Hearty Irish Stew

Why This Hearty Irish Stew Works

Browning the lamb in hot oil at the start gives the meat a bit of a crust. That light crust keeps the juices inside while the stew simmers for a long time, so the lamb ends up tender instead of dry. All the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot stay there for a moment, then the broth and water loosen them, so they mix back into the liquid instead of burning.

As the pot simmers on low heat, the lamb slowly softens and its fat melts into the broth. Over time, the potatoes and carrots also soften and some of the potato starch slips into the liquid. That starch, along with the small amount of flour cooked with the onions, slowly thickens the broth so it turns into a hearty, slightly creamy stew instead of a thin soup.

Near the end, the potatoes hold their shape but are soft all the way through, the lamb breaks apart easily with a spoon, and the parsley stirred in at the last minute keeps the stew from tasting heavy.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the lamb brown only lightly or crowding the pot so it steams instead of browns leaves pale, wet meat and almost no browned bits on the bottom. The stew then cooks in a weak, grayish liquid instead of a rich base, and the meat tends to taste flat and look unappetizing.

Adding the potatoes and carrots too early, then simmering for the full 2 hours, often turns them mushy. The vegetables start to break apart into the liquid, so the stew becomes thick and pasty, with almost no distinct chunks left.

When the heat is kept too high after adding the broth and water, the stew boils hard instead of gently simmering. The lamb tightens and dries out on the outside while the liquid reduces too fast, leaving tough meat and a sauce that can turn overly thick or even catch on the bottom.

Skipping the flour step or not cooking it for those couple of minutes leaves the stew broth thin and slightly chalky. The liquid never really clings to the meat and vegetables, so the stew feels watery instead of having a smooth, velvety body.