Lamb Stew
Tender lamb and veggies are simmered in a rich red wine sauce to make this lamb stew recipe a hearty one-pot meal perfect for chilly days!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper divided
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
- 4 ounces thick-cut bacon cut into ¼-inch strips
- 1 tablespoon canola oil as needed
- 1 large yellow onion ¼-inch diced
- 6 cloves minced garlic about 2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Cotes du Rhone
- 4 cups beef stock
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme tied into a bundle
- 1 ½ pounds baby gold potatoes halved, or quartered if large; or Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces, no need to peel
- 1 pound medium carrots peeled and cut into diagonal 1-inch pieces, halved if large, about 6 carrots
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen green peas
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Position oven racks such that you can fit a large Dutch oven or similar overproof pot with a lid inside. Preheat to 350°F.
- Pat the lamb dry and transfer to a large bowl. Toss first with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then sprinkle ¼ cup of the flour over the top and toss once more to coat. Set aside.
- Heat a large Dutch oven or similar over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
- Increase the pot heat to medium high. Add part of the lamb cubes to the pot in a single layer, ensuring they do not touch. Brown on all sides, then transfer to the plate with the bacon. Repeat with the remaining lamb, cooking it in batches (I needed 3 batches total). Each batch should take around 5 minutes. If at any point the pot becomes dry, add the canola oil as needed. Discard any excess flour at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine, stirring to scrape up any bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Let simmer until reduced by about approximately half, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Return the lamb and bacon to the pot, along with any juices that have collected on the plate.
- Add the beef stock, thyme bundle, and the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Let the stew simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the potatoes and carrots.
- Cover the pot and bake until the vegetables and lamb are super tender, about 1 ½ hours.
- In a small bowl, mash the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour with the butter. Stir into the stew and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken it further. Stir in the red wine vinegar.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the peas and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired; depending upon the saltiness of your beef stock, you may need a few big pinches of salt.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate lamb stew in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat or gently in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze lamb stew in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Note that the potatoes will be a bit mealy after freezing, but since they’re not a main ingredient here, it’s not super noticeable.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 686kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 58gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 170mgPotassium: 1955mgFiber: 9gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 13856IUVitamin C: 53mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 7mg
