Lamb Stew Recipe

 Prep Time: 20 minutes

 Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

 Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

 This lamb stew is loaded with hearty, healthy ingredients. This lamb stew recipe is simple (a one-pot meal!) The lengthy simmering time in the oven makes the tender lamb morsels and vegetables just melt in your mouth. Ingredients

 4 oz bacon, (4 strips, chopped into 1/4" strips)

 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2" pieces

 1/2 Tbsp sea salt for the lamb plus 1 tsp for stew

 1 tsp black pepper for lamb plus 1/2 tsp for stew

 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour*

 1 large yellow onion, diced

 4 garlic cloves, minced

 1 1/2 cups good red wine, *

 1 lb button mushrooms, thickly sliced

 4 cups low sodium beef broth or stock

 1 Tbsp tomato paste

 2 bay leaves

 1/2 tsp dried thyme

 1 1/2 lbs small yellow potatoes, halved or quartered into 1" pieces

 4 medium carrots, 10 oz, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick pieces

 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped for garnish

 Instructions

 In a 5Qt dutch oven, saute chopped bacon over medium heat until browned and fat released. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a large plate.

 While bacon cooks, season lamb pieces with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour and toss to coat. Cook lamb in 2 batches in hot bacon grease over medium heat until browned (3-4 min per side) then transfer to the plate with bacon.

 Add diced onion and sauté 2 min. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Add sliced mushrooms, bring to simmer then cook uncovered 10 min. Preheat Oven to 325˚F.

 Return bacon and lamb to pot and add 4 cups broth, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves. Stir in potatoes and carrots, making sure potatoes are mostly submerged in liquid. Bring to a boil then COVER and carefully transfer to preheated oven at 325˚F for 1 hr and 45 min. When done, potatoes and lamb will be very tender.**

 Recipe Notes

 *We used the wine "Soft Red" by Ste Chappell. A Pinot Noir would also work well.

 ** For reduced fat stew, spoon out any excess oil from the surface when it comes out of the oven.

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