Guinness Lamb Stew
Who doesn’t need a little luck of the Irish? I have a little Irish in me, so I’m not sure I should admit this but I’m not crazy about the traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage. So, I set out to develop a few other options to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, one of them being this Guinness Lamb Stew.
It’s hearty, warming and the perfect comfort food for mid-March. The great thing about it is that it has simple ingredients that are easy to put together and once you get it going, the dish practically cooks itself and the house smells amazing. I love using boneless lamb shoulder for this dish but if you prefer, you can always substitute a chuck roast cubed.
Serve it with some crusty garlic bread and you’ve got yourself a belly rubbing good time! I also have a few variations I’d like to suggest. If you’d like to add green peas, they are a nice burst of freshness. Be sure not to add them until the last minute of cooking, literally only a minute. Even if you’re using frozen peas, they will defrost and warm the minute you stir them into the stew, and no one wants brown peas! Also, some traditional Irish stews don’t use flour as a thickener, instead they depend upon the starch in the potatoes to thicken the stew. So, if you want a thinner variation, skip the flour. If you make the recipe, please tag me in your photos, I’d love to see it and hear what you think!
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes
Course
Meat
Cuisine
Irish
Servings
6-8 servings
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ lb. thick cut pancetta, diced
2 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder meat cut into 2” chunks
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. flour
22 oz. Guinness Beer
3 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ Tbsp. Worcestershire
Fresh Herbs – 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme & 2 bay leaves
4 carrots – cut in 1” chunks on a bias
8 baby new potatoes, quartered
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
1. In a large pot, heat over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp. EVOO. Add diced pancetta and cook until browned and crispy, stirring every few minutes for about 5 mins. Remove to a separate bowl.
2. Cut lamb into 2” chunks, salt and pepper.
3. Add another Tbsp. of EVOO, turn heat up to medium high and sear meat in batches, remove to a separate plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium low, add diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add diced garlic and cook 1 minute.
6. Add tomato paste and stir to cook for 2-3 mins. to cook out the raw flavor.
7. Add seared meat back to the pot along with any accumulated juices, stir to combine over medium heat.
8. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. flour, stir to combine, season with salt and pepper.
9. Add Guinness beer, stock, Worcestershire, sugar. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.
10. Tie fresh herbs rosemary, bay and thyme into a small bundle with kitchen twine. Add to the pot and submerge.
11. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
12. Add carrots, potatoes and half the cooked pancetta back to the pot. If it’s getting too thick, add a little more stock or water. Cook for 30 additional mins. until carrots and potatoes are cooked through.
13. Serve with chopped fresh parsley and remaining crispy pancetta.