Description
A hearty traditional beef stew with tender diced beef, root vegetables, and rich homemade suet dumplings made using Atora Beef Suet. Cooked slowly in the oven to develop deep flavors, this comforting dish is perfect for family meals and is suitable for freezing.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Beef Stew
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
- 300 g swede (rutabaga), peeled and chopped into bite-size chunks (roughly 1cm/1/2 inch)
- 300 g carrots, peeled and chopped into bite-size chunks (roughly 1cm/1/2 inch)
- 400 g diced beef (stewing beef)
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 1 beef stock cube (Kallo Organic recommended)
- 750 ml boiling water
- 2 bay leaves
Suet Dumplings
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 100 g shredded suet (Atora Beef Suet)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Cold water, as needed to bind the dough
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas mark 4 / 350°F to prepare for slow cooking the stew and dumplings.
- Cook Onions: Place olive oil and diced onions into a flameproof, ovenproof pan. Fry over low heat with the lid on for 3 minutes until softened but not browned to build a flavor base.
- Brown Mushrooms: Increase heat to high, add quartered mushrooms, and fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms and onions are lightly browned.
- Add Root Vegetables: Stir in the chopped swede and carrots and fry on high for 2 minutes, stirring to combine flavors.
- Prepare Gravy: In a large jug, mix 2 tablespoons cornflour with crumbled beef stock cube and a splash of cold water to make a smooth paste. Gradually add boiling water, stirring to avoid lumps.
- Combine Stew Ingredients: Pour the hot gravy into the pan with vegetables. Add diced beef and bay leaves, stir, and bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop.
- Oven Cook Stew: Cover the pan with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours, checking halfway to ensure there is enough liquid and topping up with boiling water if necessary.
- Prepare Dumplings: About 30 minutes before stew is done, in a bowl, mix self-raising flour, shredded suet, and salt. Gradually add cold water until the dough comes together into a firm but not sticky ball.
- Form Dumplings: Divide the dough into 16 roughly equal pieces and roll each into a ball with your hands.
- Add Dumplings to Stew: Remove the stew from the oven briefly, place dumplings evenly on top of the stew’s surface, cover with the lid, and return to oven.
- Finish Cooking: Cook for an additional 20 minutes until dumplings are cooked through and the stew is ready to serve.
- Serve: Serve the beef stew and suet dumplings hot, accompanied by green vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use a flameproof, ovenproof pan such as a Le Creuset-style cast iron casserole dish that can go from hob to oven seamlessly.
- A 4-litre capacity (24 cm / 9.5-inch diameter) dutch oven works well, but pots around 20 cm/8 inches diameter that can fit dumplings in a single layer are also suitable.
- Check the stew liquid about halfway through cooking and just before adding dumplings. Add boiling water if the gravy reduces too much to keep meat and vegetables nearly submerged.
- This stew is freezer-friendly; cool completely before freezing for later meals.
- Nutrition information is approximate and should be used as a guideline only.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 660 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 509 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 79 mg
