Slow Cooker Irish Lamb Stew

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables

   Cut the lamb shoulder into pieces about 4 cm across. Cut the potatoes into similarly sized chunks, slice the carrots into 2 cm rounds, and cut the onion into thick wedges. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onion to the slow cooker.

   
2. 2

   Brown the lamb

   Heat the oil in a frying pan. Brown the lamb in two batches over medium-high heat, for about 2 minutes per side, until browned in spots. Season it with 5 g of the salt and the black pepper as it browns.

   
3. 3

   Add everything to the slow cooker

   Arrange the browned meat over the vegetables and sprinkle with the thyme. Pour the stock into the hot pan, scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Pour it into the slow cooker; the ingredients do not need to be fully submerged.

   
4. 4

   Slow cook

   Cover and cook on LOW for 420 minutes. Avoid opening the lid unnecessarily during cooking. Use only fully thawed meat and follow the manufacturer’s maximum fill capacity; at the end, use a thermometer to check that the center of the largest piece of meat has reached at least 74 °C and that the meat is tender.

   
5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Skim off any excess fat from the surface. Mash a few soft pieces of potato against the side of the pot and stir to thicken the broth slightly. Stir in the remaining 3 g of salt, the apple cider vinegar, and the chopped parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve hot.