Irish Lamb Stew

Lamb stew is one of my favorite meals. I have used neck bones and meat, leg, steak or what ever is on sale and brown it to add a richer flavor and color. To the browned meat I add minced fresh garlic give that a quick stir around then salt and fresh ground pepper and enough water to cover the meat or a bit more. When the meat has cooked for about an hour or less, I add barley, small potatoes, and carrots scrubbed (not peeled), cooking until vegetables are almost done, then add green beans.

Lamb stew is one of my favorite meals. I have used neck bones and meat, leg, steak or what ever is on sale and brown it to add a richer flavor and color. To the browned meat I add minced fresh garlic give that a quick stir around then salt and fresh ground pepper and enough water to cover the meat or a bit more. When the meat has cooked for about an hour or less, I add barley, small potatoes, and carrots scrubbed (not peeled), cooking until vegetables are almost done, then add green beans.

Good, not great I used lamb stew meat b/c I couldn't find the recommended cut in my local store. I took the time to do a very good job on trimming the fat away. The lamb was moist and tender after cooking. The flavor of the liquid was pretty bland so I added additional pepper based on other reviews. I may have overdone the pepper and the suggestion of adding wine I think would have been a better idea. I added 2 tablespoons of corn starch in 1/4 c water (maybe less) to thicken the broth in last 10-15 min of cooking time. My husband and oldest son ate it, but thought it was nothing special. My 10 yr old (extremely fussy eater) was willing to try the meat, but didn't like it. For the cost of the meat as compared to beef, they didn't think it was a winner and suggested I stick to beef stew. Pros: Lamb was very tender from crock pot, Cons: Not a lot of flavor, expensive to make

My whole family loved it! This was so easy to make that I was able to throw it together before heading to work. The house smelled wonderful when I got home and my entire family loved it. My 4 year old couldn't eat it fast enough and my 1 year old really enjoyed the carrots and potatoes. This was simple and hearty. The lamb flavor made this the best stew we have eaten. Pros: Really easy to make, makes enough for two meals Cons: Lamb is expensive

For heartier broth... Cannot understand why recipe uses chicken stock. This detracts from the lamb flavor. I use water and the results were fine. I used more potatoes and carrots, and removed the lamb at the end, so I could thicken the broth by using my immersible blender with SOME of the vegetables. Then returned the lamb, and added the parsley. Cons: Will make a bigger potful next time :)

lamb leg vs shoulder? Curious, in your recipe for Middle Eastern Lamb Stew you recommend lamb shoulder: "Economical lamb shoulder tenderizes beautifully when leisurely cooked in a slow cooker. If you can't find boneless shoulder stew meat, do not substitute more-expensive lamb leg'it tends to dry out during slow cooking. Instead, purchase lamb shoulder chops and debone them." So why the is the leg ok for this recipe?

Very tastey, we loved it. This stew can also be simmered stove-top for 4+ hours. Followed the recipe but used 1lb. lean lamb stew meat and cut the pieces smaller. Plus added celery, 4 stalks, cayenne pepper and my husband seasoned with YAYA-B Greek Seasoning which you can find at www.yayab.com. We LOVED it! Pros: Filling and healthy, plenty of sauce Cons: Should have made a double batch!