Lamb Bredie
A slow-cooked South African stew of tender lamb, potatoes, and onions in a rich tomato sauce, spiced with warm aromatics. Comfort food that fills the house with savory warmth.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 medium onions, peeled and sliced lengthwise into half-moons
- 1 can (14.5 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef or lamb stock
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced until smaller than a grain of rice
Instructions
- 1
Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels by pressing the towels firmly against each piece for 3 seconds, so oil will brown the meat instead of steaming it.
- 2
Peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler, moving the blade away from your body along the potato's length until no skin remains, then cut into 1-inch cubes on a cutting board.
- 3
Peel the onions and place root-side down on the cutting board, then slice lengthwise (from root to tip) into half-moon slices about 1/4 inch thick, so each piece holds together.
- 4
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots when you look at them closely on the cutting board.
- 5
Set the oven to 325°F and wait until the indicator light turns off, showing the oven has finished heating—about 10 minutes.
- 6
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot—about 90 seconds.
- 7
Place the lamb pieces into the hot oil in a single layer, working in two batches if they do not fit, and listen for a strong sizzle that sounds like bacon frying.
- 8
Let the lamb pieces sit untouched for 3 minutes until the bottom surfaces turn deep golden brown, then use tongs to flip each piece and cook the other side for 3 more minutes.
- 9
Transfer the browned lamb to a clean plate and set it to the side of your work surface, then repeat with the remaining lamb if you cooked in batches.
- 10
Pour the minced garlic into the same pot and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly of garlic.
- 11
Add the sliced onions to the pot and stir once every 30 seconds for 5 minutes, or until the onions look soft and glassy with no crispness left.
- 12
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the stuck-on brown bits from the bottom of the pot—this adds deep flavor.
- 13
Add the beef or lamb stock, then return the browned lamb to the pot along with any juices from the plate.
- 14
Drop the bay leaves and thyme sprigs into the pot, then bring the liquid to a full rolling boil over high heat—you'll see large bubbles breaking the surface constantly.
- 15
Remove the pot from the heat, cover it with a tight-fitting lid, and transfer it to the center of the preheated 325°F oven.
- 16
Bake covered for 45 minutes, then carefully remove the pot from the oven using oven mitts and lift the lid away from you to let steam escape safely.
- 17
Stir the potato cubes into the pot, pushing them down into the liquid so they cook evenly, then cover and return the pot to the oven.
- 18
Bake for another 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the lamb falls apart easily when pressed with a spoon.
- 19
Remove the pot from the oven and lift out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs using tongs, discarding them into the trash.
- 20
Taste a spoonful of broth and add salt and black pepper a pinch at a time, tasting after each addition, until the flavor tastes savory and balanced to you.
- 21
Ladle the bredie into bowls, ensuring each bowl gets lamb, potatoes, onions, and broth, then serve immediately while the stew is hot.
Tools you’ll need
- vegetable peeler
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- paper towels
- large heavy-bottomed pot with tight-fitting lid (at least 5-quart capacity)
- wooden spoon
- tongs
- measuring cups and spoons
- oven mitts
- ladle
- serving bowls
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