Hearty Irish Lamb Stew with Guinness

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 20

Course Main Course

Cuisine Irish

Servings 6

Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot Ideal for even heat distribution. If you don’t have one, a large stock pot will work—just keep the heat moderate to avoid burning the bottom.
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula For stirring and scraping all those delicious browned bits.
Measuring spoons and cups Precision matters when you're layering flavor.
Cutting board and sharp knife The veggies and lamb need uniform chopping so they cook evenly.
Optional: Slow cooker or crockpot If you want to convert this into one of your easy crockpot beef stew nights or even explore stew recipes crockpot-style, this stew works beautifully in a slow cooker too.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ pounds lamb shoulder cut into 1 ½-inch chunks (bone-in or boneless is fine, though boneless cooks faster)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 bottle 11.2 oz Guinness stout
4 cups beef broth or lamb stock if you have it
3 carrots peeled and cut into thick rounds
2 parsnips peeled and cut into chunks
2 celery stalks chopped
1 small rutabaga or turnip peeled and diced
3 Yukon Gold potatoes quartered
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Fresh parsley for garnish

In your Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Season the lamb chunks with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides—don’t crowd the pot. This step adds a deep, savory base to your stew.

Once the lamb is browned and set aside, add the onions to the pot and sauté until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, stirring for another 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat the onions. This helps thicken the stew later. Slowly pour in the Guinness, scraping the bottom to lift all the tasty brown bits. Return the lamb to the pot along with the broth, bay leaves, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.

Once everything is bubbling, reduce the heat to a low simmer and toss in the carrots, parsnips, celery, rutabaga, and potatoes. Cover and let it cook gently for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the lamb is fall-apart tender and the vegetables are silky soft.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar here if you like a bit more depth. Serve hot, garnished with parsley and some crusty bread on the side.