Dark, sticky stew | Jamie Oliver lamb stew recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cut for lamb stew? ›

The best cuts for stewing are shoulder, leg or neck fillet – it needs to quite a hard-working muscle with some fat marbling through it that will break down during the slow cooking to create tender meat. It's also best with economical cuts that are boneless – keep saddle, rack and lamb chops for roasting.

The main difference between an Irish stew and classic beef stew comes down to the protein. Traditional Irish stew is usually made with lamb, while beef stew is always made with beef. Our version includes beef chuck, which is less traditional, but easy to make and equally delicious.

Starting fat side down, sear the lamb in a non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning regularly until gnarly all over but blushing in the middle, or use your instincts to cook to your liking.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150°C to soften the meat.

SLICING THE LAMB INCORRECTLY.

No matter how well your Lamb is cooked. If you cut it incorrectly, you'll end up with tough, chewy meat — even if you cooked it perfectly! The advice is always to cut the meat across the grain.

If you want to thicken your Irish Stew there are several methods. You can make a mixture of flour and water and add it to the simmering liquid or you can do the same with a mix of water and cornstarch. Add either…. around a tablespoon at a time and stir till thickened.

Russets are often the suggested potato for stew because their starch can help thicken the broth, but they also break down too easily, whereas Yukons have some thickening power of their own while still retaining a hearty, solid bite.

Irish stew is made of lamb, potatoes and carrots and is very simply flavored with perhaps parsley or thyme and salt and pepper. In contrast, Hungarian goulash is made of beef and flavored very strongly with paprika.

And when you have a gorgeous cut, like a rack of lamb, you can cook it the good ol' Gordon Ramsay way—which is to say, lightly pan-sear it first, then baste it with an herby, garlicky butter, and finally finish it off in the oven until it's still pink and juicy in the middle. It comes out perfectly every time.

Fattier cuts of lamb should be roasted long and slow at a low temperature, while leaner cuts of meat should be cooked at a high temperature for the first several minutes and then at a lower temperature the rest of the time. Braising is a popular technique for cooking less-tender cuts of lamb.

Should you sear lamb before slow cooking? ›

Should you sear lamb before slow cooking? To maximize the flavor of your lamb shoulder roast, you'll definitely want to give it a good sear before braising. It'll take about a half hour over medium-high heat for the meat to turn deep golden brown on all sides, essentially caramelizing while sealing in the juices.

Lamb Loin is where the most tender cuts come from, including loin chops and loin roasts. The loin is leaner than meat from the rack. Be careful not to overcook it, and be sure to use a dry-heat method such as broiling, grilling or roasting.

Cuts of lamb that are popular for slow cooking include the shoulder, leg, forequarter, shanks, neck chops, lamb ribs, and some sausages. These cuts are usually tougher because they have lots of connective tissue and fats, but this makes them perfect for slow and low methods of cooking.

Stew Meat You can make rich stews—from French lamb navarin to Indian rogan josh—using pieces cut from almost any part of a lamb. We think stew meat from the shoulder is best, as it becomes incomparably tender during stewing and braising.