Traditional Irish Dankey Stew

In most Irish farms, the traditional main meal of the day was dispensed from the soup or stew pot which simmered over the stove during the day. There was no real distinction between a soup and a stew, as they were as hearty and robust as the people could afford to make them, adding whatever ingredients were available at the time – hence the expression ‘pot luck’. If a choice of ingredients was available, they would make dishes like the still-famous Dankey stew. ‘Dankey’ means slightly drunk, so it is not surprising that one of the main ingredients of this stew is a hefty measure of Irish stout. Since this not only adds a rich flavor but also tenderizes the meat, it was often added to stews, especially at a time when the water was not always safe to drink and everyone in the family would tend to drink beer of one kind or another.

DANKEY STEW

3 celery sticks, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

2 large ends of mutton chops

2 onions, quartered

1 tablespoon pickled mushrooms, minced

2 1 ⁄2 cups Irish stout

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 ⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 potatoes, sliced

1 ⁄4 cup pearl barley, soaked in a cup of cold water

2 tablespoons salted butter

Since the traditional mutton is no longer readily available, you can use lamb for this recipe; you may need to reduce the cooking time slightly.

Arrange the celery and carrots in the bottom of a large flameproof casserole dish, place the meat on top and finish with the onions. Stir the pickled mushroom into the stout, and then pour it over the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Cover with layers of potato slices. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer at the lowest possible heat for about 1 hour, or cook in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for about 1 to 2 hours. Add the barley into the stew and cook for a further 1 hour. Stir in the butter and allow it to melt before serving.