Grandpa's Home Cooking

Irish Pub Stew

Twill be St. Patty's Day before you know it, so you may want to get the ingredients to make this Irish Stew. There are pubs in Ireland that make this stew every day of the year for the lads and lassies who eat at their establishment. I got the recipe from the book Irish Pub Cooking and I made a pot of the stew for our dinner yesterday. We'll enjoy it again tonight.

You'll want to serve this stew in bowls with the juices. I put some on a plate to photograph the goodness of the stew.

"Pull up a stool, sup a pint, and tuck into some delicious pub food."

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 3 pounds of lamb, cut in chunks
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 pound of potatoes cut in chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• A scant 3 1/2 cups of beef stock (A carton of beef stock contains 4 cups)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsely to garnish

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Put the flour in a plastic zip lock bag with some salt and pepper and shake the bag to mix the ingredients. Add the chunks of lamb to the bag and close and shake the bag to coat the meat. (You'll need to do this in batches.)  Arrange the chunks of floured lamb in layers on the bottom of your large casserole dish.

Add a layer of onions, then the carrots, and finally the potatoes. Sprinkle on the thyme and then pour in the beef stock. Cook your casserole for 3 hours. Garnish the bowls of stew with chopped parsley.

Standing Rib Roast

There is nothing to compare with the taste of a delicious standing rib roast. But prime roasts are pricey, so when you splurge make sure you get a good piece of meat. I suggest you go to a good butcher and be specific in communicating your needs. Be generous in ordering a roast to serve your guests and family.

If you want a lean cut, ask for a lean cut. I don't ask for a lean cut and here is why. You really need some fat to get a juicy, tender roast. I tell the butcher I wish to have "a well marbled roast." This should tell the butcher you want enough fat on top and within the grain of the meat for the roast to be tender, juicy, and flavorful. The rest is up to you. Cook it long enough that it fits the taste of the people at your table, but not so long that it is overcooked.

If you demand a lean cut, expect to eat tough meat. 

First decide first on how much roast to buy. A general guideline is that you'll serve two people to a rib. Therefore, a three rib roast will serve about 6 people. 

Chefs like to serve a roast medium rare. However, most people will say they want the meat to be cooked medium, medium well, or well done. You'll often have at least one person who'll say, "Well done." So you might ask, "How can I satisfy everyone?" You may not, but here is my suggestion for coming close.

First. I suggest you not attempt to cook a pricey roast without using a digital meat thermometer. I would cook the roast until the middle is done to a temperature of 145-150 degrees. If more people ask for medium well, roast the meat until the temperature of the middle of the roast is about 155 degrees. 

Start roasting the meat at 425 degrees for 15 minutes to sear the roast and then drop the temperature to 325 degrees. I start taking temperature readings when the meat has been in the oven for about an hour. Take frequent readings. I've discovered that if the center is cooked to medium, the end pieces will be cooked to medium well or near well done. Cut and serve to your guests accordingly. Give end slices to those who prefer well-done meat. 

This plan usually works for me and it may or may not work for you. It is a challenge to meet everyones wish. It's much easier for a chef at a restaurant who can selectively heat portions of roasts to the desired doneness. 

If you want some more precise instructions and don't mind wading through a lot of detail, you might wish to refer to  http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/ClassicPrimeRib.htm. This site provides some nice charts to help you select your meat and determine how long to cook the meat.

Here are some do's and don'ts.

• Do rub the meat with olive oil.

• Don't salt the meat because salt draws the moisture out of meat when you roast. You don't want that. You'd like a juicy roast. Let your guests salt and pepper their meat to taste at the table.

• If you're tempted to trim fat off the roast, I'd wait until after the meat is roasted. The roast needs to be roasted with fat to make it juicy and delicious. 

• Do stand the roast bone on the rack above a pan containing about an inch of water or white wine.

• Buy roasts when they are on sale and freeze them to thaw and roast for special occasions. 

I roasted the meat pictured to medium well and was enjoyed by all. I like to roast enough meat for everyone to have their fill. If some is leftover, that's fine ... it can be sent home with guests or served at a second or even a third meal. My preference is to serve the whole roast at the table. Slice half or more than half of the roast and leave the knife on the platter. 

I like to serve mashed potatoes, green vegetable, and a nice salad with this meal.