Lamb Stew

4.65 from 17 votes

This Lamb Stew is pure comfort in a pot. Tender chunks of lamb slow-braised with carrots, potatoes, and a splash of Guinness for that deep, rich flavor. It’s hearty, cozy, and the kind of meal that makes the whole house smell amazing.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 50

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: lamb stew

Servings:

Calories: 553kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

3 pounds lamb cut into cubes, I used boneless leg of lamb
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoon olive oil
12 pearl onions peeled, or 1 large onion chopped
3 medium carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
2 pounds potatoes peeled and cubed, about 6 medium potatoes
1 teaspoon thyme dried
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1 cup Guinness stout
3 cups beef broth low sodium, or vegetable/chicken/lamb broth
2 tablespoon parsley fresh and chopped, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Toss the lamb cubes with the flour well, ensuring each piece is coated in flour.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Toss in the meat and brown it on all sides, until nice and brown. You might have to do this in a couple batches. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
Add the carrots, onions, potatoes, tomato paste, herbs and spices to the Dutch oven. Add a splash of the broth or Guinness and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for a couple minutes, then add the meat back to the pot and the remaining broth along with the Guinness stout. Bring to a boil then season again with salt and pepper if needed.
Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to simmer for 1½ hours to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Video

Notes

Best Cut of Lamb: Boneless leg of lamb is ideal because it’s tender and easy to cube. Lamb shoulder works too, but it has more connective tissue and may need slightly longer cooking. Avoid using lean cuts like lamb loin, they won’t get that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Guinness Makes a Difference: The dark, malty flavors deepen the richness of the broth. If you don’t have Guinness, substitute with another dark stout or even beef broth with a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
Thick or Brothy? For a thicker stew, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water and stir it in during the last 30 minutes. Prefer a brothy stew? Use an extra cup of broth.
Make-Ahead & Storage: Like most stews, this gets better the next day. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed.
I changed this recipe since I first published in March 2019, by swapping the chicken broth with beef broth. I only used 3 cups of broth and added a cup of Guinness stout.

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