Can lamb stew be made ahead?

Yes, absolutely, it will get even more delicious as the flavors meld.

Why is my stew meat tough in the Instant Pot?

It's important to let the instant pot come to pressure, cook, and naturally release. The natural pressure release will result in the most tender texture.

Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook?

To retain the rich flavor of the stew, pressure cooking is best.

Do I need to brown the lamb before stewing?

Yes! In this recipe the lamb sautés for 5 minutes with the spices and aromatics before pressure cooking.

Can I add vegetables to the stew?

Yes! Veggies like carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga or celeriac are wonderful options. Even potato would make a delicious and hearty addition.

Middle Eastern Instant Pot Lamb Stew

Name: Instant Pot Lamb stew
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter or ghee; 1 ½ -1 ¾ pounds lamb stew meat ( shoulder, leg or shank) cut onto 1 ½ inch cubes; 1 onion, diced; 4-6 garlic cloves, rough chopped; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 2 teaspoon ground cumin ( or use 1 teaspoon ground, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds); 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric,; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon chili flakes ( Aleppo Chili flakes are nice) and more for garnish; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar); 1-2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar; 1 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth; 1 x 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained; ¼ cup raisins or dried apricots (chopped), or even dried currants

Description

Simple & delicious Instant Pot Lamb Stew with chickpeas and fragrant Middle Eastern spices- a fast, flavorful, wholesome meal that can be made in an Instant Pot.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons olive oil, butter or ghee
1 ½ –1 ¾ pounds lamb stew meat ( shoulder, leg or shank) cut onto 1 ½ inch cubes
1 onion, diced
4–6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon ground cumin ( or use 1 teaspoon ground, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric,
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon chili flakes ( Aleppo Chili flakes are nice) and more for garnish
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1–2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
1 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 x 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
¼ cup raisins or dried apricots (chopped), or even dried currants

Serve with cooked quinoa, couscous or basmati rice & garnish with fresh Italian parsley or cilantro leaves and extra chili flakes.

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Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot on and set it to the Sauté function. Heat the butter or oil and saute the onions for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the lamb, garlic, salt and all the spices and saute for 5 more minutes until fragrant. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, honey, stock, chickpeas and raisins and stir until combined.
Cover and set the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) to pressure cook setting for 50 minutes on normal/high. Naturally release.
Let the pressure release and give a stir. The lamb will be tender and break apart easily. If you prefer it less juicy, return to saute function and cook off some of the liquid. ( Note that it will thicken a bit as it sits).
Adjust seasonings to taste. If too sweet, add a few drops more vinegar.
Serve over quinoa, rice or couscous with some fresh cilantro or parsley. The leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld.

Notes

Alternatively, you can cook this on the stovetop in a oven-proof dutch oven. Preheat the oven to 325. Brown the onions in the ghee or butter then add the garlic, lamb, salt and spices, cooking for 5 -6 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients – all except the raisins, and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven and bake 2 hours, adding the raisins about an hour or 1 ½ hours into the baking time.

After two hours the lamb will be very tender. If you like a little more browning, give a quick broil to the pot uncovered.

LAMB: This recipe is designed for “tougher” cuts of lamb- shoulder, leg, etc., that need longer cooking times to tenderize. Please don’t waste already tender lamb chops or lamb loin on this recipe. You can also use beef stew meat or even goat.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
Calories: 580
Sugar: 33.3 g
Sodium: 299.7 mg
Fat: 20.8 g
Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
Carbohydrates: 51.7 g
Fiber: 7.7 g
Protein: 47.2 g
Cholesterol: 113.1 mg