I love being Irish and one of the best things about being Irish is the food. I hear from people all the time that Irish food is bland or they don’t like it. It confuses me because I’ve never eaten a bland Irish dish. that being said lets jump right onto the emerald green shore and enjoy this traditional Irish stew. Now I subbed out the beef normally used for some delicious California Mule Deer, but you can most defiantly use any red meat you’ve got at home. Try it with Elk, Venison, Moose, Cow, antelope or sheep. Enjoy and as we say in Ireland “Ithe go maith” translation Eat Well.
Irish Venison Stew
Ingredients:
1 pound venison stew meat
4 cups homemade Venison stock (or store bought beef stock)
1 can Guinness or other stout style beer
4 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 large brown onion, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 potatoes, quartered
2 bay leaves
1 can 6oz tomato paste
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
Directions:
- Mix flour, pepper and salt. Toss the stew meat and lightly coat, shake off excess flour and brown in skillet with 3 tablespoons butter. Lightly browning the meat helps keep the meat whole while cooking. The browning process is not meant to cook the meat but just brown the outside.
- In slow cooker or Dutch oven add stock, beer and tomato paste, mix together.
- Add veggies, bay leaves, garlic and browned stew meat
- If you’re using the slow cooker set to high and come back in 7 hours to enjoy.
- If you’re using your Dutch oven bring stew to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-6 hours
- If you would like to make the stew thicker take 3 tablespoons of flour and three tablespoons of water and mix until flour has dissolved, then add to stew.
- Season stew to taste and enjoy.
Below you’ll find my favorite Soda Bread Recipe. Soda bread is a simple traditional Irish bread that is super easy to make and flavorful. My family loves to butter up and dip hot from the oven soda bread into this delicious Irish stew.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup butter milk
1 egg
¼ cup butter melted
¼ buttermilk
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Lightly grease baking dish and set aside
- In Large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar
- Mix in butter until lumps form
- Add buttermilk and egg
- Mix until dough forms and then knead on a lightly floured surface
- Form dough into a large ball and place in baking sheet
- Taking knife score a giant X in the center of the bread
- Mix together melted butter and butter milk and spread over top of bread
- Bake for 45-55 minutes until when poked with a tooth pick the center comes out done and not doughy. If you want you can brush the top with the buttermilk mixture at the 25 minute mark. Remove from oven and serve hot.
