Gluten-Free Irish Stew

Ingredients

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• 2 1/2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive or neutral oil
• 2 large onions, cut into thick wedges
• 4 cups lamb, beef or chicken broth Shop
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves Shop
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled (half cut into 1/2-inch dice, half into 2-inch chunks)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. 1 Pat the lamb dry and season with the salt and pepper.
2. 2 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches without crowding, 3-4 minutes per side, and transfer to a plate.
3. 3 Add the onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
4. 4 Return the lamb and its juices. Add the broth, thyme and bay leaves, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for 1 hour.
5. 5 Add the carrots and all of the potatoes. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes more, until the lamb is very tender, well past the 145°F (63°C) safe minimum, and the small potato pieces have broken down and thickened the broth.
6. 6 Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Tips & Notes

• Cut half the potatoes small, as the ingredient list says. The small pieces dissolve into the Irish stew and thicken it the traditional way, with no flour.
• Keep the stew at a bare simmer. A hard boil toughens lamb shoulder, while gentle heat turns it meltingly tender.
• Lamb stew is even better reheated the next day. Chill it, lift off the solid fat from the surface, and warm it slowly.

Common questions