Irish Stew with Guinness

Irish stew

Irish stew is big in flavour yet takes little time to prepare. Traditionally, it’s made with mutton but it is just as delicious if you use lamb.

Preparation: 20 mins

Cooking: 2 hrs

Serves: 6

Difficulty: easy

Irish Stew with Guinness

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1½kg mutton shoulder, diced
  • 4 large carrots
  • 1 small cabbage
  • 1 leek
  • 1 small celeriac
  • 2 medium-sized onions
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • Salt, pepper, curry powder, nutmeg
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 large sprigs of thyme
  • 500ml water, boiled
  • 500ml Guinness
  • 1kg potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • Chopped chives and parsley

Recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 2½.
  2. Heat the oil (on the stove) in an ovenproof casserole dish that has a tight-fitting lid.
  3. Cook the mutton until brown (for about 5 minutes), remove the meat, and put the pot aside.
  4. Cut the vegetables into cubes or slices; slice the onions.
  5. Place a layer of mutton into the casserole dish, sprinkle some seasoning over it, then add a layer of vegetables including the bay leaf and the thyme, followed by mutton and seasoning, etc. Finish with a layer of vegetables.
  6. Pour in the boiling water and the Guinness. Bring to the boil, cover and place the dish in the oven.
  7. Cook in the oven for about 1 hour, then carefully mix in the potatoes, and cook for another hour.
  8. Check that the stock hasn’t reduced too much and add a little boiling water if it has. The meat and vegetables should always be covered in liquid.
  9. Cook the Irish stew a little longer with the lid removed, if the sauce is too runny.
  10. Sprinkle with chopped chives and parsley before serving.

 

Best served with crusty bread to soak up all of the delicious sauce.