Serves 4
115 min
Irish Stew
Recipe GLPR3c2ff910b7c7dc
A hearty, comforting Irish stew made with tender lamb chops, root vegetables, and pearl barley. Lamb is browned and layered with potatoes, onions, and carrots, then slowly braised in the oven until the meat is fall-apart tender and the potatoes begin to crisp at the edges. Fresh thyme and bay leaves infuse the dish with aromatic flavor. Served as a complete, warming meal in a bowl.
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Ingredients
50 g butter
8 lamb chump chops
3 onions
2 carrots
2 large potatoes
6 fresh thyme sprigs
3 fresh bay leaves
150 g pearl barley
600 ml water
Directions
Preheat your oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the lamb chops and brown them on both sides until they develop a golden color, approximately 5-7 minutes total. Transfer the browned chops to a plate.
Peel and thinly slice the onions and carrots. Add them to the same frying pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
Pour approximately 150 ml of water into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom. Simmer for 5 minutes, then pour this liquid into the bowl with the softened vegetables.
Peel and slice the potatoes into thin, even slices. Arrange half of the potato slices in an even layer across the bottom of a large casserole dish and season generously with salt and pepper.
Top the potato layer with half of the softened onion and carrot mixture. Arrange the lamb chops on top, scatter the thyme sprigs and bay leaves over them, and season again with salt and pepper.
Add the remaining onion and carrot mixture over the lamb, then sprinkle the pearl barley evenly across the top. Layer the remaining potato slices over the barley, then pour the deglazed pan liquid and 450 ml of fresh water over everything.
Cover the casserole dish with a lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the lamb is very tender and the potatoes at the edges have crisped slightly. Serve hot.
