The Recipe Box – Recipe 16.0: Super Easy and Awesome Lamb Stew

Sick of turkey yet? Switch it up with a little lamb stew! This is a hearty meal that is perfection on a cold day. Go ahead and dig in!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs lamb stew meat (approximately 2 packages of pre-packaged)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 cup flour
• 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into ¼ strips
• 2- 4 tablespoons Rosemary Olive Oil (preferably) or any olive oil you have on hand
• 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic*, minced
• ½ can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1-2 tablespoons Tone’s Sweet & Spicy Seasoning Blend
• 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 bottle of Bud Light (or whatever beer you like)
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1/8 cup dry sherry (optional)
• 4 carrots, washed and diagonally cut into 1 inch pieces
• 10 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Prep recommendations: If you get your lamb prepared, cut your veggies then clean up before you start cooking, this makes life in the kitchen so much easier!

Rinse and pat dry meat. Trim off any excess fat or connective tissue. Cut any large pieces in half so all pieces of lamb are about the same size (1 – 1.5 inch pieces). Place in a medium sized bowl and season with salt, pepper, garlic, and smoked paprika. Mix with your hands to incorporate seasonings into all the pieces. Sprinkle ½ of flour over meat and toss to incorporate. Add remaining flour, using hands toss and making sure all pieces are evenly coated. Set aside while cooking bacon.

In a large chef’s pan (3” x 12”) or Dutch oven, cook bacon until almost crispy. You don’t want it to get to the point of crumbling. (*Note: I like to cook my garlic cloves whole with the bacon. Remove it when it starts to get slightly browned on all sides. It’s easier to mince, and I think the flavor is mellowed.) Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel.

With heat on medium high, brown lamb in 2 batches, making sure to flip each piece so all sides get nicely browned – about 5-8 minutes per batch. Drizzle in some rosemary olive oil if pan seems too dry. When done, remove to a bowl and cook remaining lamb. Set browned lamb aside to cook vegetables.

Reduce heat to medium, add onions to pan, and saute about 5-6 minutes before adding minced garlic. You may need to add some more oil. Remember to stir because you don’t want the garlic to burn! Once onions become opaque, add tomato paste and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add rosemary, thyme, and brown sugar. Stir to combine and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add lamb back to pan, then pour in beer, beef stock and optional Sherry. Stir to combine, increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover pan, and simmer about 30 minutes.

Carefully add carrots and potatoes and bring back to a boil. Stir to evenly distribute vegetables and lamb, reduce heat to low simmer, toss bacon in bacon and cover. Simmer another 20-30 minutes until potatoes are done. Cooking time may differ depending on how big or small you cut your veggies. If for some reason your sauce is too thick, add some broth. If it’s too thin, add a slurry made of corn starch and cold water, small amounts at a time.

Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and peas and cook a couple more minutes for peas to heat up.

Ladle into warm bowls garnished with remaining chopped parsley and make sure to serve with some warm biscuits or rolls to sop up the wonderful gravy!