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Traditional Irish Stew
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| A few words about a Traditional Irish Stew. Some purists believe that an Irish Stew is nothing more than mutton, onions and potatoes.
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| A traditional Irish Stew would have mutton or lamb instead of beef because sheep are more commonly raised. Mutton would be the choice because for stew it had more flavor. Often the neckbones and shanks were put in to provide more flavor. In this very cold country hearty root vegetables like parsnips, carrots and turnips were grown as the could be stored in a cellar all winter. This would be a given to put in their Irish stew. Barley is a common grain in Ireland so that is often added. |
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Ingredients; 3 to 31/2 pounds shoulder lamb chops approximately 1 inch thick, trimmed and cut into small pieces |
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Directions;
In a medium-size pot, put a layer of the thinly sliced potatoes, onions and carrots. Then add a layer of lamb chunks . Sprinkle liberally with pepper and salt.
Continue building in this manner until all the ingredients are used. Add the water until it barely covers the ingredients. Arrange the halved potatoes on top of the stew, but not in contact with the water, so they can steam as the rest is cooking. Simmer over a very low heat for about 2 hours or in a moderate oven for the same length of time. (We baked it, covered, in a 325-degree oven for 3 hours.) Serve in shallow soup bowls and sprinkle liberally with parsley.
The Irish Food Board
This is an Irish stew from 1874
"Irish Stew.
Take from two or three pounds of chops from the best end of a neck of mutton, and pare away nearly all the fat, for an Irish Stew should not be greasy. If liked a portion of the breast may be cut into squares and used, but a neck of mutton is the best joint for the purpose. Take as many potatoes as amount after peeling to twice the weight of the meat. Slice them, and slice also eight large onions. Put a layer of mixed potatoes and onions at the bottom of a stewpan. Place the meat on this and season it plentifully with pepper and slightly with salt. Pack the ingredients closely, and cover the meat with another layer of potato and onion. Pour in as much water or stock as will moisten the top most layer, cover the stewpan tightly, and let its contents simmer gently for three hours. Be careful not to remove the lid, as this will let out the flavour."
--- Cassell's Dictionary of Cookery with Numerous Illustrations [Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co.:London] 1874 (p. 331)
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