We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Irish Stew?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: Jan 25, 2024
Views: 12,053
Share

Irish stew is a rich stew made with a meat such as lamb or beef and cooked with vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, and turnips. The stew is ideally slowly cooked so that it develops a complex, hearty flavor, and it is generally served hot with foods like bread. The ingredients in Irish stew are simple and usually cheap to obtain, so people tend to associate it with basic peasant fare. In the winter, Irish stew is a very warming dish, especially in cold regions of the world.

Many nations have some version of stew, usually using tough meat and heavy duty vegetables. These stews were often consumed by the lower classes since these ingredients were cheap and available. Many peasants could grow their own root vegetables, for example, which is why they became popular fillers for stew. When made with a good balance of meat and vegetables, such stews are actually fairly nutritionally sound as well, since they contain an assortment of useful vitamins and minerals.

In Ireland, such stew may be known as stobhach gaelach, the Gaelic for “Irish stew.” Variations on Irish stew are often available in pubs and other businesses which focus on simple, filling food, and some families like to make large pots of stew for special occasions or cold winter days. Making Irish stew at home is very easy, and you can alter the recipe in a range of ways to incorporate new flavors or unusual ingredients like squash or to make it vegan-friendly with seitan.

Start by selecting stew meat. The classic choice in Ireland is mutton, meat from sheep over two years of age. You can also use lamb or a tough cut of beef. Cube the meat and saute it with garlic in a large pot, making sure to turn it so that it browns on all sides. Add herbs like thyme and bay leaves along with a dash of sugar and enough beef stock to cover. Also add wine; around one cup of wine to every six cups of stock, or you can use a dark beer such as Guinness. Be aware that beer may make your stew more bitter. Bring the stew to simmer and cook it, covered, until the meat starts to soften, around an hour.

In a heavy pan, saute onions, cubed potatoes, carrots, turnips, and other vegetables of choice. Add these vegetables to the pot with the softened meat and cook for another 40 minutes or so, until all the ingredients are tender. Serve hot, sprinkled lightly with parsley. You may want to have a loaf of dense, crusty bread on hand as well. Irish stew refrigerates well for several days, or you can freeze extra servings to eat later.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGeek researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-is-irish-stew.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.