Irish Stew

From the kitchen of Carly

Hearty Irish lamb stew with root vegetables, white wine, and pearled wheat. The kind of slow-braised one-pot that fills the house with the right smell on a cold day. Mostly hands-off; the oven does the work. Brown the meat and vegetables in batches. Crowded pots steam instead of caramelizing, and that browning is the entire flavor.

Irish Stew

Pearled wheat and lamb shoulder make this Irish stew thick and sustaining, not thin broth. You sear everything first, which means flavor, then the oven does the work. Three hours sounds long, but most of it is hands-off braising. The result is meat that falls apart and vegetables that taste like themselves, not like they've surrendered.

Prep
30 min
Cook
2 hr 30 min
Total
3 hr
Servings
6
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

6 servings

  • 11 oz(300 g)pearled wheat (or barley), soaked overnight
  • 4 3/8 lb(2 kg)boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup(120 ml)olive oil
  • 24 smallshallots, peeled and left whole
  • 4 largecarrots, cut into thick rounds
  • 2turnips, peeled and cubed
  • 1 smallceleriac, peeled and cubed
  • 12 oz(350 g)small waxy potatoes, halved
  • 3/4 cup(150 ml)dry white wine
  • 1 tspcaster sugar
  • 4fresh thyme sprigs
  • 4fresh oregano sprigs
  • 2 cups(450 ml)chicken stock

Instructions

  1. The night before: cover the pearled wheat with cold water and let it soak. The next day, drain and rinse.

  2. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

  3. Cook the soaked wheat: tip into a medium pot with plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour until tender. Drain and set aside.

  4. Season the lamb cubes with 1 tsp salt and a generous crank of pepper.

  5. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches (don't crowd), sear the lamb 4 minutes total, turning, until well-colored on all sides. Move to a large bowl. Repeat with the rest, adding more oil as needed.

  6. Drop the heat to medium. Add another 1 tbsp oil. Add the whole shallots and cook 4 minutes until caramelized. Tip into the lamb bowl.

  7. Repeat with the carrots, turnips, celeriac, and potatoes, browning each in turn (4 to 5 minutes per batch) and adding to the bowl.

  8. Once everything is browned and out of the pot, pour in the white wine. Add the sugar, thyme, oregano, 1 tsp salt, and a generous crank of pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and let it bubble hard for 3 minutes.

  9. Tip the lamb, vegetables, and the cooked wheat back into the pot. Pour over the chicken stock.

  10. Cover with a lid. Boil for 5 minutes on the stovetop, then transfer to the oven and braise for 90 minutes.

  11. Pull from the oven. Check the liquid level. If too soupy, return to the stovetop uncovered and reduce for 5 minutes. If just right, leave as is.

  12. Taste, adjust salt, and serve in deep bowls.

Make ahead and storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The stew tastes better the next day as flavors deepen. It freezes well for up to 3 months, though the potatoes will soften further on thaw, so reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water if needed.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Sear the lamb and vegetables in batches and don't skip it. Crowding the pot steams instead of browns, and you lose the deep caramel notes that carry the whole dish.
  • Soak the wheat overnight and cook it separately before adding to the pot. This keeps the stew from turning gummy and lets you control its doneness.
  • Check the liquid level after braising. A true Irish stew should be thick and stewlike, not soupy. If needed, reduce on the stovetop for 5 minutes uncovered.

Variations

  • Use beef chuck instead of lamb for a meatier, less gamey version that braises just as well in the same time.
  • Swap the pearled wheat for pearl barley for a more traditional take, using the same soak-and-cook method.
  • Add parsnips or swede in place of some turnips if you want sweeter root notes and less earthiness.
  • Skip the white wine and add an extra 150 ml of stock if you prefer a cleaner, less acidic finish.
Substitutions
  • lamb shoulder to beef chuck or lamb shanks. Beef chuck works the same; shanks need 30 extra minutes in the oven.
  • pearled wheat to pearl barley or farro. Barley is the more common Irish alternative and skips the overnight soak. Farro stays chewier.
  • celeriac to parsnips or extra carrots. Celeriac can be hard to find. Parsnips give similar earthiness; carrots make it sweeter.

Pairs well with: Crusty soda bread or a warm baguette, A pint of stout (the obvious pairing) or a Cotes du Rhone, A simple green salad with mustard vinaigrette