St Patrick's Day Recipes: Irish Stew

If you’re looking for something hot and wholesome to tuck into on a dark March evening, this is the ultimate recipe. Irish stew is one of the most satisfying St. Patrick’s Day recipes around - it’s rich, warming and packed with protein and vegetables.

Serve with crusty chunks of fresh bread or a stack of traditional Irish soda farls (the recipe for which you’ll find amongst the rest of our St. Patrick’s Day food ideas), and it will go down a treat with your lads 'n lasses.

• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 mins

Serves: 4

Category: Soups, Stews & Casseroles,Dinner

Ingredients

• 135g smoked bacon
• 750g lamb for stewing
• 3 good-sized onions
• 180g halved carrot batons
• 520ml beef or lamb stock
• 4 medium sized potatoes
• Large knob of butter
• Couple of sprigs of thyme
• 2 small bay leaves

Method

1. Prepare your ingredients. Cut your bacon, lamb, carrots and potatoes into bite size chunks, then thinly slice your onions.
2. Preheat your oven to between 150 and 160 degrees celsius, or gas mark 3.
3. Heat some of your butter in a frying pan and fry up your bacon chunks until they’re as crispy as you like them.
4. Pop the lamb into a casserole dish and put it in the oven until it’s brown. At this point, take it out of the dish and leave it to rest with the bacon.
5. Put your carrots, onions, thyme and bay leaves into the dish and roast them in the oven until they’re nice and soft.
6. Add the lamb and bacon to the dish with the veg, then add the stock.
7. Once the stew is simmering, lay the chunks of potato on top of the mixture.
8. Put a lid on the dish and leave it to cook for about 90 minutes. Otherwise, for a delicious dinner to come home to, you can simmer your stew all day in a slow cooker.

When it’s ready to serve, spread a little butter on each potato, then ladle it generously into bowls. Don’t forget to pour out the Guinness for your guests to keep the good times rolling - after all, what better accompaniment for your St. Patrick’s Day food ideas?

B&M Top Tip: Jazz up your home ready for a St Patrick’s Day party with handmade bunting, place setting labels, directions signs and much more. Check out our craft & design section for materials.