This Guinness lamb stew is a hearty and satisfying Irish stew loaded with delicious vegetables and tender seared lamb meat. The roasted, malty, hoppy taste of a Guinness Irish stout beer gives it an incredible depth of flavor. A few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, and a little salt & pepper are all the seasoning it needs.
I highly recommend serving over rich cream cheese mashed potatoes or classic colcannon. Irish soda bread would be perfect for scooping up every last drop.
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I adore Irish cuisine for its simple and hearty ingredients and rich flavors.
I try my hand at any traditional Irish recipe I come across and was more than satisfied with this fabulous Guinness lamb stew.
In fact, my whole family enjoyed every bit of the leftovers the next day and it somehow tasted even better the second time around. Trust me, it's worth a special trip to the store for lamb meat and beer.
🥘 Ingredients
It may seem like a long list of ingredients, but this incredible lamb stew is more than worth it! If you don't have access to lamb meat, you can use beef instead.
- Bacon (optional) - 2 strips of thick-cut bacon chopped into pieces.
- Lamb Shoulder - 2 pounds of lamb shoulder (well-trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces).
- Salt & Pepper - 1 teaspoon each of salt & pepper (to taste).
- Bacon Grease - 3 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease (or extra virgin olive oil if omitting the bacon).
- Yellow Onion - 1 large yellow onion (diced).
- Carrots - 3 large carrots cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal.
- Celery - 2 stalks of celery or a celery substitute (chopped).
- Garlic - 1 ½ tablespoons of minced garlic.
- Tomato Paste - 3 tablespoons of tomato paste or a tomato paste substitute.
- All-Purpose Flour - ¼ cup of all-purpose flour or an all-purpose flour substitute.
- Guinness Beer - 11.2 ounces of Guinness (1 bottle) or another stout.
- Beef Broth - 3 cups of beef broth or stock.
- Fresh Herbs - 1 bay leaf (removed before serving), 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, and 4 sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Sugar - 2 teaspoons of granulated white sugar.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Guinness Lamb Stew
This stew is surprisingly simple when it comes down to it.
You will need a knife and cutting board, a large pot or Dutch oven, some tongs, a wooden spoon or spatula, and your measuring utensils to get started.
One batch of this stew makes 4 hearty servings. It goes even further when served over mashed potatoes!
Sear Bacon & Lamb Stew Meat
- Cook the bacon (optional). Add the chopped 2 strips of bacon (44 grams) to a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until nicely crisped. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Season the lamb. Pat 2 pounds (907 grams) of lamb shoulder dry with paper towels, cut it into 1 ½-inch pieces, then season it to taste with 1 teaspoon (6 grams) each of salt & pepper.
- Sear the lamb. Sear the lamb meat in the remaining 3 tablespoons (44.3 milliliters) of bacon grease, working in batches (I did 3 separate batches). Use tongs to turn the pieces of lamb meat until a brown crust has developed on all sides (about 5-8 minutes per batch). After each batch, transfer the browned lamb meat to a bowl and set aside.
Add Veggies & Broth
- Saute the veggies. Add 1 large diced yellow onion (150 grams), 3 large sliced carrots (216 grams), and 2 stalks of celery (80 grams) to the pot and saute until tender (about 5 minutes). Use your wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot as the vegetables cook.
- Saute the garlic. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons (12 grams) of garlic and let cook for 30 seconds before mixing in 3 tablespoons (48 grams) of tomato paste. Let cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Add flour. Add the bacon, lamb meat, and any juices that have accumulated back into the pot. Sprinkle ¼ cup (31.2 grams) of all-purpose flour over the meat and stir until dissolved.
- Add remaining ingredients. Pour in 11.2 ounces of Guinness (317.5 milliliters) and 3 cups (709.76 milliliters) of beef broth. Add the 1 bay leaf (0.1 grams), 1 sprig fresh rosemary (0.1 grams), 4 sprigs fresh thyme (4 grams) , and 2 teaspoons of sugar (8 grams), and stir to combine.
Simmer Until Tender
- Simmer. Bring the stew to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove herbs and serve. Remove the bay leaf as well as the sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Taste-test your stew and adjust the seasonings as needed. Turn off the heat and serve right away over mashed potatoes or colcannon.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- You will have to work in batches when searing the pieces of lamb meat in order to get an even crust on all sides. Try not to over-crowd the pot for the best results.
- If you aren't using bacon, simply leave it out and sear the lamb meat in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or your preferred cooking oil. I recommend using about 1 tablespoon of oil for each batch of lamb meat.
- If your stew is too thick, you can add small amounts of water or broth to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- If you are using a Dutch oven and prefer to finish your stew in the oven, you can. Bring the broth to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer to a preheated 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) oven. Braise undisturbed for 1-2 hours.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let the stew cool off, then transfer it to a shallow airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing
Put your leftover stew into a freezer-safe airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag with some excess space to allow for expansion. Freeze for up to 4 months and transfer to the fridge to thaw overnight before reheating.
Reheating
Gently reheat your stew on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. It may thicken after being frozen or refrigerated, so add a splash of broth or water as needed.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
It will still turn out wonderfully delicious with any other dark stout, though the flavor will be slightly different. Lighter beers will work but won't give the stew the same depth of flavor.
Yes! Beef makes a great substitution if you can't find lamb or aren't a fan of the taste. A beef chuck roast cut into cubes would be my first choice, or you could just pick up a package of beef stew meat.
Yes, in fact, I recommend it! When refrigerated, the vegetables soak up all of the delicious broth, and the flavors have time to meld. Reheat it gently on the stovetop, and it will taste even better than it did when you made it!
🍀🍺😋 More Irish Recipes To Try
- Boxty Irish Pancakes - These Irish potato pancakes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside!
- Potato Leek Soup - This warm and creamy potato leek soup is delicious with crackers!
- Irish Apple Cake - A traditional Irish cake made with fresh apples and topped off with a creamy custard sauce!
- Shepherd's Pie - A recipe for Gordon Ramsay's signature shepherd's pie!
- Corned Beef and Cabbage - Corned beef and cabbage isn't just for St. Patricks Day, it's delicious any time of year!
- Cornish Pasty - These savory handheld meat pies are perfect for lunch or dinner!
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📖 Recipe Card
Guinness Lamb Stew
Ingredients
- 2 strips bacon (optional, thick-cut bacon, chopped)
- 2 lb lamb shoulder (well-trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces)
- 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 3 tablespoon bacon grease (or extra virgin olive oil if omitting the bacon)
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 3 large carrots (cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 ½ tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 11.2 oz Guinness
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoon sugar
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Sear Bacon & Lamb Stew Meat
- Add the chopped 2 strips bacon to a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until nicely crisped. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Pat 2 lb lamb shoulder dry with paper towels, and season it to taste with 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper.
- Sear the lamb meat in the remaining 3 tablespoon bacon grease, working in batches (I did 3 separate batches). Use tongs to turn the pieces of lamb meat until a brown crust has developed on all sides (about 5-8 minutes per batch). After each batch, transfer the browned lamb meat to a bowl and set aside.
Add Veggies & Broth
- Add 1 large yellow onion, 3 large carrots, and 2 stalks celery to the pot and saute until tender (about 5 minutes). Use your wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot as the vegetables cook.
- Stir in 1 ½ tablespoon garlic and let cook for 30 seconds before mixing in 3 tablespoon tomato paste. Let cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Add the bacon, lamb meat, and any juices that have accumulated back into the pot. Sprinkle ¼ cup all-purpose flour over the meat and stir until dissolved.
- Pour in 11.2 oz Guinness (1 bottle) and 3 cups beef broth. Add the 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 teaspoon sugar, and stir to combine.
Simmer Until Tender
- Bring the stew to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove the bay leaf as well as the sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Taste-test your stew and adjust the seasonings as needed. Turn off the heat and serve right away over mashed potatoes or colcannon.
Notes
- You will have to work in batches when searing the pieces of lamb meat in order to get an even crust on all sides. Try not to overcrowd the pot for the best results.
- If you aren't using bacon, simply leave it out and sear the lamb meat in olive oil. I recommend using about 1 tablespoon of oil for each batch of lamb meat.
- If your stew is too thick, you can add small amounts of water or broth to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- If you are using a Dutch oven and prefer to finish your stew in the oven, you can. Bring the broth to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer to a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven. Braise undisturbed for 2 hours.
- To store: Let the stew cool off, then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Put your leftover stew into a freezer-safe airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag with some excess space to allow for expansion. Freeze for up to 4 months and transfer to the fridge to thaw overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Gently reheat your stew on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. It may thicken after being frozen or refrigerated, so add a splash of broth or water as needed.
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