Beef Stew With Suet Dumplings (Slow Cooker)
I used to love dumplings as a child, and as student, they were an easy way to make a meal go further.
They seem to have gone out of fashion, and when you do see them, they are often either made from a packet mix, containing vegetable suet (with palm oil), or no suet at all – which means they are savoury scones (or, in the US, biscuits).
My dumplings contain beef suet, and I make no apologies for that.
As with all slow cooker dishes, use cheap cuts of meat. This dish does not require expensive steak – in fact, well worked muscles will have more flavour – chuck, skirt, leg and flank. All of these might be labelled as “braising steak” in the supermarket. Beef shin is excellent.
Variations:
- Instead of chopped onions, drain a jar of pearl onions and use that instead. The onions will retain a hint of vinegar, but that compliments the richness of the beef.
- Parsnips may be added as well as carrots and leeks.
- Instead of red wine, try a large glass of stout.
Beef Stew With Suet Dumplings (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
For the stew
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 kg (2lb 2oz) beef, cut into 4cm (1½in) chunks
- Seasoned plain flour
- 5 medium carrots, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
- 2 large leeks, cut into 1cm (½in) slices
- 600 ml (1 pint) beef stock
- (Optional) A glass of red wine, or a red wine "stock pod"
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried basil
- Half a cup of pearl barley
For the dumplings
- 125 gram (4oz) self-raising flour
- 60 gram (2½oz) suet
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Beef Stew
- Turn on empty slow cooker to high setting.
- Put the oil, vegetables and tomato purée into the slow cooker.
- Dust beef with plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper.
- (Optional) Toss beef for a couple of minutes in a hot well-oiled frying pan, until browned.
- Add beef to the slow cooker together with the stock, Worcestershire sauce and red wine (if used). Also add herbs and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.
- Switch cooker to low setting, give it a stir, and continue to cook for 5-6 hours.
- Remove the lid, add the pearl barley, and stir in well.
- Place dumplings (see below) on top of the stew, spacing apart.
- Switch cooker to high setting, and continue cooking for 40 minutes, with the lid off.
- Serve with fresh crusty bread.
Suet Dumplings
- Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the suet, parsley and salt and pepper.
- Add 100ml (3½fl oz) cold water and stir to make a soft (and slightly sticky) dough.
- Using lightly floured hands (or on a floured board or plate), gently roll into golf-ball sized pieces.
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