Traditional Irish Stew
Classic Irish stew is a slow simmer, not a brown-then-braise: lamb neck, potato, onion and carrot cook together in a clear peppery broth. Never browned first — that would be a different dish.
Ingredients
900 g lamb neck on the bone, cut into pieces
1.5 kg waxy potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
2 large onions, sliced
3 carrots, thickly sliced
1 litre cold water or light stock
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- 1
Layer the lamb, onion and carrot in a heavy pot, seasoning generously with salt and pepper.
- 2
Cover with the cold water, add the bay leaf and thyme, and bring slowly to a bare simmer, skimming any foam.
- 3
Simmer very gently, covered, for 90 minutes until the lamb is tender.
- 4
Add the potatoes and simmer for another 30–40 minutes until they are cooked through and beginning to thicken the broth.
- 5
Discard the herb stems, taste for seasoning, and scatter with parsley. Serve with soda bread.
Cook's notes
Never brown the meat first. The pale, clear broth is a defining feature of the traditional stew.