Easy Lamb Stew

Winter has definitely arrived here in Northern Illinois. It’s cold and daylight is in short supply so of course, I find myself making more soups, stews, and braises.

On New Years Day I roasted a semi-boneless leg of lamb with garlic and herbs that we enjoyed immensely. (One year I made a whole leg of lamb for Thanksgiving and, while transferring the garlic and herb-rubbed hunk of meat to our 2nd refrigerator in our garage, the entire thing slid off the pan and almost ended up entirely on the garage floor. Ahh….memories.)

Anyway, of course even the smallest lamb roast is too much for just my husband and I so I often turn the leftovers into a simple, rustic stew. This is a very simple lamb stew recipe but it’s packed full of flavor and oh, so easy to make. So, if you’re wondering what to make with leftover lamb, here you go. I know you’ll love this.

Eventually, you’ll get tired of me saying this but please customize this to suit your tastes: Parsnips, red potatoes and leeks are some easy additions or substitutions that come to mind.

Slow Cooker/Crock Pot note: This comes together pretty quickly but if you’d prefer to make this in a slow cooker, brown the lamb with the onions and garlic a bit in a skillet first and then toss everything into a slow cooker until veggies are tender, about 4-5 hours. Browning the lamb helps to add the rich flavor to this stew.

Easy Lamb Stew Recipe

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups cubed cooked lamb
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 8 medium mushrooms, sliced
• 5 cups stock (I used 3 cups stock made with the bone & 2 cups vegetable stock)
• 1 cup good red wine (I used red zin)
• 1 teaspoon good quality dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large pan or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add cubed lamb and brown for about 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes more. Add carrots, potatoes and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes more. (This is a great way to layer the flavors and season the lamb and veggies before adding the stock)

Add the stock, red wine, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

Bring to a slow boil and then reduce heat immediately and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Very simple, very basic and yet the flavor of this is rich and intense. Don’t forget to serve it with a crusty loaf of bread and either a glass of red or a hearty brew.

And, whatever you do, try and keep from dropping anything on the floor. 🙂