Irish Lamb Chop Stew 🇮🇪

 

There are numerous ways of making the famed Irish stew, but I find this recipe using bone-in lamb chops and layering them with vegetables in the pot the most flavoursome.  With St Patrick's Day coming up and the weather finally cooling down a little in our first weeks of autumn, I made this one-pot meal last night and the delicious aroma wafting through the house was incredible.  After an hour of stewing the meat is so tender they come off the bones and little seasoning is needed thanks to the sweetness of the vegetables and the addition of a few bacon rashers.  Perth has a large Irish community and my few Irish friends will no doubt be having a Guinness or taking on the fiddle to celebrate the upcoming cultural festival.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg / 2lb 4oz lamb forequarter or chump chops
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 bacon rashers, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 500g / 1lb 2oz potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 onion, cut into wedges
• 1 leek, white part only, cut into thick slices
• 150g / 5½oz cabbage, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups beef stock
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing

METHOD

1. Trim off excess fat from lamb chops.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat.  Brown chops on both sides, in batches, so the pan is not overcrowded.  Remove and set aside.
3. Add the bacon and cook until crisp.  Sprinkle flour and stir to combine with bacon.  Remove the pan from heat.
4. Layer half of the potato and carrots on top of the bacon in the pan.
5. Arrange chops in a single layer over the potato and carrots.  Add rosemary and thyme. 
6. Cover the chops with a layer of the remaining potato and carrots.  Top with a layer of onion, leek and cabbage.
7. Pour in stock.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
8. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until the meat is very tender.
9. Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chopped parsley.
10. Serve chops with vegetables and sauce.