MAKES: 4 servings
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 8 hours
Traditional Irish stew is a simple yet delicious dish, but you can take it to the next level by using a couple of tricks: browning the meat before slow-cooking enhances the flavors, while adding the vegetables at the end of the cooking process makes them perfectly tender, but not mushy.
Ingredients
BOUQUET GARNI:
2 to 3 sprigs thyme
2 to 3 sprigs parsley
1 sprig rosemary
2 bay leaves
STEW:
4 small (1.4 kg/3 lb) bone-in lamb shanks, will yield about 50% meat
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 g/1.1 oz) ghee or other healthy cooking fat, divided
1 medium (110 g/3.9 oz) yellow onion, chopped
2 large (128 g/4.5 oz) celery stalks, sliced
1 cup (240 ml) bone broth or water
10.6 ounces (300 g) green beans, trimmed and halved
8.8 ounces (250 g) baby turnips, halved, or 1 regular turnip, diced
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Preheat your slow cooker. Make the bouquet garni by placing all the herbs in a piece of cheesecloth and tying with unwaxed kitchen string. This will make it easy to remove once cooked.
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. To brown the lamb, grease a large heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven with half of the ghee. Cook the lamb over high heat in batches until browned on all sides and transfer to the slow cooker.
Grease the pan with the remaining ghee. Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the celery and cook for a minute. Add the bone broth and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits off the bottom. Pour into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
After 6 hours of cooking, using tongs, transfer the lamb to a plate. Place the green beans and turnips in the slow cooker and add back the lamb. Cook for another 2 hours, or until the green beans are crisp-tender and the meat is soft and juicy. Discard the bouquet garni and garnish with fresh parsley before serving. To store, let it cool, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To freeze, first shred the meat off the bone and freeze for up to 3 months.
NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING:
Total carbs: 12.7 g / Fiber: 4.2 g / Net carbs: 8.5 g / Protein: 32.6 g / Fat: 44.4 g / Energy: 583 kcal
Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (6%), protein (23%), fat (71%)
