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Beef Stew and Dumplings

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Now, as the nights draw in and it gets colder & colder, I crave this kind of dish — Beef Stew & Dumplings. As I own a pressure cooker, I can cut the cooking time by two hours, If you don't, you can still make it, but be prepare to wait :-). I made this with small shallots, but you can switch it up with normal sliced white onions. Try to use chestnut or button mushrooms, as they add so much to the dish. I make this the day before then place into the oven @ 160c for 45 minutes to finish off, then it is perfects! That leaves plenty of time to create the perfect dumplings & mashed potatoes.

Click the Method tab below to see a step-by-step guide on how to make my Beef Stew & Dumplings, along with some pictures as guidance.

beef stew and dumplings cooked

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

Serves 4

for the stew

  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 400g stewing steak diced to the shallots' size*
  • 1 pack chestnut or button mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 1/2 pack small shallots peeled
  • 2 Indian bay leaves or 4 english bay
  • 2 tsp dyjon mustard
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 heaped Tbsp spoon bisto powder
  • 1 heaped Tbsp spoon plain flour
  • 1 red wine stock cube or, 1 glass red wine reduced
  • 1 OXO™ beef stock cube
  • 500ml water
  • 1 tsp salt & pepper to season the flour
  • 1 tsp pepper corns whole
  • 15 Indian long pepper corns whole - optional**
  • 5 thin carrots peeled & cut to same size as the beef dice
  • 3 sticks of celery cut to same size as the beef dice

* I buy as 2 whole stewing steaks, as then you have control of the dice

**Indian long peppers add a spicy fragrant note to the stew and are well worth investing in, but, they are purely optional

for the dumplings

  • 150g self raising flour
  • 70g suet
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 to 5 Tbsp water

method

There are a few way to cook this dish, the long ways, or, the short ways. I'm using the short way, in a pressure cooker! However, you can simply put it in a stove top pan and cook for a couple of hours, or, in the oven. Whichever way you choose, just cook it until the braising steak is litterally falling apart, which is normally about two hours in a pan/oven dish, or as little as 30 mins in the pressure cooker! I'll then let it cool and develop overnight, re-heating it in the oven the next day and adding dumplings for the last 30 mins.

Gather all the ingredients you need:

ingredients
ingredients

Method for the stew

  1. firstly, set a heavy based pan onto a high heat & add oil & bay leaves
  2. dice the beef steaks into chunks
  3. on a plate, season the flour & rub your diced beef into it
  4. add the beef to the very hot pan & do not move it for two minutes
  5. after two minutes flip & repeat, then stir fry until it is well browned
  6. set your beef into the cooking pot
  7. turn the pan heat down & add your onions, just cook slightly
  8. add your onions to the cooking pot
  9. place your mushrooms into the pan and gently fry
  10. add your mushrooms to the cooking pot
  11. mix bisto™ powder with the water add to the cooking pot
  12. add to the cooking pot: onion powder, red wine stock*, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce & mustard

*if using red wine it will need to be reduced to quarter of it's original volume. Use the same pan to deglaze all those lovely stuck on bits, & please only use wine you can drink! No cheap nasty bottles allowed!

  1. in your heavy based pan: fry your pepper corns & long peppers, just till they smell fragrant
  2. add to the cooking pot
  3. add water, raw carrots & celery to the cooking pot
  4. cook in a pressure cooker set to 'meat' for 30 minutes, or, set covered on the stove top or oven for 2 hours @ 180c
  5. once cooked, remove as many visable long peppers & bay leaves as possible, serve with creamy mash or new potatoes
  6. as stated at the start, I reheat mine in the oven the following day @ 160c adding dumplings for the last 30 minutes
add dumplings for last 30 mins
dumplings added to stew

Method for the dumplings

  1. weigh your flour, add salt stir through suet
  2. make a well in the center, add 3 Tbsp water & combine, if it seems too dry to create a dough, add more water
  3. get some cling film, roll into a sausage, then remove the cling film & cut into 8 pieces
  4. flour your hands, take each piece of dough and roll into a ball
  5. top your stew with them when it has 30 minutes left to cook
  6. cook covered for 20 minutes @ 160c
  7. then uncovered for 10 minutes & serve
dumplings cooked
beef stew and dumplings cooked

Serving suggestion

Beef stew & dumplings mashed or new potatoes and a spoon, you will not require knives as the meat should simply melt in your mouth :-)

serving suggestion
beef stew and dumplings and dishes
beef stew & dumplings
beef stew and dumplings with potatoes saved

Packed with beef bangin' flavour, this is one nutritious winter warmer you shouldn't go without!

Enjoy :¬)