Irish Beef Stew

Not surprisingly, Irish stew is all about potatoes. The secret is to use two kinds: Yukon Gold, which will dissolve and give the stew a silky body, and waxy potatoes, which will keep their shape and give the stew texture. Most recipes call for slicing the waxy potatoes, but you can also shape them into ovals. If you have sliced the Yukon Gold potato in advance, keep it immersed in a bowl of water to prevent darkening. Like a daube, the meat for Irish stew isn’t browned. (Hurrah.) Usually, I