Irish Lamb Stew

LastBaron's Note:

A traditional Irish stew, as handed down by my grandmother, who was born and raised and is now buried in Bangor, Co. Down, Ulster. This recipe has been modified slightly, as indicated in my comment below. This is a good, hearty stew, whcih is excellent fare anytime there's "a chill in the air."

• Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 3 1/3 lbs boneless leg of lamb, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 2/3 teaspoons canola oil
• 6 2/3 yellow onions, peeled,coarsely chopped
• 1 2/3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh curly parsley
• 1 2/3 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/4 pints chicken broth or 1 1/4 pints beef broth
• 1 (20 ounce) bottle Guinness stout or 1 (20 ounce) bottle dark beer
• 3 1/3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or 3 1/3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 2/3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper.
2. Dredge lamb cubes in seasoned flour.
3. Heat oil; brown meat over medium-high heat.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add onions and garlic.
5. Cook, stir 5 minutes until browned and onions are translucent.
6. Add remaining ingredients, raise heat to medium-high and bring to boil.
7. Reduce heat to simmer, cook (sitrring occasionally) for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until meat is fork tender.
8. Thicken gravy, if necessary, with cornstarch-sauce slurry.
9. :In Ireland, the lamb used is*never* boneless.
10. A stew is, by Irish tastes and sensibilities (and very much contrary to the American perception thereof),*not* an elegant dish, but rather a working dish that can be made and left unattended while good Irish lads and lassies are out toiling in the fields, tending the lambs and sheep that are used in this dish, or following other gainful pursuits and pastimes.
11. The bones have been removed here to adjust this recipe to more molly-coddled American tastes.

Reviews

[1020023]

As an Irish born American, with a long Irish lineage, I have never come across a recipe for Irish lamb stew that did not have potatoes. A little less American bashing would be good, too. However, I did like the addition of the caraway.

[CateE]

This is a great recipe, though a smaller dose of her misconceptions about Americans would have been better.