Lamb Stew

Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder (trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks)
• 1 tablespoon (plus 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided)
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper (divided)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (divided)
• 4 ounces thick-cut bacon (cut into 1/4-inch strips)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil (as needed)
• 1 large yellow onion (1/4-inch diced)
• 6 cloves minced garlic (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Cotes du Rhone)
• 4 cups beef stock
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme (tied into a bundle)
• 1 1/2 pounds baby gold potatoes (halved, or quartered if large; or Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces, no need to peel)
• 1 pound medium carrots (peeled and cut into diagonal 1-inch pieces, halved if large, about 6 carrots)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen green peas
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare: Position oven racks such that you can fit a large Dutch oven or similar overproof pot with a lid inside. Preheat to 350°F.

2. 2

   Coat: Pat the lamb dry and transfer to a large bowl. Toss first with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then sprinkle ¼ cup of the flour over the top and toss once more to coat. Set aside.

3. 3

   Crisp: Heat a large Dutch oven or similar over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.

4. 4

   Brown: Increase the pot heat to medium high. Add part of the lamb cubes to the pot in a single layer, ensuring they do not touch. Brown on all sides, then transfer to the plate with the bacon. Repeat with the remaining lamb, cooking it in batches (I needed 3 batches total). Each batch should take around 5 minutes. If at any point the pot becomes dry, add the canola oil as needed. Discard any excess flour at the bottom of the bowl.

5. 5

   Soften: Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

6. 6

   Deglaze: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine, stirring to scrape up any bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Let simmer until reduced by about approximately half, 1 to 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Add: Return the lamb and bacon to the pot, along with any juices that have collected on the plate.

8. 8

   Boil: Add the beef stock, thyme bundle, and the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.

9. 9

   Stir: Let the stew simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the potatoes and carrots.

10. 10

    Bake: Cover the pot and bake until the vegetables and lamb are super tender, about 1 ½ hours.

11. 11

    Add: In a small bowl, mash the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour with the butter. Stir into the stew and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken it further. Stir in the red wine vinegar.

12. 12

    Finish: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the peas and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired; depending upon the saltiness of your beef stock, you may need a few big pinches of salt.