Irish Lamb Stew

So with all these wonderful cold days around, nothing goes down better than a warm and comforting stew.  Any kind of stew would do, but I just love Lamb so it’s usually the meat of choice in my stews. I decided to do something different and decided to add some Guiness to the stew. It goes so well with the meat but be aware that it’s VERY bitter and if you add too much it might over power the rest of the stew. One can is enough for 2kg Lamb, so if you are only cooking for 2-4 people, only use half a can. The end result is gloriously rich and tender meat (I used sliced lamb shanks) with soft flavourful potatoes injected with gravy flavour. And don’t forget to top it with a big dollop of Sour Cream. Yum!!

Enough for 8

2kg Lamb (I used Lamb shanks but any stewing lamb would do)
4 Large Carrots, Peeled and finely chopped
3 Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped
2 Onions, Finely chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, Finely Chopped
1 can Guiness
1 litre Lamb Stock
2 Bay Leaves
3tbsn Vinegar
2tsp Sugar
4 Large Potatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sour Cream to serve

In a large pot, brown the meat and set aside. In some oil, fry the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until soft and slightly golden. Add the meat back to the pot, add the Guiness and the stock and allow to come to the boil. Turn the heat down and add the Bay leaves, Vinegar & Sugar. Allow to cook gently for 1 1/2 – 2 hours until the meat is starting to soften. Add the potatoes and seasoning and cook for another 30-40minutes until the potatoes are soft. Serve with Rice and a dollop of Sour Cream.