Irish Lamb and Barley Stew
I love lamb. Didn’t always, although I did tolerate it. Then several decades ago, I went down the path of raising my own lambs when I had the place for them - all fed on whatever grew outside - Japanese knotweed, grass, weeds, poison ivy…they ate it all. The resulting chops and other cuts tasted so much better than the old mutton sold in the stores. Forage-fed local lamb is the food of the gods. And, as I have come to learn, Guinness stout is their drink. But I digress.
Today, while groceries stores are doing a much better job in offering fresh lamb than during my youth, I still prefer local forage-fed lamb. If local is not available, the next best thing, in my opinion, is thick cut shoulder chops from the store. And this cut is exactly what makes this recipe pop.
I should also address the eternal potato/barley barroom brawl argument as it pertains to stew. I say barley all the way. If, in a moment of weakness, I ever agree with you that potatoes are best for this stew, then we’d both be wrong.
Calorie Content: The Irish don’t count calories. Neither should we.
Ingredients:
Musical Ingredient: Any of the fine recordings by Magical Strings - Celtic music on harp and hammered dulcimer by Pam and Phill Boulding.
5 lbs bone-in shoulder lamb chops 1 ½ inches thick (see notes)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 medium onions, chopped course
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
1 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup unbleached flour
3 cups water (more if needed)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup barley, rinsed and cooked separately (see notes)
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
Recommended drink: Pair it with a glass of Guinness Extra Stout.
Directions:
1. Cut meat from bones into about ¾-inch pieces. Reserve the bones. Trim excess fat. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper.
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add a portion of the cut meat until just covering the bottom, but without touching each other. Cook, turning each piece until browned on all sides. Remove and repeat process with the remaining meat. Place in a bowl and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil. Add onions and salt to taste. Cook until onions soften (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently with a wooden spoon while scraping bottom of pot to loosen any bits of remaining browned meat. Add flour and stir until onions are coated.
4. Add water, brown meat, bones, carrot slices, thyme, and salt. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
5. In a separate pot, add three cups of water and bring to a boil. Cook barely according to package directions as it depends on what type of barley you have (will be between 30 minutes and over an hour). Drain liquid and add cooked barley to stew pot.
6. Add green beans and continue simmering for another 10 minutes.
7. Add parsley just before serving.
Notes:
Lamb chops: Browning the lamb pieces will help give the meat more flavor, but don’t overcook it in the process. You’ll want the lamb to be tender. When it is time to add the browned lamb to the simmering water, add the bones, too. Bones will add even more flavor to this stew.
Barley: Barley most commonly is sold as hulled or pearled. Pearled barley has been processed to remove the outer shell, bran, and sometimes the endosperm, while hulled barley has only the shell removed. Hulled barley is considered a whole grain, which contains more fiber and nutrients than pearled barley. Either type will taste fine in this recipe.
Water or beef broth? Water. Go with water. Beef broth, if used, will distract from the lamb flavor. The browned meat and the bones will carry the flavor in this stew instead.
