Mary Berry’s ‘hearty’ one-pot lamb stew is perfect for an easy dinner recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cut of lamb for stew? ›

The best cuts for stewing are shoulder, leg or neck fillet – it needs to quite a hard-working muscle with some fat marbling through it that will break down during the slow cooking to create tender meat. It's also best with economical cuts that are boneless – keep saddle, rack and lamb chops for roasting.

Lamb stew is a classic dish consisting of slow-cooked lamb meat with vegetables in a broth.

Use it as a substitute for oxtail or any other stewing meat, or cook it in the traditional dishes of Irish stew and Lancashire hot pot.

If we look at fatty acids, like CLA and omega-3's, lamb comes out victorious and can be seen as marginally healthier. If we look at vitamins, like B12 and zinc, beef comes out victorious. The bottom line is both are excellent and both should be eaten with abundance!

The leg and rack of lamb are perfect for herb-crusting and oven-roasting; since the shank and shoulder are a bit tougher, they fare well in stews or braises—the long cook time allows them to significantly break down and become fork-tender.

All the lamb needs is a sprinkle of salt and pepper, drizzle of olive oil. Add beef broth/stock and water into the pan (keeps everything all nice and moist + makes pan juices for gravy), cover then slow roast for 5 hours until tender and fall apart.

And when you have a gorgeous cut, like a rack of lamb, you can cook it the good ol' Gordon Ramsay way—which is to say, lightly pan-sear it first, then baste it with an herby, garlicky butter, and finally finish it off in the oven until it's still pink and juicy in the middle. It comes out perfectly every time.

To help in this process, it is recommended to soak the lamb chops in lemon water (or vinegar water) for 30 minutes. This will open the meat pores.

Browning the meat doesn't take long and has some advantages, including a good looking, caramelised surface and richer coloured dish. It can also give a deeper flavour, and some say a better texture.

Why is my lamb stew chewy? ›

SLICING THE LAMB INCORRECTLY.

No matter how well your Lamb is cooked. If you cut it incorrectly, you'll end up with tough, chewy meat — even if you cooked it perfectly! The advice is always to cut the meat across the grain.

Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.

These lambs are reared mostly indoors over the winter months on milk and animal feed, so it's expensive to produce, especially as animal feed prices and energy costs have risen greatly in recent years.

Lamb has healthy fats.

They can help reduce levels of "bad" cholesterol in your blood, lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke. Monounsaturated fats also have vitamin E, an antioxidant. Healthy fats are an important part of a balanced diet. They can help your body absorb nutrients.

Cuts of lamb that are popular for slow cooking include the shoulder, leg, forequarter, shanks, neck chops, lamb ribs, and some sausages. These cuts are usually tougher because they have lots of connective tissue and fats, but this makes them perfect for slow and low methods of cooking.

Cuts of lamb that are popular for slow cooking include the shoulder, leg, forequarter, shanks, neck chops, lamb ribs, and some sausages. These cuts are usually tougher because they have lots of connective tissue and fats, but this makes them perfect for slow and low methods of cooking.

Loin. Lamb Loin is where the most tender cuts come from, including loin chops and loin roasts. The loin is leaner than meat from the rack. Be careful not to overcook it, and be sure to use a dry-heat method such as broiling, grilling or roasting.

Begin by trimming any excess fat from the meat and cutting it into bite-sized pieces. Leaving a little fat can add flavor, but remove any tough sinew or gristle. Pro tip: To ensure even cooking and maximize tenderness, try marinating the lamb stew meat for an hour or two before cooking.