Irish Stew

Not bad. just needed to make a few adjustments:) Putting the parsnips in so early made them go to mush! Was that the point? hope not. I would suggest putting them in at the same time as pots. And for the pots I put them in 35 minutes before I like mine to be cooked and soft throughout. I also suggest preparing this meal at least an hour before you need it. Stew always tastes better when left and then warmed up!!! promise.

If there was a rating higher than 5 stars, this recipe deserves it. I followed the directions pretty close to start, but added the parsnips with the potatoes (following other comments). In addition I soaked the lamb in buttermilk overnight to take the "gamey" edge off. After beginning the stew on the stove, when I added the potatoes and parsnips I put it in the slow cooker for the day (I used the "keep warm" setting for the 12 hours I had to be at work). Got home and it was perfect! Fed it to a British native and he raved about it. Great with a spinach salad and crusty bread with a smooth Merlot. We will definately be making this again.

I've said it before and it still holds true: this recipe is my gold standard for Irish stew. I made it for St. Patrick's Day dinner this weekend, and my family ate every bit--even the parsnips. Of course, I didn't tell them about the parsnips until later. Now they know they like 'em! Just a couple of notes: next time I'll cook a big chunk of parsnip and carrot with the lamb, but I'll add fresh parsnip and carrot later on so they won't disintegrate. Also, I sear the meat in batches and skim the stew as it simmers. Thanks for a great recipe, Ita!

Very good stew. I did more changes than most of the reviewers: -I used beef sirloin because I couldn't find any lamb that looked good. -I doubled the amount of onions, carrots, and parsnips. I also used extra potato but not quite double. -I used 6 cups of water and added a large beef bouillon cube. -I added one can of Guinness. -The original simmer included the beef, carrots, and onions for 45 minutes. Then I added parsnips and the potatoes and simmered for another 30 minutes. Then the leeks and rosemary for about 10 minutes. This was very, very good. I was quite happy to make a good St. Patrick's Day dinner.

This was a lovely recipe. I only made a couple of additions and changes. Nearer the end of the cooking I tasted it, and found it slightly bland so I added two teaspoons of powdered beef stock. The recipe states that it be cooked for an hour and three quarters, I actually used my slow cooker and had it on for five hours. Apart from the smell that drifted throughout the house (with the help of the Irish soda bread), it was delightfully delicious and the lamb just fell apart.

Turned out great! I thought there was too much water, though, so I left the lid off and let it reduce at the end. Ate it with beer bread. edit: Made it again and this time added celery with the carrots. I probably doubled or tripled the vegetables. I also used lamb neck meat this time, still on the bone, then pulled it off when it was tender. Great recipe and versitile!

This was fabulous!! I made a large pot of this and bought it to work for St. Patrick's Day. I received so many positive comments and many said it was the best Irish Stew they had ever tasted. I didn't make any changes to the recipe, the fresh rosemary is a must, and the parsnip also gives it a nice taste. Also, if you can buy Australian or New Zealand lamb, it definitely makes it more rich and hearty.

Yep great dish.. I used fresh chicken stock instead of water, and added thyme as well as rosemary, parsnip should be put in the same time as the spuds... top marks for a super dish X

Wonderful. The meat was very tender; the broth flavorful and delicious. Perfect comfort food on a chilly night.

Loved this recipe. Added a peeled and chopped turnip and made a roux to thicken it up a bit. It came out great! This is definitely a keeper.

Nice recipe. Try it with celery too. Not too much though, you don't want to overpower it. Almost any vegetable, preferably white vegetables, can go into Irish stew. A small amount of sliced white cabbage, turnip or cauliflower. No tomatos, egg-plants, peppers or anything of this nature. They weren't available traditionally in cold rainy Ireland. Drinking draught Guinness with this, even from a can, is really not recommended. Speaking as an Irishman who drinks Guinness all the time, I can say that this is quite a heavy meal and Guinness will cause you to fill up too soon or feel bloated for the day. Keep the cans chilled and have them two hours after the meal. By the way, don't feel you need to restrict yourself to the quantities mentioned in this recipe. Make as much as you can. This meal grows in flavour the longer you leave it. Refridgerate it and eat it three days later for best experience.

A wonderful alternative to the traditional corned beef and cabbage for St. Patty's Day. I wasn't able to find a whole shoulder at any of my local stores so I bought shoulder chops instead. I cut the meat off the bones and browned it as per the recipe. Since I love lamb and hate to waste food I browned the bones and clinging meat in my toaster oven and added them in too. (The meat and any connective tissue becomes very tender with the low and slow cooking). I followed poster "SakiFiz" timetable- 45 min simmer for the meat, carrots and onions, add parsnip (next time I will add a second one) and taters for another 30 mins and a final 10 mins after adding leeks and rosemary (try not to skip the rosemary- I just added 2 sprigs because I didn't feel like chopping... the leaves came off and I just picked out the stems along with the bones when serving). Oh yeah... I added some beer along with the water... I used an amber lager because I was saving my Guinness for drinking!! This in now my new "go to" meal for St. Pat's!!!

I love stew and lamb. This was way too bland for me. I ended up adding 1T of beef bouillion for flavor and additional salt. I also thickened it a bit with 2T flour. I've tasted better so will not use this one again.

This is a very good recipe, and the closest to what I've been told by several Irish friends is traditional Irish stew. The main difference between this recipe and other versions I've had is traditional Irish stew is assembled in layers; meat and onions/leeks first, then the carrots and parsnips/turnips, and then the potatoes, each layer getting a touch of salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. When the stew is ready to be served the spuds on top are lightly mashed, then stirred into the stew in order to thicken it. Like others I find lamb too strong for stew, so I used beef marinated in porter. I browned the beef in butter rather than oil. And I use beef stock instead of water. Still, this is a very good recipe to build on. Even better the next day!

Great authentic Irish stew! I cooked the lamb shoulders and all other ingredients - including rosemary and parsley in the crock pot for 5 1/2 hours on high. Served in bread bowls from Panera Bread shop. This was a hit! Super tasty and fulfilling!

Very, very good! I made it just as the recipe described, except I added two or three tablespoons of flour (in a cup of water) at the end of the cooking time for thickening purposes. Wouldn't change a thing!

This was tasty! I ended up using shoulder chops instead of a lamb roast because it's all my grocery store had; seemed to work fine, as long as you're sure to pull the bones out. I used my slow cooker. I soaked the chops in buttermilk overnight and browned them briefly in olive oil; then, in the same pan, I sauted the onions, carrots and parsnips until they started to get some color. I put the lamb into the cooker first, then the potatoes, then the onion/carrot/parsnip sautee (I didn't want the onions to break down completely during cooking), and then topped it with the chopped leeks and rosemary. Used 2 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water, and then cooked on low for about seven hours. Everything cooked nicely and the stew had a lovely flavor!

My family hails from Counties Antrim and Armargh in Northern Ireland and I can attest that this is an authentic version of Irish stew. Indeed, every cook does personalize the basic recipe a wee bit. In the US, my mother preferred using beef, though my grandmother always made the stew with lamb. I like to add a small handful of barley. Tt is a delicious basic recipe. Give it a try.

What a great stew! I added a little thyme, and it was perfect.

I gave this 4 stars only because this is my third time eating lamb and I just don't like it. But i thought this would be great if I made it with beef instead. Also, my neighbor, who loves lamb, really liked this! Very hearty and delicious.

I've never made anything Irish until today. I made this stew with beef because my local grocery store does not carry lamb. Also had to leave out the parsnips for the same reason. But it was delicious nonetheless -- I browned the beef and then added everything to the crockpot for 5 hours on low. My husband and eight children all liked it -- well, there are some picky eaters who did not want to eat their carrots or their potatoes, but with kids in the U.S. that comes with the territory -- but for the most part, it was a hit. We ate it with Grandpa McAndrew's Irish Soda Bread on this site. No one left the table hungry.

This was FANTASTIC! I will admit it was the first time I ever tried cooking lamb, but since my husband can't eat corned beef, I wanted to make a traditional Irish stew for St. Patrick's Day. The only thing that I had omitted were the potatoes because I was serving the stew over Champ. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for the recipe!

We used stew beef instead of lamb. Great recipe - easy to follow and made a delicious St. Patty's Day dinner! Will make a few adjustments for next year but overall, this was a great recipe!

Perfect meal. Like other reviewers I used the crockpot after browning the lamb and used vegetable broth in place of water. Was a big hit with friends and family. Cooked all night and day on 'keep warm' setting. Was perfect when I got home . Perfect with Irish soda bread and butter!

Very good. I added some beef broth and followed the suggestions. It is a keeper recipe.

This was my first attempt at Irish Stew, and I'll make it again. It was lovely. I used venison in place of the lamb, and added a Guinness, a touch of garlic powder, and about a teaspoon of beef bouillon granules while it was cooking. Great with warm, dark bread.

I thought this was a tasty stew recipe but my husband wasn't a fan. We added an onion, extra potato, and the leftoever leg of lamb from easter. I would recommend it to most people, i think my husband just doesn't like stew in general.

This stew was good, but a little bland. Definitely a comfort food. The lamb was a little strong tasting, and my kids didn't like the taste of it.

Good but not spectacular. Lamb is a bit gamey in this recipe but it was good comfort food overall.

This stew is wonderful. My husband loved it! I thickened it up a bit with flour. I also used stew beef because I could not find lamb at my grocery store. I cooked it the day before and then warmed it for approximately four hours in my crock-pot. The meat was so tender. I believe the fresh rosemary is a must. Thanks for the great recipe.

This was a very good stew!!!

Nice simple recipe. We slurped up the broth with rice on the side. Our first time trying lamb in stew form. We'll never go back to beef again. The lamb is sweet and tender. Old fashioned goodness. I skipped the rosemary and the parsnips.

Good, but missing a small something. Perhaps it could use slightly more herbs? My mom makes a similar stew, but usually with beef, and she braises the meat in flour, adds the onions and potatoes, then deglazes the pot with wine and/or Campbell's tomato juice (almost an entire can), then lets it all simmer together for about an hour. It turns out very nice - savory yet light.

This was quite good and I followed it almost to a "T". I added an extra carrot, doubled the leeks, used 5 cups of water, added the parsnip later as per recommendations here, and I used venison instead of lamb because that is what I had. My fiance and I quite liked it but did have to add some extra salt and pepper on top. It's a great cold-day dish. I served it with potato sage bread and red wine.

Very delicious! I made a couple of changes though. I added 1 tsp of Garlic powder, 1 tsp of dried rosemary and dried thyme leaves each added during the hour of simmering. I also would add the leeks with the potatoes and parsnip near the end, if you want them softer as I prefer. Overall, great recipe!

A great Irish stew recipe -- this reminds me of my mother's. I used beef instead of lamb (I don't like lamb); 4 potatoes rather than 3 because mine were small, and a bit of dried basil, oregano and garlic powder because I didn't have any fresh rosemary (which would have been delicious). The parsnip was an excellent addition and I'm glad it was suggested. I added beef broth for 2 cups of the water, added another two cups of water during cooking, and boiled it hard toward the end so it would thicken a bit. Delicious -- it made my St. Paddy's day feast a hit!

a nice hearty stew with pure, simple flavours. the juices are divine and beg to be mopped up with some good crusty bread.

What an amazing recipe, tastes exactly as Olde Irish Stew should. Huge thumbs up, will use every single St Patty's Day. Thank you SO MUCH !!

i used only guinness for the liquid and more veggies. killer.

This was the first real dish (as in not something like mac n cheese!) I have made for my family! (= It was also the first time I have cooked with lamb, parsnip, leek, and rosemary. It was a great dish for St. Patrick's Day and gave me a great opportunity to work with foods not usually found in an American diet.

Excellent recipe.As it is.I just added 1 tbsp.of corn starch,for a little thickness.Excellent.

YummY- all of my friends and my family loved it. Comfort food.!!

I made this recipe because of all the glowing five star reviews it got. Unfortunately, I did not feel the same way. I thought it was very bland -- and I don't even like spicy food! A real disappointment.

Awesome. You can also change it up a little bit. If you don't have potatoes, you can use rice. But I do prefer to make it the way it is written. Freezes well and packs into lunches well.

This was delicious. Such great flavors, I would make this again. I had too much grease from the lamb in my dish, next time I will drain better.

Wonderful! I made this for tonights dinner and paired it with some home made Irish brown bread and it was sooooo good! It's now two hours later and I'm still stuffed :-) I only made a couple of small changes.. I used beef broth instead of plain water and I followed someone else's advice about adding the parsnips with the potatoes. I'm a fan of parsnips now! Thanks for the recipe!

AMAZING!!! I left out the rosemary since my family doesn't really go for it and added more veggies. It was fantastick. I love leeks and lamb together. This is a keeper. I never follow a recipe to the dot because I don't belive in measurments outside of baking. This is a great recipe to work with. I think it would work well in a crock pot too. Try adding some lemon. Lemon and lamb go together naturally as lamb is a very rich meat and lemon will freshen up the flavor.

I used Angus beef stew meat (it's just a preferred taste over lamb), but an Irish Stew is traditionally made with lamb. I would suggest adding boullion or stock, rather than just water, for more flavor. Also, I add 1/2 C. of Guinness with the stock and let it simmer on low. Great with a loaf of Irish soda bread.

OMG AMAZING!!! My family wants this on the menu regularly.....delicious!!!! Double the recipe for leftovers!!!!

My mother and father loved this receipe!

Oh yummy! We thoroughly enjoyed this. I cooked it in a crockpot / slow cooker on low for 6 hrs which necessitated a couple of changes to the recipe directions. I coated the lamb chunks in flour before browning, and stir-fried the onions and leeks in a little oil (along with a teaspoon of garlic powder - couldn't find my real garlic). I parboiled the parsnips and potatoes for 5 minutes. Then I tossed everything into the slow cooker with one cup of water, one cup of red wine, and 2 cups of beef broth, and left it alone! Didnt' add the rosemary until half an hour before serving - think I might add it earlier next time. And yes, there will definitely be a next time!

I made this without the parsnip, rosemary, and leeks. Don't know if it was because of that but it came out somewhat bland and watery. I did put a bay leaf in at the beginning. Then I used some cornstarch to thicken the broth. My Irish roommate claimed it was good, then proceeded to put a layer of pepper on her stew... so maybe she was just being nice. =)

Took this to a party and got rave reviews. I also used beef and cooked it a little longer before adding the vegetables.

Very good and aside from the chopping, it's relatively easy to prepare. I cooked it about an hour longer than suggested and the lamb was very tender.

OMG this is sooooo good. I left the stew on for a couple hours to keep it warm and the meat (used beef) fell off the fork. I'm looking forward to making this again. Oh, you have to add the fresh rosemary, it really adds to the flavor.

This was the perfect comfort food. I had never had lamb before and it was fun to try something new.

mmm goood

loved this stew--it's the best-full bodied flavor-am making it again-be sure to hold off on the potatoes and parsnips-till last-Vawter

This is the first stew I've ever cooked and the recipe doesn't disappoint. From past experience, I went with the recommendations to add the parsnips later. I put them in about twenty minutes before the potatoes. I like my parsnips very soft but not mushy. The lamb was tender and flavorful, but if yours is gamey it may have more to do with the meat than the recipe. Rosemary is always the perfect companion to lamb in my book.

EXCELLANT/ I added a little corn. and put in bay leaf b4 potato/ love it! OH one more thing, I used Beef broth instead of water, one 32 oz package did the trick.

Very tasty and filling..i also added celery and a nice amount of Worstershire Sauce..absolutely delicious.

Made this tonight with leftover boneless leg of lamb. It was fantastic! My husband had 2 bowls! I'm keeping this one and will go back to it often.

I love Irish Stew,I use Lamb shanks cooked first in a pan of water then makeing a thick veg broth from the stock adding some barley, adding the spuds and the cooked lamb shanks for the last 20 to 30 minutes.

This turned out pretty good. It needed A LOT more salt than the recipe called for. The only change I made was adding the parsnips with the potatoes, as other people suggested. With more salt, it was yummy.

followed the recipe to a T -- turned out great, I didn't think it would be spiced enough, but the rosemary really helps. Paired this with the Irish Brown Soda Bread from this site for an Irish dinner.

This was my first attempt at making Irish stew, it's easy and delicious served with piping hot soda bread

A new family tradition

Fabulous! I will make this again, with more parsnips. I really liked the leeks,too. I've also made this with beef stew meat(cause boy is it cheaper and easier to find than the lamb!), but I think the lamb is still the winner.

Delicious!

I made this as written, and it is very good. I did add some extra parsnips with the potatoes because I love parsnips. Made it with the Irish Brown Soda Bread on this site. A great meal. Might add some extra water next time when I add the rosemary and potatoes. Great!

The recipe was really good, Irish food just seems to be a little bland. I seasoned it very, very well.

Great. Based on other reviews, I've put parsnips in later so they didn't turn to mush. Have used lamb and/or sirloin, and added a mix of water, beef broth, and Guinness beer. Added garlic too. The last time I made it I put an entire can of Guinness in the stew along with beef broth and my meat was SO much more tender than it has been in the past. The taste was much more robust. Have played with proportions: more carrots, potatoes, fresh garden rosemary, left out leeks last time b/c the store didn't have them. Have thickened it up by putting in more potatoes than in recipe and then taking them out when soft, with a little liquid, and blending before returning to stew. We always enjoy this, but the last time (with the Guinness, beef broth and garlic) was the best time yet.

This was excellent! I used top sirloin beef instead of lamb, added vegetable broth and water, and added other herbs. I also switched out red potatoes instead of russet. Other than that I was pretty true to the recipe. I even added the parsnips and actually really enjoyed them. I definitely would make this again! I paired it with some soda bread and it was perfect.

It was okay, but it was a little bland, the potatoes took forever to achieve tenderness.

I've been making Irish stew for years, but was looking to change it up. I looked at several recipes online, but liked yours the best.It wasn't until I saw your name that I knew this would be the best stew as my mother's name was Ita(she was from Derry City). It is such an unusual name,I just had to say hello. I'm making the stew tonight and will eat it with a smile on my face.

A nice recipe. Very traditional and I used most of the recipe, as it follows mine. The changes I made were, using stewing beef in stead of mutton. Also I added 2 bay leaves (to a large top), and also added cut green beans, brown mushrooms, and a diced turnip instead of parsnip. My other changes were a 1.5 cups of red wine, and pearl onions at the last 30 minute mark (with the potatoes) before serving. It came out very rich and very colorful. I wonderful winter dish.

Mmmm, son this was bomb.

Great stew recipe. I like to add about half a bouillon cube to the water to add flavour, as it can be a little bland without it. I put the potatoes in a bit before the other vegetables to let them cook longer without mushing the rest.

I'm not sure if I like lamb so I used beef stew meat. This was so good and I really like the taste of parsnips, gave it a nice "bite". I let my potatoes cook a little too long and some of them fell apart but it was still excellent tasting.

I made this recipe last St. Patrick's day, with a few changes. I don't eat mammals, so I used turkey instead of lamb. And I substituted 2-3 bottles of Guinness for the water, which was way too much! The kids really seemed interested in it until they tasted the Guinness. I will make this again with less Guinness (or maybe no Guinnness at all) for St. Patrick's Day. Aside from this, it seemed like a good, tasty recipe.

This turned out just wonderful. Followed a few suggestions posted by other reviewers. Used a low sodium chicken broth instead of plain water; Put the parsnips in the pot when the potatoes were added; and, added a 1 teaspoon of beef bouillon granules. My butcher only had a semi-boned leg of lamb, which I used instead of lamb shoulder. I wasn't sure how that would turn out, but the meat cooked up tender and very tasty. In all, a very easy no mess dish to make. I will definitely be making this dish again, before St. Pat's day arrives again!

It was ok, not as flavorful as i had hoped. It was very filling though.

This is 'original' Irish Stew. Made with lamb. Not beef as so many others have. And a thinner broth which is also the way it should be served. Fantastic! Was wonderful. I shall add this to my Irish recipe book. Erin Go Braugh!

My Irish lass liked this - enough said!

Delish, the best Irish I'v ever eaten. You should especially try it with sour dough bread.

Made this today and it was delicious and super easy to make. Even a cooking novice like me could handle it without a hitch!

I just made this for St.Paddy's Day! I substituted beef for lamb because lamb was tooooo expensive. It was the best beef stew I've ever eaten and made! definitely a keeper!??

Nice, the tastes is so good and so simple to cook.

as a young mum i am hopeless with traditonal meals relying on easy foods out of a jar but this meal was amazing i will definately be trying other dishes that are also additive free and filling for all the family

Made the recipe exactly as written except without the leeks and it was excellent.

This was AMAZING. My daughter's class had an "Ireland Day" and I brought this-- even all the kiddos (1st grade) at it up!!!

I make this every year on St. Patrick's Day and it's always a hit! Major kudos to the recipe author!

Added a little bit of Mixed Spice

It was very good and simple. A little bland for my taste personally, but I added fresh garlic cloves crushed and it gave it a nice kick.

It really isn't fair for me to rate this as I used beef broth instead of water added a lot more vegetables than called for, but it turned out great! I started by rolling the meat in flour seasoned with S&P. I browned the meat pieces in coconut oil, removed with slotted spoon and let rest while browning the onions leeks and garlic. then removed it. I did the same with the parsnip, turnip, and rutabaga, carrot & celery. I then deglazed the pan with red wine, added broth, meat & onions, yam & sweet potato, as well as baby red potatoes. After cooking for about an hour I added mushrooms, zucchini, rosemary and parsley. It was a huge pot of stew! My family loved it! I served it with Irresistible Irish Soda Bread from this site.

Great to see a proper Irish Stew recipe which is now rare..... Most recipes now have , for some reason added guinness to the recipe. Which was never traditional. And it gives the lovely stew a horrible tart taste which is certainly not traditional here in Ireland. Guinness was never wasted in this fashion. Remember it was a poor mans food and in my mothers time lasted all week as vegetables were added and bones for flavour gotten from the butcher.... By Friday it was called blind stew as there was no more meat left. In fact there was very little meat to begin with. The bones and marrow gave it the lovely flavour......By the way don't worry about the vegetables. Traditionally stew was made out of whatever vegetables were dug in the back and front garden but always potato. Put the potato in right away as it thickens the stew to become hearty. Hold back a few for simmering half way through. Also do the same with the parsnips. As regards the meat. Traditionally it was beef or lamb ultra cheap tough cuts. It didn't matter which... This recipe is close to the one handed down to me by my mother from her mother. The only difference was the veg which I already explained.....Thanks for this

I love a good Irish Stew and this is my first attempt at making it from scratch. It turned out fantastic - as good if not better than what I get in Dublin on my frequent trips there. I headed others advice and put in the parsnips with the potatoes. I braised the lamb shoulder chops with the bones in first and removed to de-bone and cut/tear into bite-sized chunks right before I added the leeks. One other change is that I used Guinness beer as 1-cup of the liquid - Delish!!! I love the dark brown flavor. I used a tad more fresh Rosemary because that is a great taste and it really makes this stew POP! A definite repeater for our family.

will make it again for Irish relatives. I did not have leeks or parsnips. added frozen green beans near the end of cooking. Also used dried spices, didn' t have fresh rosemary. Used more and himalayan salt and pepper freshly ground, and dried rosemary, thyme and sage. (all fantastic from www.nuts.com ) I used 3 large cloves of finely chopped and smashed garlic when adding onions, and cooked them with the meat until onions soft and translucent. Big hit! some sprinkled cayenne pepper to taste in their bowls!

This recipe was a great base to start with. I had to add some more of the regular ingredients and some of my own and it came out great! I replaced the lamb with beef sirloin as I was making the for the local VFW post and wasn't sure who liked lamb or not. I doubled the carrots, potatoes, leeks and parsnips and added a beef bouillon rue base to make the liquid in the stew thicker. Additional salt was needed to add more flavor and added two shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey. It came out amazing! Thank you for sharing it!