Hearty slow-cooked Irish stew

There’s nothing better on a cold and rainy night than warming up over a hearty stew – and this classic Irish dish is one of a kind.

With the flavourful sauce and tender meat and veggies mixed through, it’s a guaranteed winner for all your guests. It’s fantastic for preparing in the morning or early afternoon to be ready for serving for dinner that night. It’s also great for making in bulk and packaging up to enjoy as pre-made dinners and lunches throughout the week. Give this a go if you’re looking for something a bit easier but still as deliciously filling!

Ingredients

• 1.25kg lamb neck chops, trimmed
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 3 brown onions, chopped
• 1kg sebago potatoes, peeled, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups boiling water
• 3 beef style stock cubes, crumbled
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped, to serve

Method

1. Place flour in plastic bag. Season with salt and pepper. Cut chops in half. Place chops in bag. Shake well to coat. Transfer chops to plate. Reserve flour.
2. Preheat oven to 130C. Place onions, potatoes and carrots in ovenproof dish. Top with half the chops. Repeat layers with remaining onions, potatoes, carrots and chops.
3. Whisk reserved flour, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of cold water in large jug until well combined. Slowly add boiling water, whisking constantly. Add stock cubes and parsley. Stir to dissolve stock cubes.
4. Pour flour mixture over chops. Cover. Cook for 4 hours or until meat tender and sauce thickened. Sprinkle with mint and serve.