Looking for traditional Irish lamb stew? Want to know about the many different Irish stews available? Read our guide for more information on choosing the right stew for your meal…
Different Types of Traditional Irish Stew
Traditional Irish stew is a hearty and filling dish. The stew includes plenty of potatoes which is Ireland’s staple crop and widely grown throughout the country. Irish stew is the traditional fare of the peasant class, mostly farmers, and originally made from the most readily available ingredients.
Lamb is a popular meat and often used in cooking traditional Irish stew. Onions and parsley are generous ingredients in Irish stew that’s traditionally cooked in a large skillet. In countries where Irish communities have settled, such as the United States, local meat like beef has replaced lamb in the stew. New flavors for traditional stew are created with paprika, spices and chili paste.
Irish stew is often enjoyed with soda bread, a type of Irish bread that’s made from baking soda instead of yeast. On cold, damp days in Ireland, traditional stew in thick broth brought succor in freezing winter. The long simmering stew ensured meats were tender and the sauce was thick, as lamb neckbones and shanks provided the stock.
Tips to make Thick Irish Stew
When you’re planning to make Irish stew that’s thick and tasty, here are a few tips that will help you on your way:
• Use fresh ingredients. Your Irish stew will taste much better if you cook with fresh vegetables rather than frozen carrots and peas.
• Check seasoning. Depending on the specific flavor of the stew you want to cook, the seasoning should be sprinkled and the stew tasted for right balance.
• Corn flour. Mix the corn flour in water and add to the soup for thickening.
• Herbs and spices. Be sure to put these in towards the end of the cooking process to give your Irish stew a more intense flavor.
Traditional Irish stew is a national favorite in Ireland and in every country with large Irish communities. Staples like potatoes and carrots are the usual vegetables cooked together with lamb or beef meat in a large skillet over a low fire for many hours in a variety of ways for a tasty and nourishing Irish stew.
