Mark’s mission is simple: flavor. He cuts to this most essential factor of food, to reveal the secrets of the best flavors in the world. In this episode, Mark looks at one Ireland’s most famous dishes, Irish Stew. From which is the best cut of meat to use to the tastiest way to cook it and why, this video will help you create the ideal meal to accompany your St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

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So what are you waiting for? Just Stew It!

Irish Stew Recipe

Serves 4 200ml of GUINNESS® Foreign Extra Stout 400g stewing diced mutton 1 medium onion - diced 1 large carrot- diced 1 large celery - diced 1 large parsnip - diced 1 Litre of thick beef stock Sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary Champ potato (creamed mash potato and spring onion) Stir fry the mutton, add the vegetables and cook till tender, then pour the GUINNESS®and reduce by half. Add the beef stock and herbs and simmer very slowly for between an hour and an hour and a half. Serve with the champ potato and honey roast carrot and parsnip.Tip – This stew is always better made one day in advance! Subscribe to ExtremeFoodies to see what Mark Schatzker: Flavor Detective uncovers next week.

More on St. Patrick’s Day:

“Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, "the Day of the Festival of Patrick"), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as celebrating the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians also attend church services, and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday's tradition of alcohol consumption. Saint Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. It is also widely celebrated by the Irish diaspora around the world; especially in Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.” Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day

More on that lovely black stuff, Guinness:

“Guinness is an Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness (1725–1803) at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide. It is brewed in almost 60 countries and is available in over 120. Annual sales total 850 million litres (1.5 billion Imperial or 1.8 billion US pints). A feature of the product is the burnt flavour that is derived from roasted un malted barley, although this is a relatively modern development, not becoming part of the grist until the mid-20th century. For many years a portion of aged brew was blended with freshly brewed beer to give a sharp lactic flavour. Although the Guinness palate still features a characteristic "tang", the company has refused to confirm whether this type of blending still occurs. The draught beer's thick, creamy head comes from mixing the beer with nitrogen when poured. It is popular with the Irish both in Ireland and abroad, and, in spite of a decline in consumption since 2001, is still the best-selling alcoholic drink in Ireland where Guinness & Co. makes almost €2 billion annually.” Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinness