Irish stew is the traditional stew of Ireland, whose typical ingredients include lamb or mutton apart from carrots, onions, potatoes and parsley. When the stew is prepared in a traditional manner, the stew bears a thick consistency.
History of Irish Stew
Irish stew is a filling dish which is prepared using some of the cheapest and readily-available ingredients. Earlier, the Irish people raised sheep and cultivated root crops for their survival. The sheep was a vital reason for their subsistence as it offered wool for protection against cold, milk for drinking and ultimately, food.
It happened several times earlier that merely lamb or mutton shanks, neckbones and remaining trimmings were brought into use to prepare Irish stew. Even when no other vegetables were used, just the meat was enough to add taste to a healthy bowl of stew.
The root vegetables that began to be added further, not only provided flavor and thickened it, but also, increased the nutritive value of the stew. If readily available, barley, turnips and carrots also used to be additionally added by the cook.
Modern Irish Stew
When people in Ireland experienced starvation as a result of the potato famine, many of them immigrated to the United States. They brought along with them their classic food traditions. It was then that the stew evolved and it became a part of the local offerings in the United States.
Sheep were not available in abundance in America, hence, other meats were substituted instead of sheep. Some of the modern variations of the Irish stew are considered to be a gourmet dish.
Irish Stew Recipe: Ingredients and Method
Irish stew ingredients inlude chopped mutton, carrot, potato, onion, parsley, stock cubes or homemade stock, water, salt and pepper. To make the stew, the boiled mutton is cooked with the chopped vegetables, salt, pepper and stock.
Popular Irish Stew Recipes
Here is a list of some Irish stew recipes that range from the basic versions to the fancy ones -
Trivia