Irish Lamb Stew

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds thickly sliced bacon, diced
6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
4 cups beef stock
2 teaspoons white sugar
4 cups diced carrots
2 larges onions, cut into bite-size pieces
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut in bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup white wine

Directions

Saute bacon in large frying pan, reserve fat and bacon.
Put lamb salt pepper and flour in large mixing bowl-toss to coat meat evenly. Brown meat in frying pan with bacon fat.
Put meat into stock pot-leave 1/4 cup of fat in frying pan. Add the garlic and yellow onion and saute till onion begins to become golden. Deglaze frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the garlic-onion mixture to the stock pot with bacon pieces, beef stock and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or till tender. Add remaining ingredients to pot and simmer covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.