American Lamb and Winter Root Vegetable Stew

Nov 19

American lamb is slowly braised alongside celeriac, onion, parsnips, carrots, and sweet potato for a rustic, cold-weather stew full of earthy vegetables and rich, savory flavor. Each bowl gets a spoonful of bright, lemony gremolata for a fresh, vibrant finish.

American Lamb and Winter Root Vegetable Stew

Servings: 6-8

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

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USDA recommends the following time and temperature parameters:
Ground Lamb: Internal temperature of 160°F
All Other Cuts: Internal temperature of 145°F, with a 3-minute rest

Ingredients

For the stew:
- 2 pounds American lamb stew meat (boneless shoulder), cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts, halved, rinsed and sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small celeriac (celery root, about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups kale, chopped into bite-size pieces
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Crusty bread, for serving
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
For the gremolata:
- ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch of flaky salt

Instructions

Sear the lamb: Pat the lamb dry and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches so the pot isn't crowded, sear the lamb until deeply browned on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Build the base: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the leeks, onion and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits, until soft and just starting to turn golden, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Deepen the flavor: Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens to a brick red, about 2 minutes. Pour in the sherry vinegar and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the vinegar is mostly reduced, about 1 minute.
Braise the lamb: Return the lamb and any juices to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes, 4 cups of broth, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 1½ hours.
Add the vegetables: Add the carrots, parsnips and celeriac with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt once the lamb is beginning to become tender. Simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Add the sweet potato and continue simmering until the lamb is fork-tender and all the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes more. The sweet potato goes in last so it holds its shape.
Add the kale: When the vegetables are tender, stir in the kale and cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Finish: Remove the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the stew is thicker than you'd like, add the remaining broth, a splash at a time.
Make the gremolata: In a small bowl, stir together the parsley, lemon zest, grated garlic, olive oil and flaky salt.
Serve: Ladle the stew into bowls, spoon gremolata over the top, drizzle with olive oil and finish with black pepper. Serve with crusty bread.