Guinness Lamb Stew

What goes better with fresh baked bread than a hearty stew! Well, fast on the heels of the No Knead Dutch Oven Bread comes this lamb stew with vegetables and Guinness. Yep, that’s right… we are cooking with beer here. I am not much of a beer drinker, but I do like Guinness – so this recipe was a must make. This recipe is a variant of the one on Jenn Segal’s Once Upon a Chef website and scaled down for 2 people (or 1 person and leftovers!). In reality, this recipe is a straightforward stew so there are no surprises here. The surprise is in the hearty, delicious results complimented beautifully with the fresh bread made earlier. With the unseasonably cool and wet Spring we are having here in the Pacific Northwest, this stew also hits the mark to warm the soul as we await warmer, drier weather.

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Guinness Lamb Stew

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 30 mins

Total time: 2 hours 50 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 lb lamb stew meat
3 tbsp canola oil, divided into three
½ cup yellow onion, diced large (approximately ½ onion)
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
10 oz yukon gold potato, cut into chunks (approximately 3 small potatoes)
6 oz carrot, cut into chunks (approximately 2 carrots)
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp salt, divided
½ tsp black pepper, divided
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried summer savory
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
¾ cup Guinness
1½ cups beef stock
1 cup water plus 2 tbsp

Instructions

Trim the lamb to remove any silver or hard fat, cut into large cubes.
Sprinkle the lamb with half the salt and half the pepper, toss to distribute.
Sprinkle most of the flour over the lamb add toss to coat.
In a large dutch oven, heat the ⅓ of the canola oil over Medium/Medium-High heat.
When the oil shimmers, add half the lamb and brown on both sides, approximately 5 - 8 minutes.
Remove the lamb to a clean bowl and cover with foil.
Add the next ⅓ of oil and repeat the process with the remaining lamb.
When the lamb is browned, reduce the heat to Medium.
Add the last ⅓ of oil and add the onions when the oil shimmers.
Cook the onions for a minute or two before adding the garlic.
Cook the garlic for a minute then add 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the fond on the bottom.
Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato sauce, parsley, summer savory, and rosemary.
Cook until bubbly, approximately 2 minutes.
Add the Guinness and beef stock, stirring to combine.
Add the bay leaf and bring to a moderate simmer.
Add the lamb back into the dutch oven, stirring to distribute.
Cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer, cooking for 90 minutes.
Place the dried porcini mushrooms into small bowl.
Add ¾ cup of hot (near boiling) water and allow the mushrooms to soften.
Just before the 90 minute mark, strain the mushrooms using a sieve and coffee filter, reserving the liquid.
After 90 minutes, add the mushrooms, potatoes and carrots stirring to combine.
Add mushroom liquid (or water) as needed if the stew is too thick.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more until the carrots and potatoes are fork tender.
Add the peas, stirring gently to combine.
Cook for a few minutes to heat the peas through.
Remove the bay leaf and taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Serve with a splash of red wine vinegar and fresh baked bread with butter.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 807 Fat: 34g Saturated fat: 6g Unsaturated fat: 25g Trans fat: 0g Carbohydrates: 63g Sugar: 13g Sodium: 1502mg Fiber: 9g Protein: 57g Cholesterol: 147mg

Trim the lamb to remove any silver or hard fat, cut into large cubes. Sprinkle the lamb with half the salt and half the pepper, toss to distribute. Sprinkle most of the flour over the lamb add toss to coat. In a large dutch oven, heat the 1/3 of the canola oil over Medium/Medium-High heat. When the oil shimmers, add half the lamb and brown on both sides, approximately 5 – 8 minutes.

Remove the lamb to a clean bowl and cover with foil. Add the next 1/3 of oil and repeat the process with the remaining lamb. When the lamb is browned, reduce the heat to Medium.

Add the last 1/3 of oil and add the onions when the oil shimmers. Cook the onions for a minute or two before adding the garlic. Cook the garlic for a minute then add 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the fond on the bottom. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, parsley, summer savory, and rosemary. Cook until bubbly, approximately 2 minutes. Add the Guinness and beef stock, stirring to combine. Add the bay leaf and bring to a moderate simmer. Add the lamb back into the dutch oven, stirring to distribute.

Cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer, cooking for 90 minutes. Place the dried porcini mushrooms into small bowl. Add 3/4 cup of hot (near boiling) water and allow the mushrooms to soften. Just before the 90 minute mark, strain the mushrooms using a sieve and coffee filter, reserving the liquid.

After 90 minutes, add the mushrooms, potatoes and carrots stirring to combine. Add mushroom liquid (or water) as needed if the stew is too thick.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more until the carrots and potatoes are fork tender. Add the peas, stirring gently to combine. Cook for a few minutes to heat the peas through. Remove the bay leaf and taste, adding salt and pepper as needed. Serve with a splash of red wine vinegar and grilled fresh baked bread.