Irish Stew For One

Irish Stew For One! A delicious small batch Irish stew recipe made with tender lamb or beef, plenty of carrots, and potatoes all simmering in a rich, beer-based broth. Easy to make, hearty, and extra comforting.

Irish stew is a stew native to Ireland but loved all over the world. It's a very popular dish on St. Patrick's Day but one that can and should be enjoyed any day of the year.

Why This Recipe Works

There are few dishes that are heartier or more comforting than a good meaty stew. It's a meal that will truly warm both body and soul. This traditional Irish stew features either tender beef or lamb and plenty of vegetables that cook in a broth made with a good stout beer and plenty of seasonings.

This single serving Irish stew recipe yields one big bowl of hearty and absolutely delicious stew. You may even have enough for two servings if you serve it with a side dish like mashed potatoes or homemade french bread.

Ingredient Notes

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

• Vegetable oil: You may use canola oil instead. This ingredient is used to brown the lamb.
• Lamb: One of the main differences between Irish stew and beef stew is that Irish stew is traditionally made with lamb. Here in the United States, we eat more beef than lamb and if your preference is to use beef, please do. The stew will still be every bit as delicious. In this recipe, I use 5-ounces of lamb cut into 1-inch cubes.

• Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, and dried thyme.
• Vegetables: I like to use chopped onions, celery, potatoes, garlic, and carrots.

• Tomato paste: Look for tomato paste that comes in a tube. You can find it in the same section of your grocery store that cans are found. A tube stays good in the refrigerator for much longer than canned. You can also freeze leftover paste in ice cube trays. When frozen, pop the cubes out of the tray and store in a zip-top bag in the freezer.
• Worcestershire sauce: This ingredient adds great flavor to the stew.
• Flour: All-purpose flour (plain flour) thickens the stew beautifully.
• Guinness Beer: I love making Irish stew with a Guinness. You may use your favorite stout instead. If you don't want to use beer, add an extra ¼ cup of beef broth and ¼ teaspoon of extra Worcestershire sauce. The flavor won't be the same but it'll do in a pinch.
• Beef broth: I like using low-sodium broths in my recipes. You can use chicken broth instead of beef broth if necessary.

How To Make This Recipe

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Season lamb with the salt and pepper and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the lamb from the pot and place on a plate.
2. If no oil is left in the pot, add an additional ½ tablespoon of oil and stir in the chopped onions and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 seconds. As you might imagine, the aroma coming from your kitchen will be incredible.
4. Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir until the there is no visible flour and the vegetables look slightly mushy from the flour coating, 1 minute.
6. Pour in the beer and dried thyme. Stir until the beer has reduced and has slightly thickened.
7. Add the broth and return the lamb to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally and make sure the stew stays at a very low simmer.
8. Add the potatoes and carrots to the stew. Cover the pot again and continue cooking on low heat for another 25 minutes. When done, the meat should be tender and flake apart easily and the potatoes cooked through. If not, cover the pot again and cook in additional 10 minute increments until cooked.

Expert Tips

• Brown the lamb, or if you're making Irish beef stew - the beef. It's essential so please don't skip this step. Take the time to sear the meat, every single piece of it.
• Don't toss the browned bits at the bottom of the pan after you've removed the meat. Those are like crispy gold - it's where much of the flavor is. Leave it and deglaze the pan when you add the Guinness.
• Follow the steps in this recipe as written. It might be tempting to throw all of the vegetables in together to cook but don't. The potatoes and carrots will fall apart. Although you want them to be fairly soft, you don't want them to be mushy.
• Taste before serving and feel free to add additional salt to suit your taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

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