Guinness Irish Lamb Stew

By Dustin

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds* lamb shoulder, cubed
• 3 to 4 Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 large parsnips, washed and cut into large chunks
• 1 yellow onions, chopped
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 stalks celery, whole
• 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 12-14 oz. Guinness beer (or any dark stout beer)
• flour
• coarse salt & black pepper
• 4 cups beef stock
• Garnish of 4-6 Tablespoons fresh parsley

Details

Servings 10
Preparation time 60mins
Cooking time 160mins
Adapted from foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the lamb:
The best cut of beef to buy is a boneless lamb shoulder. Pat the lamb very dry, so that there isn't any moisture (for better searing). Cut into cubes and season with salt & pepper. Dredge in flour.

Vegetable preparation:
Chop onion. Wash the parsnips (I don't peel them) and cut into large chunks.

Wash the celery and keep whole (I personally don't care for cooked celery) so I use the whole celery to flavor the broth, and then remove it before serving.

Tie the thyme, rosemary and parsley with kitchen twine.

In a Dutch oven, heat a small amount of olive oil and bring to high heat. Sear the lamb by cooking, untouched, for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Cook in batches, so that the meat doesn't become crowded. Set the cook lamb aside. The more brown crust on the bottom of the pot, the more flavor. Lamb is fatty, so you most likely won't need to add any additional oil to brown the vegetables.

For the vegetables:
On medium-high heat, add the onion and cook until lightly brown, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Remove and set aside.

If there is any leftover fat/oil, carefully drain it from the pot.

On high heat, add the beer and scrape with a rubber spatula to loosen up the brown bits, and stir. Turn the heat down to medium-high.

Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and stir (or whisk) until combined. Add the onion, lamb, parsnips and potatos; add the beef stock, celery stalks and the tied herbs.

Bring the stew to a boil, covered, and them turn the heat down to a low simmer. Simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Final Touches: Taste the liquid for seasoning. Add salt, to your liking.

IF stew needs to be thickened: Whisk 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and cold water until smooth and lump-free. Very slowly, while stirring, pour HALF the cornstarch mixture into the stew. Wait a minute or two, for the sauce to thicken. Add the barley, and wait a few more minutes to see how much it thickens. Only add the remaining cornstarch mixture if the stew hasn't quite thickened enough so that Homemade Irish Soda Bread can sop up that tasty gravy.