FARGO 鈥� Happy March! I have two Irish specialties this month in honor of St. Patrick鈥檚 Day, and first up is this Guinness and Lamb Irish Stew. Like many great dishes of peasant origin, this humble stew is simple to make and full of rich and hearty flavor that comes from a combination of good ingredients, slow cooking鈥nd beer.
When researching this recipe, lamb shoulder was the most recommended cut for stew. However, I use boneless leg of lamb instead, which is much easier to find in our local markets and big-box stores. I have made this stew five times now using a leg of lamb every time, and it has never let me down. There is a significant fat cap on a boneless leg of lamb, which you can remove or have a butcher do for you. I trim the leg myself and usually end up discarding about a pound of fat from a five-pound roast.
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Despite its rustic nature, this lamb stew is layered with incredible depth of flavor and complexity, and the first layer comes in the form of bacon. Cooking bacon in the beginning seasons the pan for the rest of the stew and provides the fat used to brown the lamb. The crispy bacon bits also get added back into the stew to infuse it with smoky deliciousness.
I cut the leg of lamb into chunks roughly 1.5 to 2 inches in size. I like the pieces to have some heft to them as they will soften and shrink while they braise, and smaller pieces tend to break down into shreds. I brown the lamb in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pot, so that it cooks quickly and evenly.
Once all the lamb is browned, I set it aside and use the same pot to cook the onions and garlic with some of the reserved bacon fat. I cook the onions until they are soft and translucent, then return the cooked lamb and bacon to the pot, along with a quart of beef stock, a bay leaf, dried thyme, brown sugar and one can of Guinness. The stout beer infuses the stew with incredible depth of flavor and the brown sugar mitigates its bitterness (the alcohol content will cook off as the stew simmers).
The stew should simmer for about 75 minutes before the carrots and potatoes are added, so that they retain their shape and soften properly without becoming mushy. Once the vegetables are fork tender, I taste the stew and add more seasoning if needed, and I usually add a little flour slurry to thicken the broth, just a touch.
This stew is so good it is almost like a secret weapon, especially when served with thick slices of freshly baked Irish Soda Bread. So, leave your troubles behind this St. Patty鈥檚 Day and sink into savory succulence with a pint o鈥� the black stuff and a comforting bowl of Guinness and Lamb Irish Stew. Sl谩inte!
Guinness and Lamb Irish Stew
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
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- 6 strips bacon, diced
- 5 pounds boneless leg of lamb (or shoulder), fat trimmed, cut into 1 陆 to 2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Vegetable oil, as needed
- 2 large yellow onions, medium-diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 quart beef stock
- 1 (14.9-ounce) can Guinness
- 1 large bay leaf (or 2 small leaves)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 4 large carrots, cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces 陆-inch thick
- 2 pounds small potatoes, halved lengthwise (any gold or red potato will work, cut into 2-inch pieces)
- Flour slurry, if needed 鈥� 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons water
Directions:
In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked and crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside; pour the bacon fat into a small bowl.
Place the pieces of lamb in a large bowl and season with kosher salt and pepper, tossing to coat evenly.
Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat to the pot and heat over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the lamb in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Cook the lamb until browned all over, turning as needed, about 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Add more bacon fat or vegetable oil as needed. Transfer the browned meat to a large bowl and set aside.
Add the onions, garlic and 2 tablespoons of water to the pot, along with a sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and lightly browned on the edges, about 10 minutes.
Add the browned lamb and cooked bacon back to the pot. Add the beef stock, Guinness, bay leaf, thyme and brown sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Add the carrots and potatoes to the stew. Cover the pot and continue simmering until the vegetables are fork-tender, about 45 to 50 minutes. Taste and add more seasoning as desired. If the broth is too thin, you can thicken it now by adding a cold slurry to the stew, using the instructions provided below. Keep in mind that the stew will also thicken somewhat as it cools.
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Once the stew is ready, remove it from the burner and serve immediately or let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before refrigerating. Store the stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thicken the stew:
Create a slurry by whisking together 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons cold water until there are no lumps of flour remaining. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the slurry to the hot stew and stir until incorporated. Bring the stew back to a boil to activate the slurry and cook off the raw flour taste.
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