Irish Lamb Stew

This traditional Irish Lamb Stew takes a while but is well worth it! Grammie used to do it over the wood stove, but I have been known to use my Hot Pot.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds bacon, diced
6 pounds boneless lamb
shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp allspice
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
4 cups beef stock
3 tsp white sugar
4 cups diced carrots
2 large onions chopped
3 potatoes quartered
1 tsp fresh or dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1 cup red or white wine

Method:
 Cook bacon over medium high heat until brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside. Save fat.
Put lamb, salt, pepper, and flour in large mixing bowl and toss to coat meat evenly. Brown meat in frying pan with bacon fat. 
Place meat into stock pot. Add the garlic and yellow onion and saute till onion begins to become golden. Deglaze frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the garlic-onion mixture to the stock pot with bacon pieces, beef stock, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Add carrots, onions, potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and wine to pot. Reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Ready In 3 Hours Yields: 10 servings