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Irish stew
Stobhach Gaelach: lamb, potato and onion stew
Irish stew, stobhach Gaelach, is the plain and honest pot of the Irish countryside, still made in farmhouse kitchens from Kerry to Donegal and served in Dublin pubs on St Patrick's Day. Lamb on the bone simmers slowly with onions, carrots and two kinds of potato: waxy ones that hold their shape and floury ones that melt and thicken the broth naturally, so no flour is needed. Thyme and parsley are the only seasoning. Chef's tip: use lamb neck or shoulder on the bone; the bones give body to the broth that lean leg never will.
- Total time
- 145 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the stew
- 2 ⅞ lb lamb neck chops or shoulder on the bonecut into large pieces
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 onionsthickly sliced
- 3 carrotscut into chunks
- 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoespeeled, halved
- 14 oz potatoes for mashing (floury)peeled, thinly sliced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 ¼ cups lamb or chicken stock (gluten-free)
- 1 handful parsleychopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Season 2 ⅞ lb lamb neck chops or shoulder on the bone with half the 1 tsp salt and the 1 tsp black pepper. Put it in a large heavy pot and add cold 4 ¼ cups lamb or chicken stock (gluten-free) to just cover. Bring slowly to the boil and skim off the grey foam for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 2: Add 3 onions, 14 oz potatoes for mashing (floury), 6 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour. The thin potato slices will collapse and thicken the broth.
60 minStep 3: Add 3 carrots and 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoes, pushing them under the liquid. Simmer covered for 35–40 minutes more until the potatoes are tender and the lamb falls from the bone.
40 minStep 4: Lift out the bones, pull off any meat and return it; discard the bones, thyme stalks and bay. Skim excess fat from the surface. A common mistake is boiling hard; a fast boil toughens the lamb, so keep it at a lazy bubble.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does irish stew take?
- About 145 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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