Irish stew

This is so easy and so tasty feeds 4-6 ppl easily... 7 steps

1llb (500g) of stewing steak pieces (half inch to inch square, 1-2cm)
2llbs (1kg) potatoes, Firm waxy are best, floury will fall apart...
2-4 stock cubes I like ham but mum used basic oxo cubes you can mix according to personal taste.
2-3 onions

seasonings salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce....(not necessary if you cant get it)

1.Place the steak pieces evenly in the bottom of a very large saucepan season with salt and a generous pinch of black pepper.

2.Dice the onions I like them about a half inch sq, 1cm, but smaller or bigger to taste. and place them over the meat.

3.Mix the stock cubes with boiling water and put over the meat and onions, with a generous splash (1 table spoon or more) of Worcestershire sauce (optional)

4.cover the meat and onions with cold water...Just until they are barely covered and no more DON'T ADD TOO MUCH WATER or you'll end up with meat and potato soup.

5.peel and cut potatoes into pieces about 2 inches square and place them on top of the meat onions stock and water...

6.bring gently to the boil you don't want to scorch the meat. as soon as the water nears boiling turn the hob down to the lowest setting cover with a lid and simmer on low for 2-4 hours... Tming isn't critical as long as the gravy is simmering gently and the lid is on tight you shouldn't need to attend to the pot... Leave it alone DO NOT MIX IT... You need a solid bottomed pot for best results....

7.When ready to serve crush the potatoes and mix together with the meat and onions...this is even nicer the second and 3 day depending on consistency... ideally you should have some big lumps through the stew...

Carrots can be added chopped and diced with the onions but my Grandad didn't like carrots so, it was made without...Great for a carrot fearing kid....

This post has been edited by bigbaldybloke: Jul 24 2008, 05:20 PM

Sounds great, will need to try that, thanks BBB.

Edit: Added thanks mod to this forum.

My version is a little bit different probably a regional thing I imagine
My mom put turnips and onions in it.
Great cheap meal to warm up your insides in the winter.

Any mixture of the meats below works good or just use one kind.

Beef cubed
Lamb cubed
Pork cubed
3 to 6 peeled and sliced med. carrots
6 to 10 peeled and cubed large potatoes
2 cups cold water or more depending on how much meat you use
white flour to coat meat

optional ingredients
1 to 2 large onions cubed or chopped in various pieces (I prefer White onions in it but 1/2 of the family wont eat onions so have to leave them out)
1 to 2 turnips peeled and cubed
garlic salt to cover bottom of pan
I add garlic salt to the melted shortening to brown the meat in. I heat up the garlic salt in the fat before adding the meat kind of frying it first.


Brown in melted shortening (just enough to cover bottom of the pan you use) no need to cook thru. Sprinkle flour over the meat and stir to coat and soak up the remaining shortening (makes a light rue which will cause the sauce to thicken as it cooks so will the potatoes).

Add enough cold water to cover meat. Add carotts and potatoes stir. Add more water if necesary water should be about half way up the pan. Add salt and fresh ground pepper cover and cook on lowest setting for approx. 2 to 4 hours depending on size of pot amount of meat. Done when potatoes and beef are tender.
If the potatoes had alot of water in them I will use a thickening agent like a sauce binder to thicken slightly. And like bbblokes stew above it tastes ALOT better 2 and 3 days after first making it and gets thicker too.

I like things spicy so I eat it with alot of fresh ground black pepper.

This post has been edited by Shebuddy: Jul 28 2008, 12:12 PM

Sounds nice theres lots of variations I've had it with corned beef or ground beef added to the stewing steak. But my recipe is my mums so reminds me of childhood... I've never had Irish stew with turnip I'll have to give it a go... cheers