Hearty stew with lamb, vegetables and red wine

Irish stew is one of the most famous dishes in Irish cuisine. This traditional stew was originally prepared as a simple peasant dish, but has long since evolved into a popular one-pot meal .

Slowly braising lamb, vegetables, and herbs creates a particularly aromatic and robust stew. Irish stew can be prepared in advance and tastes even better the next day.

The dish is best prepared in a cast iron pot, Dutch oven or cocotte , as these retain heat evenly and perfectly support slow braising.

Ingredients (for 6 servings)

1.5 kg of lamb meat from the leg

4 tablespoons of flour

3 tablespoons clarified butter

3 onions

4 stalks of celery

4 carrots

5 potatoes

3 cloves of garlic

2 sprigs of rosemary

4 bay leaves

10 juniper berries

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 liter of lamb stock

500 ml dry red wine

250 g frozen peas

1 bunch of parsley

salt and pepper

preparation

1. Prepare the meat

Cut the lamb into bite-sized cubes .

Lightly dust the pieces of meat with flour. This will create a nice binding for the sauce later.

2. Brown the meat

Heat clarified butter in a large cast iron pot or cocotte.

Sear the meat in batches until it develops strong roasted aromas.

Then remove the meat from the pot and set it aside.

3. Prepare the aroma base

Dice the onions and fry them in the same pot.

Roughly chop the garlic and add it along with the tomato paste.

Sauté everything for 2-3 minutes to allow the aromas to develop.

4. Start the stew

Deglaze with red wine and lamb stock, scraping up the roasted flavors from the bottom of the pot.

Add bay leaves, rosemary, and juniper berries.

Return the meat and any accumulated meat juices to the pot.

Bring the stew to a boil, then simmer gently for about 60 minutes with the lid slightly open .

5. Add vegetables

Slice the carrots.

Dice the celery and potatoes.

Add the vegetables to the pot and simmer for another 50-60 minutes with the lid closed , until the meat and vegetables are soft.

6. Finalize

Add the peas and simmer for another 10 minutes .

Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Season with salt and pepper.

Tip

Irish stew can also be prepared with beef or pork instead of lamb. The dish will then have a slightly different, but equally aromatic flavor.

Thanks to the woman at the grill for the delicious recipe.