A comforting British beef stew topped with fluffy suet dumplings and a medley of root vegetables — proper cold-weather comfort food.
This beef dumpling stew is the definition of cosy — beef slow-braised with root vegetables in a rich, wine-deepened gravy, topped with fluffy suet dumplings that steam to pillowy perfection. It's a complete, hearty one-pot hug for a cold day.
Prep 25 min
Cook 160 min
Total 185 min
Medium
- 2 tbs Olive Oil
- 25g Butter
- 750g Beef
- 2 cloves minced Garlic
- 175g Onions
- 150g Celery
- 150g Carrots
- 2 chopped Leek
- 200g Swede
- 150ml Red Wine
- 500g Beef Stock
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 3 tbs Thyme
- 3 tblsp chopped Parsley
- 125g Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 60g Suet
- Splash Water
Tags:
Stew BakingVideo
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- Heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof casserole and fry the beef until browned on all sides.
- Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and all the vegetables and fry for 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in the wine, stock and herbs, then add Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar to taste, and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook for about two hours, until the meat is tender.
- For the dumplings, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl, add the suet and enough water to form a thick dough, then roll spoonfuls into small balls with floured hands.
- After two hours, remove the lid, place the dumplings on top of the stew, cover, return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes, until the dumplings have swollen and are tender (leave the lid off if you'd like them golden on top).
- Serve with a spoonful of mashed potato, topped with the stew and dumplings and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Brown the beef well and cook the flour for a couple of minutes to thicken and enrich the gravy.
- Keep the dumplings light — handle the dough gently and don't overwork it.
- Add the dumplings only for the last 20 minutes so they stay soft and don't dissolve.
- Leave the lid off at the end if you'd like the dumpling tops golden and crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually from overmixing the dough or adding them too early. Mix lightly and add them only near the end.
Yes — make the stew a day ahead and reheat, then add fresh dumplings for the final 20 minutes.
A braising cut like chuck or stewing steak becomes tender over the long, gentle cook.
