Irish stew is a slow-cooked dish made with meat, vegetables, and herbs, often associated with basic farm fare. Variations of the stew are popular in many countries and can be modified to incorporate new flavors or ingredients. The classic recipe involves browning diced meat with garlic, adding herbs, broth, and wine, then simmering with sauteed vegetables until tender. Serve hot with bread.
Irish stew is a hearty stew made with a meat such as lamb or beef and cooked with vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips and turnips. The stew is ideally slow-cooked so that it develops a complex, hearty flavor and is usually served hot with items such as bread. The ingredients in Irish stew are simple and generally cheap to obtain, so people tend to associate it with basic farm fare. In winter, Irish stew is a very hot dish, especially in cold regions of the world.
Many nations have a version of the stew, usually using tough meat and heavy vegetables. These stews were often eaten by the lower classes as these ingredients were cheap and available. Many farmers might grow their own root vegetables, for example, which is why they’ve become popular fillers for stew. When made with a good balance of meat and vegetables, such stews are also quite nutritionally healthy, as they contain an assortment of helpful vitamins and minerals.
In Ireland, such a stew may be known as stobhach gaelach, the Gaelic for “Irish stew”. Variations on Irish stew are often available in pubs and other businesses that focus on simple, hearty foods, and some families like to make large pots of stew for special occasions or cold winter days. Making Irish stew at home is very easy, and you can modify the recipe in a variety of ways to incorporate new flavors or unusual ingredients like pumpkin, or to make it vegan with seitan.
Start by selecting the stewed meat. The classic choice in Ireland is mutton, the meat of sheep over two years of age. You can also use lamb or a tough cut of beef. Dice the beef and brown it with the garlic in a large pot, making sure to turn it so it browns on all sides. Add herbs like thyme and bay leaves along with a little sugar and enough beef broth to cover. Also add wine; about one cup of wine for every six cups of broth, or you can use a stout like Guinness. Remember that beer can make your stew more bitter. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook, covered, until the meat begins to soften, about an hour.
In a heavy skillet, saute onions, diced potatoes, carrots, turnips, and other vegetables of your choice. Add these vegetables to the pot with the softened meat and cook for another 40 minutes or so, until all the ingredients are tender. Serve hot, sprinkled lightly with parsley. You can also have a loaf of thick crusty bread on hand. Irish stew refrigerates well for several days, or you can freeze extra portions to eat later.
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