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Irish lamb stew is full of tender chunks of lamb shoulder that are simmered in a fresh herb and Guinness® tomato-based stew sauce that is loaded with vegetables. This is a great dinner to add a soft buttered bun with and the meal is complete! This is perfect for any day of the year but it really makes a great St. Patrick’s Day meal as well.
Irish Lamb Stew
Most people either like lamb or do not, it seems that there is no in-between. However, if lamb is not their favorite, this stew may change their mind! The Guinness and the spices in this stew give it a great flavor that pairs well with the slightly heavier flavor of lamb. I actually got my mom to taste this stew, she ate it and said it was good. (You may think this is not an endorsement, but she does NOT eat lamb. So the fact that she said it tasted good means it’s excellent for lamb lovers.)
Lamb’s Shoulder
Lamb’s shoulder is the perfect meat for stews that need to be cooked longer. Lamb’s shoulder needs a minimum of two hours of cooking time to start becoming tender, just like beef chuck does. Trim any extra fat off of the pieces and cube them into one-inch pieces for the best results in a stew.
Using Guinness® Beer
Guinness® is a dark, dry Irish stout originating in Dublin, Ireland, thus its place in many Irish recipes. It has a coffee and dark wheat taste to it with a slight sweetness and is excellent in a beef-based Irish stew and Guinness chocolate cake.
Using Fresh Herbs
Fresh rosemary and thyme add the necessary flavors to this stew. When paired with the Guinness® stout they combine to make a taste truly unique to Irish stew. When the stew is done, simply take out the stems – the small leaves will cook into the stew leaving you the stems to remove along with the bay leaves at the end.
More Great Stews!
How to Store Leftovers
This Irish stew is great leftover as the flavors continue to meld however the beer taste gets stronger the longer that it stays in the fridge, so just a warning! Packed up in airtight containers, and kept in the fridge it will stay good for 3-4 days. This is perfect for a filling lunch! To reheat it, just stir after each 60 seconds until the desired temperature is reached.
This Irish lamb stew was served to a few family members who thought they didn’t like lamb ( Mom, I am talking about you, sorry). In the end, they enjoyed this stew as it has such a great flavor with its herbs, spices, and the addition of Guinness®!
Happy Cooking
Love,
Karlynn
Irish Lamb Stew
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 4 hours
- Course
- Dinner
- Cuisine
- Irish
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 251
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lamb shoulder cubed into 1″ pieces
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 Tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large yellow onion
- one 14.9 ounce can Guinness®
- 4 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 large Russet potatoes peeled and diced into one inch cubes
- 3 cups carrots peeled and cut on the bias
- 2 cups celery cut into one inch pieces
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 large bay leaves
- freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Dutch Oven Stovetop Method
- Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss the lamb cubes until they are completely coated.
- Preheat a large Dutch oven or lidded stockpot over medium-high heat and melt the butter.
- Add the lamb in one layer, turning and cooking until it's browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the onions to the pan and sauté until softened, if needed add more butter to the pan. Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, around two minutes.
- Pour a small amount of the Guinness® into the pan, deglazing the bottom of the pot by scraping up the browned bits off of the bottom.
- Add the remaining beer, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves into the pot. Stir until combined. Add the lamb cubes back into the pot and stir.
- Bring the stew to a low boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until the lamb and vegetables are tender. Stir every 30 minutes to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Serve hot.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- When preparing the vegetables for the slow cooker, cut them into larger pieces that will take longer to cook.
- Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss the lamb cubes until they are completely coated.
- Add the lamb in one layer, turning and cooking until it's browned on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add the onions to the pan and sauté until softened, if needed add more butter to the pan. Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, around two minutes.
- Pour a small amount of the Guinness® into the pan, deglazing the bottom of the pot by scraping up the browned bits off of the bottom.
- Place everything into the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining beer, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves into the pot. Stir until combined.
- Cover and simmer for 3-4 hours on low and 6-7 hours on high until the meat is tender and the vegetables are soft.
- Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure to clean the outer fat off the lamb shoulder and remove any gristly pieces.
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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