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Irish Guinness Lamb Stew with Pearl Barley
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Course Main Course
Cuisine Irish
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Large Skillet
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into chunks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 12 ounces Guinness stout
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chunks and brown them on all sides for about 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to the slow cooker.
  • Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same skillet. Cook for 4 minutes until the onion softens. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then scrape everything into the slow cooker.
  • Add the potatoes, pearl barley, Guinness, beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir gently to combine, then cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the lamb is very tender and the barley is cooked through.
  • Remove the bay leaves, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then stir in the chopped parsley just before serving.

Notes

Brown the lamb well before adding it to the slow cooker to build deeper flavor in the finished stew. The pearl barley will absorb some liquid as it cooks, so check the consistency near the end and add a splash more broth if it seems too thick. Leftovers reheat nicely on the stovetop with a little extra broth stirred in.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Irish
Equipment: Slow Cooker, Large Skillet, Cutting Board