This Guinness lamb stew features hearty vegetables and fall-apart tender lamb meat simmered in a rich Guinness broth.
Everyone’s got their go-to beef stew recipe, but I’m here to tell you that you might want to consider replacing it with this lamb stew.
I mean, we’ve got an entire bottle of smooth and creamy Guinness beer hanging out in the broth of this stew so things are obviously going pretty great around here.
To no one’s surprise, the hearty lamb and flavorful Guinness pair pretty dang well together and that’s exactly why this stew is about to be your favorite.
We love the fact that this stew is made entirely in one pot and it’s absolutely brimming with hearty vegetables, tender meat, and all the classic ingredients you’ll find in a meat stew.
Best paired with a Guinness alongside your personal bowl, I mean of course.
This Lamb Stew features…
- Fall-apart-tender lamb meat
- Soft braised baby potatoes, carrots, and parsnips
- A rich and hearty Guinness broth
- Made entirely in one pot with freezing options for leftovers
Making the Lamb Stew
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Lamb shoulder
- Vegetable oil
- Sweet onion
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Garlic
- Guinness beer
- Baby potatoes
- Beef broth
- Cornstarch
- Thyme
- Bay leaf
Choosing Your Lamb Cut
We recommend purchasing a boneless lamb shoulder for this stew. This is a lean cut from lamb that’s very similar to a beef chuck roast and works great in braising and longer cooking methods like stews and soups.
To prepare the lamb shoulder for cooking, trim any excess fat off of the shoulder and cut into uniform 1-inch cubes.
Tips for Perfect Lamb Stew
- Cut lamb and vegetables into uniform size – aim for 1-inch cubes for the meat and vegetables so they cook evenly in the stew.
- Sear lamb meat – this gets a nice browning on the lamb that builds a flavorful base for the stew.
- Reduce Guinness – allow the Guinness to simmer 3-5 minutes to concentrate the flavor a bit.
- Simmer stew 45-60 minutes – this longer cook time is essential for getting fall-apart tender meat and a flavorful broth.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this stew.
- Make it alcohol-free – replace the Guinness with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 12 oz additional beef broth.
- Try different vegetables – try other root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, turnips, or another kind of potato.
- Swap out herbs – try rosemary or parsley sprigs in place of the thyme.
Storing and Freezing Stew
This stew stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days. You can reheat individual servings in the microwave or larger quantities on the stovetop.
To freeze stew, allow to cool completely, pour in a freezer-safe container (leave 2 inches of open air on top), and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator and reheat via microwave or stovetop.
This stew really ticks ALL the comfort food boxes! The lamb is sooo tender it just falls apart, the vegetables are perfectly soft and they soak up all that wonderful Guinness stew broth.
The only way you can really mess up this stew is by not serving it with a huge hunk of bread for dipping. Trust me on this one.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Watch this lamb stew made step-by-step on Google web stories.
More hearty stews to cook up next!
Guinness Lamb Stew
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Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, fat trimmed and meat cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (12) oz bottle Guinness beer
- 1 lb baby potatoes
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Bread for serving
Instructions
- Pat lamb shoulder chunks dry and season well with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or medium pot over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot add lamb and sear on all sides until golden-brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add onion, carrots, and parsnips to pan drippings and saute over medium-high heat 3-5 minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour Guinness into pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer 3-5 minutes until Guinness is reduced a bit.
- Add lamb, baby potatoes, beef broth, cornstarch-water mixture, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf to pot and stir until evenly combined. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and allow to simmer 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally until lamb and vegetables are fork-tender.
- Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf and discard. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with bread for dipping. Enjoy!
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