Savor Hearty Irish Fare
Irish Guinness Stew with Lamb | Makes 6 servings
This St. Patrick’s Day, celebrants can bring a touch of Irish cuisine to their celebrations by preparing the following recipe for “Irish Guinness Stew with Lamb” courtesy of Lines+Angles.
8 cups lamb or beef stock; divided
1 cup pearl barley
3 lb. lamb shoulder, cubed
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons oil
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 stalks of celery, washed, trimmed and chopped
2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
12 fluid ounces Guinness stout
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh rosemary
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons water
1. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring 3 cups of stock to a boil; add barley. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, pat the meat dry with paper towels. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the pot. Sprinkle flour over the meat, shaking off any excess; set aside.
3. Add the celery, onions, garlic and carrots to the pot and sauté until onions are soft and translucent. Add Guinness and deglaze the pot, scraping up all the caramelized bits on the bottom and sides of the pan.
4. Chop the leaves of the parsley, reserving the stems. Tie the parsley stems and several sprigs of thyme and rosemary into a bundle; drop the bundle into the pot. Chop the remaining thyme and rosemary; set chopped herbs aside.
5. Return the meat to the pot. Add the potatoes, barley and enough stock to cover the meat and vegetables. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until meat is fork tender. Stir occasionally, adding remaining stock as necessary.
6. Check seasoning; adjust to taste. Stir in chopped parsley, thyme and rosemary. Mix cornstarch in water and stir. Add to stew, stirring to incorporate. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until stew thickens. Ladle into bowls. Serve with crusty bread and of course more Guinness if desired.