St Patrick’s Day Irish stew
Hearty lamb and potato stew with pearl barley, thyme and bay — slow-braised until melting and richly flavoured. Perfect for St Patrick’s Day.
This is the sort of stew that warms from the inside out — proper, simple and perfect for St Patrick’s Day. Slow braising turns cheap cuts of lamb into succulent morsels and the pearl barley gives a comforting, slightly chewy texture.
Make it on a blustery afternoon and let the oven do the heavy lifting. Serve with soda bread or buttery mash if you like, but it absolutely stands alone as a bowl of emerald-day comfort.
Ingredients
- 900 g lamb shoulder
- 30 g plain flour
- 30 ml sunflower oil
- 25 g butter
- 2 brown onion — medium
- 2 garlic cloves
- 300 g carrots
- 60 g pearl barley
- 800 ml lamb stock — hot
- 15 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 800 g floury potatoes — peeled and cut into large even chunks
- 15 g flatleaf parsley — finely chopped for scattering
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground to taste
Equipment
- large ovenproof casserole (or Dutch oven)
- measuring jug
- heatproof spoon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional.
Trim any excessive fat and cut the lamb shoulder into roughly 3 cm pieces. Season well with sea salt and black pepper, then toss the pieces in the plain flour to coat evenly; shake off any excess.
Heat the sunflower oil and half the butter in a large ovenproof casserole over a medium–high hob. In batches (do not overcrowd), brown the lamb on all sides until a deep golden crust forms — about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pieces to a plate between batches.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining butter and sweep in the brown onion and garlic cloves. Fry gently until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrots and pearl barley to the casserole and stir for 2–3 minutes to coat in the juices.
Return all the browned lamb to the casserole. Pour in the hot lamb stock, add the Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer on the hob, scraping the base to release any browned bits, about 5 minutes.
Nestle the floury potatoes into the casserole so they sit under the surface of the liquid. Cover with the lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 1 hour 30 minutes until the lamb is tender and the potatoes are nearly falling apart.
Remove the lid and check the texture. If the stew is very soupy and you prefer a thicker finish, return to the oven uncovered for a further 15 minutes to reduce the liquid.
Stir through the chopped flatleaf parsley and adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Leave the stew to rest for 10 minutes before serving — it will settle and the sauce will thicken slightly.
Tips
- Don’t skip browning: good colour on the lamb is essential for depth of flavour — brown in batches and don’t rush it.
- Use floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward) and cut into even large chunks so they hold together during long cooking.
- If you want the barley to cook faster and plump up more, soak it in cold water for 30 minutes before adding, then drain.
- Make ahead: this stew improves the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze portions for up to 3 months.
- To reduce fat on reheating, chill the cooked stew briefly so the fat sets on top and lift it off with a spoon.
Substitutions
lamb shoulder → lamb neck or mutton, same weight
Stays closepearl barley → extra 300 g floury potatoes (omit barley) for gluten-free
Noticeably differentlamb stock → beef or vegetable stock, same volume
Stays closeWorcestershire sauce → 1 tbsp soy sauce plus 1 tsp malt vinegar
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 980
- Calories
- 56 g
- Protein
- 60 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this on the hob instead of the oven?
Yes — once you’ve brought it to a simmer, reduce to the lowest heat, cover and gently braise for 1 hour 45–2 hours, checking occasionally and topping up liquid if needed.
How do I thicken the gravy if it’s too thin?
Reduce uncovered in the oven for 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, mix 1 tbsp plain flour with 2 tbsp cold water, stir into a little hot stew liquid to make a slurry, then stir back in and simmer for 5 minutes.
Can I use lamb chops or leg of lamb?
You can, but these leaner cuts will not give the same melting texture as shoulder — cook time will be shorter and the result is less sticky and rich.
Is pearl barley essential?
No — it adds body and texture. Omit for a barley-free stew and add extra potatoes or diced turnip instead.
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