Hairy Bikers Beef Stew and Dumplings

Hairy Bikers beef stew and dumplings puts the horseradish into the suet rather than the gravy, which is what sets it apart. So 1kg of braising steak simmers in 500ml of Guinness with celeriac and carrots, feeding six at roughly 760 calories. That recipe is from Meat Feasts, and it runs to 2 hours 15 minutes from start to table.

Si’s mum is the reason these dumplings exist, since the book says she “made the best dumplings ever and we both copy her method”. That method skips the rubbing in most recipes ask for, because suet goes straight into the flour dry.

The dough has to finish soft and sloppy, which feels wrong if you are used to firm dumpling dough. Because a stiff mix cannot absorb the gravy as it swells, it sits heavy in the pan instead of rising through the stew.

Hairy Bikers Beef Stew and Dumplings

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Simmering Cuisine:British Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time:1 hour 55 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:2 hours 15 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:760 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Seasoned flour coats the beef before it browns in batches, then onions, carrots, celery and celeriac colour in the same pan. Then Guinness goes over the lot for ninety slow minutes, and the suet dough is spooned on at the end.

Ingredients

For the stew

• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1kg braising steak, diced
• 2 tbsp beef dripping or vegetable oil
• 2 onions, thickly sliced
• 3 large carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 celery sticks, cut into chunks
• 200g celeriac, cut into chunks
• 1 large sprig of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 500ml Guinness or stout
• sea salt and black pepper

For the horseradish dumplings

• 250g self-raising flour
• 125g suet
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 to 2 tbsp grated horseradish
• 100 to 125ml cold water

Instructions

1. Flour the beef: Season 2 tbsp plain flour with salt and pepper, then toss 1kg diced braising steak through it and dust off the excess.
2. Brown in batches: Heat the dripping in a large casserole and brown the beef hard on all sides, in batches. Take each batch out before the next goes in.
3. Colour the vegetables: Add the onions, carrots, celery and celeriac to the same pan and fry until the edges colour.
4. Add the beer: Return the beef, tuck in the thyme and bay leaves, then pour over 500ml Guinness and bring it to the boil.
5. Simmer low: Turn the heat right down, cover, and leave it very gently for 1 hour 30 minutes until the beef gives under a spoon.
6. Mix the dumplings: Stir the flour, suet and baking powder together with salt and pepper, then add the horseradish. Cut in 100 to 125ml cold water with a knife, and stop while the dough is still soft and sloppy.
7. Steam them on top: Drop small handfuls onto the stew, put the lid back on, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes. Check they are risen and firm before serving.

FAQs

Can you make beef stew and dumplings in a slow cooker?

Yes, and this dish takes to it better than most because nothing here needs to crisp. So brown the beef and vegetables on the hob first, since the slow cooker cannot build that crust and the sauce tastes thin without it. Then tip everything in with the Guinness and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5.

Hold the dumplings back until the final 45 minutes, sit them on the surface and switch to high with the lid down. And do not lift that lid to check, because the rise comes from trapped steam and it escapes in seconds.

Can you finish the dumplings in the oven instead?

The book gives that finish itself, so it is not an improvisation. Once the dumplings are on, move the covered casserole to a 200°C oven, fan 180°C or gas 6, for 10 minutes. Then take the lid off and give it another 10 to 15 minutes until the tops brown.

That route trades the pale steamed dumpling for a tanned crisp one, so it comes down to which you prefer. And their minced beef and dumplings has the same split, where Dave keeps his pale and Si grills the tops.

What cut of beef works best, and do I have to use Guinness?

Braising steak is what the recipe names, though the book says ox cheek works and makes it cheaper. Both are collagen-heavy working cuts, so the 90 minutes turns that connective tissue into body in the sauce. And lean cuts like topside stay dry however long you give them. And their shin beef stew pushes that further, since shin carries more collagen than any braising cut.

Any stout does the job if Guinness is not in the cupboard, since it is the roasted malt you are after rather than the brand. And their beef and ale casserole swaps to ordinary ale for a lighter, less bitter sauce.

Why did my dumplings come out heavy?

Heavy dumplings almost always come from dough that was too dry. Because the book asks for a soft sloppy mixture and 100 to 125ml of water, it is wetter than most people dare go. So add the water gradually with a knife rather than a spoon, and stop the moment it comes together.

The other cause is a stew that is boiling rather than simmering, which knocks them apart before they set. And they are ready when they have doubled, look glossy, and feel firm to a light press.

How do the three Hairy Bikers dumpling recipes differ?

Three of their books use dumplings and none of them the same way. So Meat Feasts puts 1 to 2 tbsp of grated horseradish into the suet, which is this recipe. Then Everyday Winners adds dill alongside the horseradish and floats them on a beef and beetroot stew.

Then One Pot Wonders drops the flavourings altogether, with 200g flour and 100g suet plain on a goulash with suet dumplings. That tells you the dumpling is a base to season rather than a fixed recipe.