Updated 5/22/2020
Lamb Stew has become a favorite in our home and I make it quite often. The first time I had lamb stew was from my cousin Manjulika. Her lamb is absolutely amazing and this recipe although good pales in comparison. One day I will have to record her recipe and share it. Just typing this up I am thinking about her lamb and chola over some basmati rice! This stew is tomato base stew with hints of cumin and dried herbs.
The original version had sugar listed as one of the ingredients but I have since updated it to be Whole30 and now skip the sugar and it is just as good. We just don't know how much unnecessary sugar we sneak into food until we are on a mission to avoid it. Everything has added sugar. Read your labels and you will see. It is so hard to avoid sometimes but I am trying my best to be mindful of this when it comes to dishes that don't need it, like this lamb stew.
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Tip for getting rid of the gamey taste
It is no secret that lamb has a high gamey taste. Some people love this about lamb and others hate it. I don't mind it if it is not overpowering but try giving that to my children and they push their plates aside. I learned this trick from my dear friend Sarika! Adding a little bit of flour to the lamb, then washing it completely out before cooking, helps to remove some of the gamey taste. It works every time, even with goat meat.
Seasoning the lamb
I keep it pretty simple when seasoning the lamb, using a combination of spices that are pantry staples for me. You can make fresh green seasoning and use a few tablespoons of that if you like. Add some fresh ginger and it will really bring the flavor of this home!
Stove top versus Instant Pot
You can make this dish on the stove top or in an instant pot (or even in a traditional pressure cooker). To make it on the stove top, after browning the meat, add a few cups of water, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let simmer for an hour or so until the lamb is tender.
Instant Pot
It is a lot quicker in the instant pot but both processes yield similar results. After sautéing the lamb in the instant pot, seal up and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Then when the pressure cooking cycle is complete, let the lamb stew sauté down to your desired thickness.
Traditional Pressure Cooker
For a traditional pressure cooker, after browning the lamb on the stove top, add to a pressure pot along with 2 cups of water, then pressure cook for 20 minutes. After you are done pressure cooking remove the cover and simmer on medium heat until the lamb stew comes to the desired thickness.
The Printable Lamb Stew Recipe:
- 2 lbs Boneless Lamb, cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, grated
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes (2 cups) or 4 large tomatoes, diced
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- To season the lamb
- 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of dried thyme (Guyanese thyme if you have some)
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or less if you want the flavor but less spiciness
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- ¼ cup of coconut aminos (optional)
- 2 cups of water for the stove top and traditional pressure cooker recipe
- 1 cup of flour for washing the lamb (use cassava flour if on [url href="https://whole30.com/"]Whole30[/url])
- To reduce some of the gamey lamb taste add flour to lamb and mix until lamb is coated with the flour. Then wash the lamb with running water to remove all of the flour from the lamb
- Next, to the washed lamb add the granulated garlic, thyme, salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper and coconut aminos, if using and mix together well
- Then set aside and let marinate for at least an hour
- Add the oil to a large stock pot, dutch oven or braiser on medium heat and bring up to temperature
- Then add the onions and sauté until the onions are brown, soft and translucent
- Then add the grated garlic and tomatoes and continue to sauté until the liquids cook down and the tomatoes and onions form a thick paste-like sauce
- Next add the lamb and continue to sauté until the lamb is brown on all sides
- Then add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until the lamb is completely tender
- Follow steps 1 to 4 of the stove top recipe above
- Then after the lamb becomes brown on all sides (step 4 above) add sautéed lamb to a traditional pressure cooker
- Next add 2 cups of water to the pot that previously had the lamb, stirring with a spoon to deglaze the pot, then pour that water into the pressure cooker
- Then pressure cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the lamb is tender
- After 20 minutes release the steam and continue to cook lamb uncovered until the liquids cook down and a thick gravy/sauce forms (this should take about 10 minutes)
- Place the Instant Pot in sauté mode then when the display indicates that the pot is hot add the oil
- When the oil comes up to temperature, add the onions and sauté until the onions are brown, soft and translucent
- Then add the grated garlic and tomatoes and continue to sauté until the liquids cook down and the tomatoes and onions form a thick paste-like sauce
- Next add the lamb and continue to sauté until the lamb is brown on all sides, you can do this in two batches or a little at a time, until all the lamb is browned on all sides. This may take about 10 minutes per batch.
- Then add ¼ cup of water to the Instant Pot, seal up, hit cancel to get the instant pot out of sauté then pressure cook on high for 15 minutes
- After the pressure cycle completes release the steam. If the lamb has a watery gravy or sauce, you may put the instant pot in sauté mode and sauté for 5 minutes or until the gravy reaches your desired thickness. Stir often to ensure that the lamb is not sticking to the bottom of the instant pot and burning.
Try these delicious sides with your Lamb Stew
Cauliflower Rice and Split Peas
[…] This rice goes really well with Caribbean jerk turkey and cranberry chutney and of course lamb curryhttps://metemgee.com/2020/04/18/lamb-curry-curry-lamb-whole30-paleo/ or lamb stew! […]