How to Make Irish Lamb Stew for St. Patrick's Day

Irish lamb stew is a traditional meal for St. Patrick's Day. This stew can be served for dinner or as a snack after a pub crawl.

Things You'll Need

• 1 leg of lamb, between 3 and 4 lbs.
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 to 2 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. thyme, crushed
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 medium potatoes
• 8 small white onions
• 1 16-oz. package frozen peas
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup flour
• Stock pot or Dutch oven

Instructions

1. Prepare the meat and vegetables for the stew. The lamb should cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes, but can be cut into smaller pieces to speed cooking time. The potatoes should be quartered, the garlic should be minced, the onions should be peeled and the mushrooms should be sliced.

2. Put the pot or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Brown the lamb with butter, then add water, broth and seasonings. Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer for 1 hour. Remove the surface fat.

3. Add the potatoes and onions. Simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add peas and simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Mix the milk and flour in a bowl until smooth. Add the mixture to the stew and allow it to simmer until thickened. If the Irish lamb stew does not thicken with its cover off, try adding more flour.

5. Add the seasonings to taste. The best way to do this is to add the measured amounts of everything, mix, simmer for a minute and then taste the stew. Be sure not to add too much salt. You can always add it to your taste after you serve your stew.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to add a different taste to your stew, add a bay leaf or a cup dry white wine. If you add the wine, be sure to lessen the recipe by 1 cup of water.

• Make your Irish lamb stew a day before St. Patrick's Day. The stew tastes best when it's allowed to soak in its own juices.

• Resist the urge to pre-cook your lamb with spices before you put it in the stew. If you don't, the lamb will become tough and over-spiced.

• Don't add green food coloring to your stew. While green might signal St. Patrick's day for some people, a green stew doesn't appear appetizing.