Dark, sticky stew | Jamie Oliver lamb stew recipes (2024)

FAQs

What cut of lamb is best for stew? ›

Shoulder or leg of lamb: both of these cuts are perfect in a stew or casserole when diced. Meat from the shoulder needs to be trimmed of excess fat first; while meat from the leg gives neater, leaner pieces of meat than the shoulder. Both are meltingly tender with a fantastic flavour.

Tender lamb shoulder

It's amazing how much flavour you'll get from just 5 ingredients. Soft lamb shoulder is paired beautifully with rich tomatoes and juicy chickpeas, while the zing of preserved lemon takes things up a notch. Serve with some crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.

Starting fat side down, sear the lamb in a non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning regularly until gnarly all over but blushing in the middle, or use your instincts to cook to your liking.

Lay the lamb cutlets on a plate and sprinkle them with sea salt, black pepper, the mint and paprika. Finely grate over the lemon zest and squeeze over the juice, then drizzle with oil and massage the flavours into the chops. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.

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.

Nutrition: Lamb is a nutrient-dense meat that is rich in protein, iron, and vitamin B12. It is also lower in fat than beef and has fewer calories. Versatility: Lamb is a versatile meat that works well in a variety of dishes, from meatballs and burgers to shepherd's pie and curry.

This simply prepared (it's rubbed in a paste of just Dijon mustard, garlic, and herbs) rack of lamb is best served with equally unfussy vegetable sides, like grilled asparagus or baby artichokes.

Colorful vegetable sides, like green beans, asparagus, and glazed carrots, are a must for any lamb dinner. Snappy blanched green beans served with sautéed shallots and buttery sliced almonds. This classic vegetable side dish comes together in minutes.

Fresh rosemary, fresh garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt are simple but amazing flavors that pair amazingly with the lamb! Each of these ingredients adds its unique warmth and depth to enhance the flavor of the dish.

What makes lamb so tender? ›

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150C to soften the meat.

Yup, cooking most meat too long is a bad thing. Cooking lamb too long like that will result in rubber. Its also possible that you accidentally cut with the grain instead of against it - which would result in a very chewy, rubber like texture. You end up with long proteins that are harder to chew.

The vinegar and water soak is optional, but it's the way grandma would do it to helps remove some of the gamy taste of the lamb. If you want to skip this step, simply marinate the lamb in olive oil, lemon, oregano, and salt and roast the recipe in the same way.

Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.

A chief complaint with lamb is its strong smell. Lamb has a very meaty, musky taste and a smell that can be overpowering. Fortunately, there are very simple ways to address this smell. It may be a bit odd, but all you have to do is soak the lamb in milk.

Shanks are one of the most popular cuts for slow cooking. Enjoy them with this flavourful Sri Lankan curry and tender eggplant.

Next time you're shopping for stew beef, look at your options and see what cuts of meat will work best for your recipe. For example, chuck is a lean and tender cut of beef that works well in stew. However, if you would prefer a thicker and more flavorful stew, short ribs or oxtail may be better choices for you.

Go for the chuck

The most common beef used for stew is chuck steak, also known as gravy beef or braising steak. Beef chuck comes from the forequarter of the animal consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm.

Lamb Shoulder: This is the main protein and flavor base of your stew. It's rich in flavor and becomes fork-tender when cooked slowly over low heat. Onions and Garlic: These aromatics add depth and a foundation of flavor, creating a savory backdrop for the stew.