Black Garlic Lamb & Veggie Stew
Black Garlic Lamb & Veggie Stew (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)
Whether you’re planning on serving up this filling dinner to fill little bellies with nourishment before Halloween festivities or you’re just looking for a wholesome weeknight meal, this stew is for you.
This particular cut of our grass-fed lamb turns out tender and delicious when slow cooked or pressure cooked, so it’s called stew meat for good reason.
We like pairing this substantial protein with similarly hearty veggies like carrots and potatoes and a hefty dose of aromatics in the way of onion, garlic, and — what makes this stew particularly special — black garlic.
Pair this stew with a side salad of seasonal greens, some well-buttered sourdough or an ancient grain like millet or quinoa and you’re all set.
Yield: 6-8
Black Garlic Lamb & Veggie Stew (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)
This substantial stew is filled with quality protein, hearty veggies, flavorful aromatics and handcrafted seasonings for a comforting meal suitable for a simple weeknight dinner or for entertaining and nourishing loves ones. Pair this stew with a side salad of seasonal greens, some well-buttered sourdough, or an ancient grain like millet or quinoa to round out the meal.
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 6 H & 10 MTotal time: 6 H & 25 M
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lard, ghee, tallow, or cooking fat of choice
- 2 pounds lamb stew meat
- 1 onion, diced
- 3-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 to 2 quarts quality bone broth, divided
- half a bulb of black garlic, cloves peeled and smashed into a paste
- 1 pound potatoes, chopped (see note on types of potatoes)
- 3-4 large carrots, chopped (no need to peel if using organic)
- 1 tablespoon Lamb Seasoning or Herbes De Provence
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (Orie's Garlic Salt or Wild Blueberry Salt would be delish here)
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder, optional
- 1 cup chopped greens, optional (see note)
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method
- Assuming your slow cooker has this function, set it to sauté. Once hot, add the cooking fat. When this is also hot, add the lamb stew meat and stir.
- Add the onion and stir thoroughly to mix with the stew meat. Cook this for 6-7 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and let cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- Pour in a splash of the broth to deglaze the pot and scrape up any tasty bits from the bottom. Add in the black garlic, potatoes, carrots, and seasonings. Thoroughly stir to break up and distribute the black garlic and to incorporate everything together.
- Pour in the remaining broth. Cook on low for about 6-7 hours or on high for about 4-5 hours.
- If you want to thicken the stew, make a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder with 1/4 cup of broth from the pot in a small bowl. Whisk to combine, then add this to the stew. If using greens, add them to the stew now as well. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Check for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if you like, and serve.
Instant Pot Method
- Set Instant Pot to sauté. Once hot, add the cooking fat. When this is also hot, add the lamb stew meat and stir.
- Add the onion and stir thoroughly to mix with the stew meat. Cook this for 4-5 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is softened slightly.
- Stir in the minced garlic and let cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- Pour in a splash of the broth to deglaze the pot and scrape up any tasty bits from the bottom. Add in the black garlic, potatoes, carrots, and seasonings. Thoroughly stir to break up and distribute the black garlic and to incorporate everything together.
- Pour in the remaining broth. Turn off the sauté function.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the knob on the top to sealing, and set to high pressure for 35 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, naturally release the pressure from the Instant Pot.
- Once the pressure is released, open the lid. If you want to thicken the stew, make a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder with 1/4 cup of broth from the pot in a small bowl. Whisk to combine, then add this to the stew. If using greens, add them to the stew now as well. Turn on the sauté function and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Check for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if you like, and serve.
Notes
- Potatoes: Any kind will work. We generally peel russets but don't peel red or yellow potatoes, although you certainly can if you prefer.
- Greens: Spinach, beet greens, and rainbow chard are our favorites for this dish.
