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Irish lamb stew with Guinness in a white bowl

Traditional Irish Lamb Stew with Guinness

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This traditional Irish lamb stew simmers lamb shoulder with Guinness stout, creating fork-tender meat in a rich, malty broth. The stovetop method gives you complete control over texture and seasoning, while split peas naturally thicken the gravy without heavy flour roux.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 to 2 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1/8 cup dried split peas
  • 11.2 ounces Guinness Stout (1 bottle)
  • 1 cup plus 2-3 tablespoons beef broth, divided
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 large carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 pound baby potatoes (such as Spudlings), halved
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Stovetop Method:

  1. Pat lamb cubes dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides.
  2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add lamb in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding). Sear 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the pot and cook 3-4 minutes, scraping the bottom to release browned bits, until onion softens and turns translucent.
  4. Return seared lamb to the pot. Add split peas, Guinness stout, 1 cup beef broth, and thyme sprigs. Stir to combine, scraping up any remaining browned bits from the bottom.
  5. Bring to a full boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Cover and maintain a gentle simmer for 90 minutes. Check occasionally and adjust heat if needed to prevent hard boiling.
  6. After 90 minutes, add potatoes and carrots. Stir gently, cover, and simmer 30 minutes more.
    Add celery and continue simmering covered for 15 minutes.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons cold beef broth until completely smooth. Pour into stew and stir thoroughly.
  8. Add fresh or frozen peas. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until gravy thickens and peas are heated through.
  9. Remove thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot with Irish soda bread.

Slow Cooker Method:

  1. Pat lamb cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear lamb on all sides until browned, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Add split peas, thyme, diced onion, Guinness, and 1 cup beef broth to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
  3. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and fresh or frozen peas. Stir gently. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours more.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons cold beef broth until smooth. Pour into slow cooker and stir thoroughly.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 30-40 minutes more until gravy thickens. Remove thyme sprigs, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Equipment

Notes

  • Lamb shoulder works for this recipe because of its marbling and connective tissue. Leg of lamb is too lean and dries out.
  • Don’t skip searing the lamb. Those caramelized bits create half the stew’s flavor.
  • Split peas dissolve completely. You won’t see them in the final dish.
  • For thicker stew, use 3 tablespoons cornstarch. For thinner, use 1 tablespoon.
  • Guinness can be substituted with another stout. Don’t use lighter beers.

Find it online: https://recipe-rewind.com/traditional-irish-lamb-stew-with-guinness/

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