Best beef stew with dumplings recipe

[JontyDoggle37]

My mum used to make a beef stew with dumplings which I loved but which I never got the recipe for before she died. My husband proclaims to ‘hate’ stew, but I’ve learnt that’s often because of the cooking he experienced as a child, not because of the food itself, if you see what I mean - and if I make ‘stew’ and put a pastry lid on it and call it a pie, he wolfs it down! 🙄 So, because I want to serve it as a stew, with the dumplings, not as a ‘pie’, I need the best super tasty, rich and unctuous recipe for beef stew, and a recipe for dumplings that turn light, fluffy and full of flavour (I know my mums used suet). All help appreciated!

[StrawberryPi]

I always ad lib my stew, but it usually goes something like this:

Coat meat in plenty of seasoned flour (a good few table spoons, you want some left at the bottom once you've taken all the meat out the bowl). Brown quickly in batches on a very high heat to get lots of crispy bits. Don't worry if it's cooked through at this point, you are just getting some nice seated flavour. Keep any remaining flour to add later.

Sweat onions, carrots, and any other veg you fancy (garlic, celery, mushrooms etc) in butter until they are nice and sweet.

Add in the browned meat (and any juices that have come off it), the remaining flour, about half a bottle of red wine or a bottle of ale, and enough stock to cover everything well (cubes are fine). For flavour you can add any or a mix of the following: a nice few sprigs of rosemary/thyme/bay, a spoonful of mustard or marmite, some Worcester sauce, a big squeeze of tomato purée, a spoon of red currant jelly. Taste and season.

Bring to the boil and then transfer to the over at about 140-150 degrees for three hours minimum, ideally five. If it looks a bit thin you can add a couple of teaspoons of cornflour stirred into a splash of cold water.

For a generous amount of dumplings allow 25-30g of suet or grated butter or grated cheese (my favourite!) per person, and twice that of self raising flour (I.e. 50-60g). Stir the fat and flour together with a nice pinch of salt and any flavourings you might want (mustard or parsley are nice but they are also yummy plain!). Add water a splash at a time until it comes together in a soft dough. Roll into golf ball sized dumplings, pop into the top of the stew and bake for about half an hour. They will be lovely and fluffy with a crispy top and a little bit of sog in the gravy below.

Enjoy!!

[HeeeeyDuggee]

God I really want stew and dumplings now (also in a household where no one else likes it)

[MrsIronfoundersson]

Google 'mumsnet beef cobbler'. It's delicious.

[QueenPaws]

This one is gorgeous. I add a tiny bit of marmite, chopped pancetta and mushrooms

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/beef-and-ale-stew/

[Otherplans]

It's decades since I had cobbler. A few recipes come up @MrsIronfoundersson could you link which one?

[JontyDoggle37]

Oh thank you these sound lovely!!

[MrsIronfoundersson]

It's this one Otherplans
www.mumsnet.com/food/recipe/43-Beef-cobbler

Really lovely - I do a massive le creuset of it every now and again and freeze portions. The list of ingredients is a bit confusing as not in order so read carefully first!

[Otherplans]

Thank you! Now feel starving

[Lalanbaba]

I do the same as @strawberrypi but, I brown the meat and in the same pan cook also some lardons or panceta, remove with the beef. In the remaining fat soften the veggies (diced very small) onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Add back the meat, add wine/stout and stock to cover.
I will add more vegetables in big chunks after a good 3h cooking.
For extra fancyness you can strain the small diced veggies before adding the ones in big chunks so you get a very smooth sauce.
Other thing is the cut of meat you choose, for very soft and silky use, shin of beef or ox cheeks

[Pinklightatnight]

The HFW one here is amazing!

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall-recipes-stew