Friends of ours recently returned from a trip to Ireland and they raved about the Irish Stew they had at a local pub. Lamb, carrots, potatoes, cabbage and leeks are all cooked slow in a thick rich broth. They enjoyed it so much they asked for the recipe and brought it back for me to try. They knew I’d want to make this traditional stew for St. Patrick’s Day. You’re going to love it!
There are two ways to make this hearty stew, either by cooking it in an Instant Pot or in a Dutch Oven on the stove. Each method results in a delicious stew and the ingredients are ones you can find easily in your fresh produce and meat sections in the grocery store. I decided to make this classic Irish Stew in my Instant Pot.
What’s needed to make Irish Stew?
Leeks are one of the ingredients used in this recipe. When preparing the leeks, make sure to cut the root ends off, cut the dark green tops off, and separate the leaves and wash them carefully to remove dirt that has accumulated during the growing process. Alternately, it’s just as easy to slice them into rings and then put them in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Either way, make sure the leeks are completely clean before adding them to the stew.
Lamb is the traditional meat used in Irish Stew. Some Irish Stew recipes might call for beef, but beef was considered to be a more expensive cut of meat used by the English and wasn’t typically used for in Irish Stew. I used lamb loin chops. They are small, so four chops equal about one pound. Remove the meat from the bones and cut it into 1-inch chunks.
Seasonings for Irish Stew are simple. Salt, black pepper and garlic powder are commonly used. I added a pinch of smoked paprika because it goes well with lamb. You could also add some cumin if you want to give the stew a warm, earthy flavor.
Irish Stew
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped leeks, trimmed and washed
- 1 pound lamb chops, bones removed and meat cubed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup chopped carrots, large chunks
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
I used an Instant Pot for sauteing and slow cooking the ingredients in this stew. It is traditionally done in a Dutch Oven on the stovetop, then the pot is covered and placed in a 325 degree oven to cook slowly for a couple of hours. Either method results in a flavorful stew with a rich broth.
How to make Irish Stew?
- Set Instant Pot to saute/brown. Add the vegetable oil, onions and leeks. Cook until tender and slightly browned.
- Add the lamb chunks and garlic powder. Saute the meat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the flour to the onion and lamb mixture and stir to coat.
- Add the broth, carrots and potatoes to the stew. Set the Instant Pot to slow-cook on LOW for two hours. Put the lid on the pot, twist to lock it and allow the stew to cook with the steam valve closed for two hours.
- Release the lid and stir the stew. Add the cabbage and paprika. Cook on LOW for one more hour. Remove the lid and salt and pepper the stew to taste.
Serve this classic Irish Stew with Irish Soda Bread for a delicious, traditional meal. A frosty glass of Stout Ale is also a nice addition to this savory pub food.
Irish Stew
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot/Multi-Cooker or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped leeks trimmed and washed
- 1 pound lamb chops bones removed and meat cubed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 4 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute/brown. Add the vegetable oil, onions and leeks. Cook until tender and slightly browned.
- Add the lamb chunks and garlic powder. Saute the meat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the flour to the onion and lamb mixture and stir to coat.
- Add the broth, carrots and potatoes to the stew. Set the Instant Pot to slow-cook on LOW for two hours. Put the lid on the pot, twist to lock it and allow the stew to cook with the steam valve closed for two hours.
- Release the lid and stir the stew. Add the cabbage and paprika. Cook on LOW for one more hour. Remove the lid and salt and pepper the stew to taste.
