Our Irish stew recipes for your St.Patrick’s Day run recovery

One way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year is to cook yourself an authentic or Irish-inspired stew to look forward to after the run.

St. Patrick’s Day is very nearly upon us. In Canada, runners are inundated with a number of fun and festive Paddy’s Day-themed races. Between those and post-run green beers, celebrating this Irish holiday runner style is made fairly simple.

But if green gear and races aren’t your thing, there’s always a more low-key and authentic way to celebrate. Why not whip up a batch of Irish stew to replenish your body after a long run?

We dug through our recipe archives and came up with an authentic Irish stew and an Irish-inspired recipe with a modern twist. Get cooking!

Beer Bison Stew

Enjoy the traditional flavours of  meat, carrots and potatoes with a splash of Guinness for a festive finish. 

INGREDIENTS

1 lb bison meat, cubed (regular stewing beef is fine)
3 medium potatoes, cubed
2 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
½ cup leeks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 ½ cups beer (Go with Guinness or any other stout)
1 ½ cups water (or beef/vegetable stock)

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown the bison meat. When the meat is nice and browned, remove from heat and deglaze the pan. Save
the deglazed liquid to add to the stew later.
2. Toss all the vegetables in and sauté until the colour just starts to brighten, and then add in the meat and all the liquid.
3. Add in spices and herbs, and simmer for two to three hours in a closed pot until the meat is fork tender. If the stew is not thick enough, remove the lid at the end to reduce the liquid. Salt and pepper to taste.

Lamb Couscous Stew

Opt for something a little more rich. Lamb is a traditional go-to but the chickpeas and couscous add a runner-friendly twist. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
¾ lb. lean stewing lamb cut into
2-inch-long strips
3 medium onions, sliced
2 cups water
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp saffron
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup carrots, diced
1 small zucchini, cubed
¼ cup raisins
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and ground pepper
6 cups cooked couscous
2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro,
chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Over high heat, brown the lamb in a non-stick skillet.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook until soft.
3. Add water, turmeric, saffron, cinnamon and ginger. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add sweet potato, carrots and chickpeas. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add zucchini, raisins, sugar and lemon juice. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Prepare couscous.
7. Serve stew over the couscous. Add salt and pepper to taste and fresh parsley or cilantro.