Traditional Welsh Cawl Stew

Written by
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Elaine Lemm
Updated 09/13/20
Traditional Welsh cawl stew

tirc83 / Getty Images
  • Total: 3 hrs
  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
  • Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
1151 Calories
56g Fat
102g Carbs
58g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1151
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 56g 72%
Saturated Fat 19g 94%
Cholesterol 128mg 43%
Sodium 2849mg 124%
Total Carbohydrate 102g 37%
Dietary Fiber 13g 46%
Protein 58g
Calcium 322mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

"​Cystal yfed o'r cawl â bwyta's cig"—"It is as good to drink the broth as to eat the meat," and in Wales, they will most certainly agree with this statement when talking about their national dish of Welsh cawl. 

Cawl is a stew made from bacon, Welsh lamb or beef, cabbage, and leeks, although using cheaper cuts of meat is also traditional.  Welsh recipes for cawl vary from region to region, even season to season.

Cawl can be eaten in one bowl, although often the broth will be served first followed by the meat and vegetables—hence the quote above. Like many dishes, Welsh cawl tastes better the next day and the day after that, so don't be afraid to make it in advance or save any leftovers for reheating.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon lard or bacon fat
  • 2 large onions (thickly sliced)
  • 1 medium rutabaga (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 4 large carrots (peeled and thickly sliced)
  • 4 leeks (cleaned of all sandy grit and sliced)
  • 1 pound / 450 grams beef brisket
  • 1 pound / 450 grams smoked bacon (the whole piece cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 pound / 450 grams potatoes (peeled and quartered)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Melt the lard in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over high heat, taking care not to burn the fat.

  3. Add the onions, rutabaga, carrots, and leeks to the hot fat and brown for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon.

  4. Raise the heat and add the beef to the pan and brown on all sides. Return the browned vegetables to the pan with the bacon pieces, bay leaf, and thyme.

  5. Cover the meat and vegetables with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.

  6. Remove the beef from the pan and reserve.

  7. Add the potatoes and bring back to a boil and cook for another 20 minutes or until cooked.

  8. Meanwhile, once the beef is cold enough to handle, cut into 2-inch cubes and add back to the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes more.

  9. Season well with salt and pepper and serve while piping hot. 

  10. Enjoy!

Tips

  • The beauty of this recipe is you have two dishes in one. The broth from the recipe can be served first as a soup or starter course, followed by the meat, potatoes, and vegetables as a main. 
  • The mix of root vegetables used in this recipe is a traditional assortment, you can vary this but it will not be considered a classic version, so approach with care. One vegetable which may work well is celeriac as an addition, not a replacement for any other.
  • Save leftovers for reheating as Welsh cawl tastes better the next day and even the day after.

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