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🍲 Instant Pot Lamb Stew (Basic Recipe)

bgibson135

🍲 INSTANT POT LAMB STEW (BASIC RECIPE)
Servings: 4
Cook time: About 1 hour total

🥘 Ingredients

  • 1 to 1½ lbs lamb, cut into 1–1½ inch chunks
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced (optional)
  • 1–2 small turnips, cubed
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes (optional)
  • 3 cups beef or lamb broth
  • 1 tsp salt (to taste)
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

Optional: Worcestershire, smoked paprika, splash of red wine, garden peas.

✅ When to Add Garden Peas

  • Frozen peas: Add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking (or right after you turn the Instant Pot to KEEP WARM). They stay bright green and sweet.
  • Fresh peas: Same thing — add them at the end so they don’t get mushy or turn gray.

Why They Work

  • Their sweetness balances the richness of lamb.
  • They add color and a nice pop of texture.
  • They’re a classic ingredient in many British/Irish lamb stews.

If Cooking in the Instant Pot

  • Do not pressure-cook peas — they’ll disintegrate.
  • Stir them in after releasing pressure.

🔥 Best Browning Method (Stovetop → Instant Pot)

  1. Heat a cast iron or stainless skillet over medium-high with a little oil.
  2. Brown lamb in batches (don’t crowd the pan).
  3. Transfer browned lamb to the Instant Pot.
  4. Deglaze skillet with broth or wine and scrape up the brown bits.
  5. Pour this flavorful liquid into the Instant Pot.

🔧 Instant Pot Instructions

  1. Press Sauté. Add onion and celery; cook 3 minutes.
  2. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in carrots and turnips.
  4. Add a splash of broth/wine to deglaze the Instant Pot.
  5. Return lamb to the pot. Add remaining broth, tomatoes, thyme, pepper, bay leaf, and optional ingredients.
  6. Close lid. Pressure Cook for 25 minutes.
  7. Natural Release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
  8. Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning.
  9. Optional: To thicken, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with cold water and stir in; simmer on Sauté until thickened.

💡 Diabetic-Friendly Adjustments

  • Use turnips instead of potatoes
  • Add extra celery/onion to bulk it up
  • Skip cornstarch thickener
  • Use lean lamb or skim fat after cooking

Hard-Boiled Eggs — Instant Pot (Simple Method)

  1. Add 1 cup of water to the pot.
  2. Place eggs on a trivet or egg rack (they can touch each other).
  3. Close lid → set Pressure Cook (or Manual) to 5 minutes.
  4. When the 5 minutes end, let it naturally release for 5 minutes.
  5. After that, do a quick release of the remaining pressure.
  6. Immediately move eggs to ice water for 5 minutes.

That’s it — consistently easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs.

If you want softer or firmer yolks, I can give you the timing adjustments (4-4-4, 6-6-6, etc.).