Description
A hearty and comforting slow cooker Irish lamb stew with barley, packed with tender lamb shoulder, root vegetables, and wholesome pearl barley. This traditional dish is perfect for warming up on a cold day and easy to prepare with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Coating
- 2 pounds lamb shoulder, cubed and visible fat removed
- ⅓ cup flour for coating the lamb
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Vegetables and Grains
- 1 pound potatoes, peeled and quartered
- ½ pound carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
- 1 large white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 large stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup pearl barley
Liquids and Flavorings
- 3 vegetable stock cubes dissolved in 3 cups boiling water (or 3 cups vegetable stock)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sunflower oil for frying the meat
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Cut the lamb shoulder into cubes and remove any excess fat. Pat the meat dry with paper towels to remove moisture. Peel and chop the potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery. Mince the garlic. Dissolve the vegetable stock cubes in 3 cups of boiling water or use ready-made vegetable stock.
- Coat the Lamb: Combine the salt, ground black pepper, dried thyme, and flour in a bowl. Thoroughly coat each cube of lamb with this seasoned flour mixture.
- Brown the Meat: Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Fry the coated lamb cubes in batches until browned on all sides, turning with a spatula. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure proper browning rather than boiling. Transfer browned lamb to the slow cooker as you finish each batch.
- Add Grains and Vegetables: Once all the meat is browned and in the slow cooker, add the pearl barley followed by the chopped potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery.
- Add Liquids and Flavor: Pour the dissolved vegetable stock and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker. Add the minced garlic and stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Slow Cook the Stew: Cook on low heat in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours, or on high heat for 4 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender and the barley is cooked through. Refer to your slow cooker’s manual for specific timings if needed.
- Finish and Serve: About 10 minutes before serving, stir in half a cup of frozen peas and allow them to heat through. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning by adding extra salt if necessary. Serve hot with crusty bread rolls for a satisfying meal.
Notes
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can prepare the stew stove-top style by placing all ingredients in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours until meat is tender. Add extra stock if needed as liquid evaporates more quickly when stove-top cooking.
- You can substitute lamb with beef cuts such as chuck, flank, sirloin, brisket, or shin for a twist on this dish.
- The cooked stew freezes well for up to 4 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan until thoroughly hot, adding additional stock if necessary to maintain desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 529 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
