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Irish Stew

The definitive recipe for Irish stew simply doesn’t exist as in the past each household would have had its own family recipe. It is said, however, that people in the south of Ireland always add carrots, but people north of County Tipperary do not. Many people make their stew by placing alternate layers of meat, onions, carrots and potatoes in a pot, seasoned with salt and pepper, covered with water and stewed gently for a couple of hours. If you sear the meat and vegetables before stewing, as we do at Ballymaloe, it seals in the delicious sweet flavour.

SERVES 4–6

1.5kg (3lb 5oz) mutton chops from the neck or shoulder, still on the bone, cut about 1.5cm (¾in) thick

3 tbsp olive oil

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices at an angle, or 12 small baby carrots, scrubbed and left whole

12 baby onions, peeled, or 3–4 medium onions, cut into quarters through the root, which should keep the wedges intact

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

400ml (14fl oz) lamb or chicken stock or water

8–12 potatoes, peeled and halved if very large

Sprig of thyme

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp snipped fresh chives

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.

2 Cut the chops in half, but keep the bones intact as they will give great flavour. Heat a medium-large ovenproof casserole pot or large saucepan with the olive oil until hot, then toss in the meat and cook for a minute on either side until it is nice and brown. Remove the meat and set aside and then cook the carrots and onions in the hot oil for a couple of minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Return the meat to the pot.

3 Add the stock and bring to the boil. Put the potatoes and sprig of thyme on top and transfer to the oven for 1½–2 hours or until the meat is very tender. When it is cooked, pour off the cooking liquid and allow it to sit for a minute until the fat floats to the top – adding a cube of ice will help speed this up. Spoon off the fat and pour the juices back over the stew. Add the chopped herbs and serve.

Rachel’s handy tip

If the potatoes are quite small, add them 20–30 minutes after the stew starts cooking to avoid them breaking up.