Braised lamb stew gets a stunning seasonal makeover here, with tart cranberries, bright orange juice, and warming spices like turmeric and Ceylon cinnamon doing the heavy lifting. The combination sounds unexpected, but it works beautifully ā the cranberries melt into the broth and balance the richness of the slow-cooked lamb shoulder, while the orange zest keeps everything feeling fresh and alive. Carrots and parsnips soak up all that fragrant, fruit-forward broth as they simmer, turning the whole pot into something deeply satisfying and a little bit special.
Keeping a stew like this free from soy is genuinely easy when you build the base from scratch ā bone broth, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and honey replace any need for soy-based sauces or condiments that often sneak into braised dishes. There's nothing here that requires a label check or a substitution; every ingredient is straightforward and whole. Searing the lamb in batches before the long, low simmer is the move that takes this from good to great, building a deep, caramelized crust that enriches the entire pot. Serve it with a scatter of fresh parsley and you've got a bowl that looks and tastes like it came from a serious kitchen.
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2 lb boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 large oranges)
1 tbsp orange zest
2 cups bone broth
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
For serving
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
1
Pat the lamb cubes dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 tsp salt.
2
Heat the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the lamb in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 3ā4 minutes per side, until deeply browned on at least two sides. Transfer the seared lamb to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.
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