil optional
  • 1/2 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 stalk of celery diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup Guinness
  • 1 ½ cups beef broth
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 sage leaves
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 small carrot peeled and chopped
  • ½ tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

  • Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper. Then dust a coating of flour on the lamb. Set aside.
    Lamb coated in flour in a bowl.
  • Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Once hot, add in the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
    Bacon cooking in a pot.
  • Add in the lamb (add oil if needed but you probably won’t need it if there’s enough bacon fat). Brown the lamb on each side for about 4 minutes per side until a nice crust forms. Do this in batches if needed so the pan doesn’t crowd. Remove the lamb and set it aside.
    Lamb being seared in a pot.
  • In the same pan add the onion, celery and garlic, add some oil here if it seems like it needs it. Cook this for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent.
    Onions, celery and garlic cooking in a pot.
  • Add the tomato paste and stir this around for about 30 seconds.
    Cooked onions and celery with tomato paste.
  • Then add the bacon and lamb back into the pot.
    Lamb in a pot with bacon and veggies before cooking.
  • Pour the Guinness and beef broth into the pot and give this a nice stir. Add in the cumin and stir that in too.
    Lamb in broth before simmering.
  • Bring this to a boil then add in the bay leaf, rosemary and thyme. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low, let this simmer for an hour and 30 minutes.
    Herbs tied with twine.
  • After the time has passed, remove the lid and skim off any fat that has formed on top. Check to see if the meat is fork tender, if it isn’t, put the lid back on and cook for another 20 minutes.
  • Turn the heat to medium, then add in the carrots. Let this simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. A thick gravy should form. If it starts getting too thick, you can lower the heat to low, but I like a think rich gravy.
    A pot of rich lamb stew with tender chunks of meat, carrots, and herbs in a dark, glossy broth.
  • Remove the bay leaf, thyme, sage and rosemary. Add salt and pepper if needed, serve over mashed potatoes or with crusty bread and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1052mg | Potassium: 1043mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5380IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 5mg