Irish Stew - What to Have on St. Patrick's Day

I love to have an Irish dish on St. Patrick's Day.  I just think that it is a fun way to celebrate.  Many times I will make the traditional corned beef and cabbage, but the price of corned beef has really gotten out of sight, so this year, that dish is not an option. 

I was going through my recipes, looking for an appropriate dish when I ran across my recipe for Irish Stew.  My eyes just lit up.  I have not made that recipe for ages!  It will be perfect for St. Patrick's Day.  I make mine with lamb, if you can get it for a decent price, if not, beef is also fine.

Updated for 2019

While I have never done it, you could also make this recipe using pork shoulder, or even rabbit or goat meat.  You can also add more vegetables or use different vegetables.  This recipe is for a traditional Irish Stew, but you don't have to be traditional if you don't want to!  I usually add mushrooms, though it does not call for them, my husband and I love mushrooms in just about anything.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds lamb shoulder chops
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• water as needed
• 1 1/2 pounds baby yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

T-fal 12 Quart Stockpot

Non-Stick and Dishwasher Safe

Directions:

Place oil in a skillet (I prefer cast iron) and brown the lamb pieces on both sides
Remove lamb from skillet and place in a large stock pot with carrots and celery and set aside
Place onion in the same skillet and cook until the edges start turning translucent
Add butter and stir until melted, then add flour and garlic and stir to cover onion
Add stock to skillet, and drop in rosemary
Bring to a boil and stir gently for 10 minutes
When sufficiently thickened, pour into the stock pot with the lamb and vegetables
If the liquid does not cover the meat and vegetables, add water till it does
Drop in bay leaf
Heat to boiling and lower heat to simmer and cover
Cook for an hour and then add potatoes, cook for another 30 minutes
Check to see if meat thoroughly cooked and falling off the bones, if it is then remove it from the stew
Remove the bones from the meat and any fat that is separated
Turn the heat up to medium and stir meat back into the stew
Cook stew for an additional 10 minutes and then add green onions
Remove bay leaf if you can find it
Taste the stew and salt and pepper accordingly

If you like the taste of Guiness, you can substitute half the stock for Guiness and it is really delicious.  If you prefer to make your stew in a crock pot, it's not that different, you still brown the meat, cook the onions and garlic, but you will need to remove the meat from the bone before putting it in the crock pot.  When everything is in the crock pot, you cook it on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. 

I usually serve my Irish Stew with either crusty bread or crusty rolls and real butter.  I hope you enjoy this and have a great St. Patrick's Day!

Jade    :)

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If you want to learn more traditional Irish recipes,  I recommend this book.
The recipes are delicious and it also includes tips on how to make
traditional Irish food in a modern American kitchen.

Real Irish Food - 150 Recipes from the Old Country

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