Pipestone Lamb Stew
Submitted by rmhutch
A hearty lamb stew with a bold kick of horseradish and Worcestershire, braised on the bone with white wine, tomatoes, mushrooms and potatoes until the meat falls apart. Rustic and warming.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
3 hrsThis isn’t your timid Sunday lamb stew. A quarter cup each of horseradish and Worcestershire give it a bold, peppery backbone that cuts right through the richness of the meat, while dry white wine and crushed tomatoes build a deep, savory broth.
The lamb goes in on the bone, browned hard for color, then braised low for a good three hours until it’s literally falling off the bone. Bone-in meat gives the stew more flavor and a silkier body than trimmed cubes ever would.
A few smart touches make it sing. The bay, thyme, and allspice are tied in cheesecloth so you can lift the bundle out cleanly at the end.
After the long covered braise, you uncover the pot and cook it down until it’s thickened but still pleasantly soupy, with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and celery melting into it. Taste at the end and add more horseradish if you want extra bite.
Chef Tips
- Use lamb on the bone and brown it well. The bones add body and the sear adds deep flavor.
- Tie the herbs and allspice in cheesecloth so you can pull them out easily before serving.
- Braise covered until the lamb falls off the bone, then uncover to reduce and thicken the broth.
- Horseradish mellows as it cooks, so stir in a little extra at the end for a fresh, punchy kick.
Variations
- Use beef chuck or short ribs in place of lamb.
- Stir in peas or green beans near the end for color.
- Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Directions
Tie bay leaves, thyme and allspice berries together in a piece of cheesecloth; set aside.
Brown lamb on all sides in a large. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the cheesecloth bundle, wine, horseradish, Worcestershire and all the vegetables to the meat, crushing the tomatoes with your hands or a wooden spoon.
Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until potatoes are tender and lamb is falling from the bone, about 3 hours.
Remove cover and continue cooking the stew until it has thickened somewhat but is still soupy, an additional 1 to 1½ hours.
Remove the cheesecloth bundle and season to taste, adding more horseradish if you like.
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