Ahhh, hearty and soul-warming 🍀🥣 proper Irish stew—simple ingredients, slow simmer, big comfort.
🍲 Traditional Irish Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lamb shoulder or beef chuck, cut into chunks
- Salt & black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil or butter
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3–4 carrots, chunked
- 2 lbs potatoes, peeled & chunked
- 2 tbsp flour (optional, for thicker stew)
- 4 cups beef or lamb stock (or water, old-school)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional: parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Season meat well with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot. Brown meat in batches; remove.
- Add onions to the pot and cook until soft.
- (Optional) Sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute.
- Return meat, then layer in potatoes and carrots.
- Add stock, thyme, and bay leaf—just enough to barely cover.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and potatoes slightly break down.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf.
🍞 Serve with
Crusty bread or soda bread—and honestly, that’s all it needs.
🔥 Irish tips
- Don’t over-season—let the ingredients shine
- Thicker stew comes from potatoes breaking down, not cornstarch
- Even better the next day
Want a Guinness version, slow cooker, or beef-only twist?
