Irish Stew (Lamb Stew)

The ingredients for this lamb stew are very simple but my recipe includes ways to incorporate much more flavor from a few additional ingredients and the cooking technique. I also included instructions for cooking in the Dutch oven and Instant Pot!

You may wondering how is this Irish Stew different from the classic beef stew?

• I created this recipe to be as close to the traditional Irish stew as I could. 
• This stew is made with lamb and not beef. (Traditionally, Irish stew was made with mutton or goat meat and simple root vegetables. Due to ingredient availability, I use lamb roast.)
• When I was first starting to work on this recipe, I tested it with and without beer. (Traditionally, there is no beer in stew.) After testing it both ways, I have to tell you that adding beer is the way to go! 
• Guinness extra level of flavor, but it also goes well with lamb. To counter the bitterness of Guinness, I added tomato sauce and some sugar.
• There is quite a different flavor pallet from the classic beef stew.

Ingredient Tips and Substitutions

• Lamb Roast – You’ll need about 2lbs of lamb roast meat. You can get a whole roast and cut it yourself or get one already chopped. It could be labeled as “lamb stew meat.”
• Guinness – Guinness is a rich stout that will add quite a bit of flavor. Guinness beer has a bold and somewhat bitter flavor too If you have any leftover make some Guinness Chicken and Stout Chocolate Cupcakes for dessert.
• See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Irish Stew Notes and Tips

1. Prepare ingredients first! Chop lamb or pull chopped lamb out of refrigerator first. This will give it a chance to warm up. Whisk together beef stock, tomato sauce, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and sugar in a bowl.
2. Sear the meat: Sear lamb pieces in batches until nicely browned. Don’t overcrowd it, do it in several batches so the meat actually sears.
3. Cook the vegetables. Sauté veggies until golden brown, this will give the stew extra flavor.
4. Add meat and flour. Make sure that the flour coats meat and veggies and doesn’t just clump in the corner.

5. Add beer: make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula as you pour.
6. Add stock and potatoes: after you add everything, bring to simmer and lower the heat to low.
7. Cover and cook: when you cover with a lid, leave a crack for the steam to escape. Cook for 2 – 2 1/2 hours, stirring once in a while.
8. Remember to discard bay leaves before serving.

Instructions to Make it in the Instant Pot

1. PRO TIP: Consult your pressure cooker manual for exact settings.
2. Set the pressure cooker to the sear setting and let it heat up. Sear chopped lamb pieces in batches until nicely browned. Set seared meat aside in a separate bowl.
3. Sear onions and carrots for a few minutes as well. Stir in minced garlic and cook just until garlic is fragrant.
4. Add lamb back into the pot.
5. PRO TIP: Don’t use flour when cooking in Instant Pot. You will add a cornstarch mixture at the end.
6. Pour beer in slowly as you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula.
7. Add remaining ingredients and close the lid until it’s latched. Turn the valve to “seal” and set the pressure cooker to stew/meat setting for 45 minutes. If no stew/meat setting available, cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
8. Let the cooker do a natural release for about 10 minutes and then do a quick release. Discard bay leaves.
9. To thicken: use 2 tbsp. of cornstarch and 2 tbsp. of cold beef broth. As soon as the stew is done cooking and you take off the lid, stir in the mixture of cornstarch and cold beef broth.
10. Turn on the sear setting and slowly stir until the stew thickens. This will only take a couple of minutes and once thickened you can turn off the pressure cooker. 

Best Way To Store and Reheat

• Storing: Fully cool the stew to room temperature before storing (or freezing) it. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, it should keep for about 4-5 days. (Always use a clean utensil when scooping any stew from the container to avoid the introduction of bacteria.)
• Reheating: If reheating from frozen, allow the lamb stew to first defrost in the fridge. You can reheat individual portions of stew in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time it stops until warmed all the way through. Or, reheat the entire dish in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring often.

How To Freeze Lamb Stew?

• You can freeze cooked Irish stew without the potatoes. Potatoes tend to break up once cooked and frozen. Once thawed, you can cook some more potatoes in the stew while reheating. Or, use waxy potatoes like red potatoes or fingerling potatoes and freeze along with the stew. Waxy potatoes stand up to freezing much better than gold.
• Once stew is cooled, transfer it into a freezer storage container or a portion it into freezer friendly zip-top bags. Make sure to cover air-tight! Freeze for up to 2 months.
• PRO TIP: Do not freeze potatoes that are high in starch, like Idaho or Russet potatoes.

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Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in February 2020.