Find the perfect Irish stew recipe
just right for your clan!

The Irish stew recipe is one of the best examples of the simple, hearty cuisine that sustained the people of Ireland through the years.

Whether you want the classic version made with fresh lamb, a hearty batch made with Guinness stout, or the simplest and most convenient Irish Stew made with ground beef, I have a selection to suit any clan's tastes...

Filling and flavorful, Irish stew has been a staple of the rural Irish table for centuries. It provided a hearty, inexpensive way to feed an entire family with the best ingredients they had on-hand.

The peasants in rural Ireland were a pastoral society, raising sheep and growing root vegetables to sustain themselves.

Like the Native American way of making use of all the parts of the buffalo they hunted, the Irish found ways to feed and clothe themselves with the sheep they herded.

Now Ireland is world-renowned for its woolen sweaters, it's sheep's milk and cheeses, and the famous Irish stew recipe with lamb's meat and plenty of potatoes!

In the wake of the potato famine, Irish immigrants flocked to the shores of America. Fortunately for us, they brought with them their traditional recipes for inexpensive, easy, hearty meals - including the Irish stew recipe.

But sheep weren't as plentiful in America as they had been in Ireland. So the recipe evolved over the years to use what was plentiful in America - beef, of course!

Over time, the traditional Irish stew recipe has been adapted to suit the taste and budget of all kinds of cooks. Now it can be anything from simple hearty sustenance to rich gourmet cuisine!

Flavorful and nutritious for the kids or savory and stout with Guinness in the mix for the big lads. I hope you find the best Irish stew recipe for your clan, right here on Fantasy-Ireland...

County Cork Irish Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 small lamb chops, thawed
• Salt And pepper
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• Parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary
• 1 pound potatoes (3 to 4 medium)
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large white leek, thinly sliced
• 12 small white onions
• 1 1/2 cups celery stalks, diced
• 1 1/2 cups peas
• Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat oil in stockpot large enough to hold all chops in a single layer. Season chops with salt and pepper.

Brown chops on both sides. Spoon off any melted fat and add enough water to cover chops.

Bring to a boil and add parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary enclosed in cheesecloth. Lower heat and simmer.

Meanwhile, quarter the potatoes. Add potatoes, cabbage, onion, well-rinsed leek, white onions and celery to chops and liquid.

Simmer 20 minutes then add peas. If needed, add a little more water during cooking. Simmer 10 more minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Season to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve.

(Of course, the longer it simmers, the better it will be. You really should give it at least a couple of hours to really soak up all the flavors.)

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Irish Beef Stew With Guinness Stout

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 pounds beef stew meat with some fat, cut in 2 inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, whole
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup beef stock
• 1/2 cup Guinness stout
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 pound carrots, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a 6-quart stove-top casserole. Then add the oil and the bay leaves. Cook the bay leaves for a moment and then add the meat.

Brown the meat on both sides on high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for a few minutes until it is clear.

Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme, rosemary and flour, and stir well until smooth.

Add the beef stock and stout; simmer, stirring, until the stew thickens a bit. Add the remaining ingredients and cover.

Place the pot in a 275° F oven for about 2 hours, stirring a couple of times. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

This Irish Stew Recipe was contributed by Chef Johan Roode, author of The Ultimate Book of Beef, an e-book with over 1000 easy beef recipes, including Irish Stew!

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Hearty Irish Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean, boneless leg of lamb
• 1 cup peeled, cubed red potato (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 cup (1/4 inch) sliced carrot
• 1/2 cup (1/2 inch) sliced celery
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried whole thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Trim fat from lamb, and cut lamb into 1 inch cubes; set aside. Combine next 8 ingredients in a 2 1/2 quart casserole; stir well. Cover with lid; microwave at High 10 to 13 minutes or until tender. Stir in lamb; microwave at Medium-High (70% power) 3 minutes.

Measure 1/4 cup cooking liquid, and place in a small bowl. Add flour; stir well with a wire whisk. Add flour mixture to lamb mixture; microwave at Medium-High 3 minutes or until liquid is slightly thickened, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes.Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

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Savory Irish Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 4 large onion cut in wedges
• 5 large carrots cut in thick slices
• 1 1/2 pound round steak or lamb
• 6 large potatoes
• 1 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in large saucepan or skillet. Saute onions in oil. Add carrots and cook for a few minutes.

Cut steak into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes and add to onions & carrots.

Wash, peel and slice potatoes and add to pot.

Pour in water, season to taste with salt & pepper and bring to a boil.

Skim of any foam, reduce heat and simmmer over low heat until meat and vegetables are tender.

If desired, stew can be thickened by mixing 2 tablespoons flour with a little water and adding it to the stew.

Heat through until thickened and serve piping hot.

Makes 6 servings.

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