h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd say that in the part of Ireland that I'm from it is far more common to see beef in a stew than lamb, simply because beef is a lot cheaper! Also, pork is a fantastic alternative.

Historically, Irish Stew - yes, it deserves the capitals - is made with cheap and easily available ingredients; here's Kev's quick recipe for my version of a good stew:

1. Chop 3-4 onions. Red or white, up to you. I use white.
2. Fry them gently until they are soft and almost about to brown.
3. Add about 1 kilo of diced beef. Any cut will do, I usually use "stewing steak". Wherever that comes from.
4. Brown the beef gently until most of the redness disappears, and season with salt & black pepper.
5. Now add about 3 litres of water, bring to the boil and then simmer for, oh let's say about 3 hours.
6. During this time, you add a teaspoon each of dried rosemary, thyme and parsley.
7. Now add 3 sliced carrots and about as many quartered potatoes as you think 6 people could realistically eat in one sitting. Then add a few more, because you'll always underestimate.
8. Simmer for another 2 hours.
9. Add 3-4 tablespoons of gravy granules. Don't use the posh stuff that tastes of real meat, it's just not as good. Bisto works, but so do the supermarket "own brands".
10. Simmer at a lower heat until the sauce thickens up. How long you do this is a matter of taste; you can leave it on for hours and hours, or even stick it in the fridge overnight and reheat the next day. I would. I do.
11. Serve. I thoroughly recommend putting a LOT of HP into the stew and serving it with HP sandwiches to dip into the sauce, but maybe that's another personal foible.

You can add parsnips, swede, etc, but then you're starting to get a bit fancy, really, and it does NOT improve the flavour. I've tried lots of extra ingredients over the years, and there is just no point.

Enjoy.

'cause then it's beef stew, not Irish stew.

Great to hear your version too - it's one of those things that everyone claims to best one.

Bisto etc - wouldn't bother myself. I can never taste it. Parsnips are essential though - there's a taste you just can't get without them, and it's well worth having.

I don't stick it in the fridge either because for some reason this tends to make it more stodgy and dough-like. In the pot on the hob the lovely juice around the lumps keeps its identity better.