Simple Slow Cooker Lamb Stew

From the ranch kitchen — no fuss, no special equipment

Lamb stew is one of those recipes that sounds more intimidating than it is. If you’ve got a slow cooker and about 15 minutes of prep, you’ve got dinner. This is the version I’d make with our stew meat — mild, filling, and exactly what you want on a cool evening.

Ingredients

• 1.5–2 lbs Amber Oaks Ranch lamb stew meat
• 3 medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut into chunks
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef or chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or a fresh sprig)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 cup frozen peas, added in the last 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Season the stew meat generously with salt and pepper.
2. Add everything except the peas to your slow cooker — meat, vegetables, broth, tomato paste, garlic, and rosemary.
3. Cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.
4. Stir in frozen peas (if using) in the last 30 minutes.
5. Taste, adjust salt, and serve with crusty bread.

Want a more traditional version?

If you want to make it a little more authentically Irish, these four swaps will get you there:

• Skip the tomato paste. Traditional Irish stew is broth-based and clear — no tomato. Just add a splash more broth to make up the liquid.
• Use Russet potatoes. Floury potatoes break down slightly during cooking and naturally thicken the broth. That’s how Irish stew gets its body.
• Swap rosemary for flat-leaf parsley. Skip the rosemary entirely and stir in a generous handful of chopped fresh parsley in the last 15 minutes. Thyme works well here too.
• Add ¼ cup pearl barley. Throw it in at the start with everything else. It swells as it cooks, thickens the broth, and tastes exactly right.

One more optional addition: pour in half a can of Guinness along with the broth. It adds a subtle richness to the finished dish without tasting like a pint in your bowl.

A note on the meat