Description
Jamie Oliver’s hearty stew with fluffy dumplings delivers comfort straight from British kitchens. Rich beef, tender vegetables, and pillowy bread combine in a soul-warming dish that welcomes you to savor each spoonful of authentic home-cooked goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1.2 kg (2.6 lbs) braising steak, cut into roughly 4 cm chunks
Vegetables:
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 medium parsnips, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces
- 1 large leek, cut into 1 cm (0.5 inch) slices
Seasoning and Liquids:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Plain flour, to dust
- 3 tablespoons tomato purée
- 200 ml (7 fluid ounces) red wine
- 600 ml (1 pint/20 fluid ounces) beef stock
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
Dumpling Ingredients:
- 125 g (4 ounces) self-raising flour
- 60 g (2.5 ounces) suet
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) or 140°C (284°F) for fan-assisted ovens, ensuring the rack is positioned in the middle.
- In a medium saucepan, gently sauté the onions over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until they become translucent and soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Pat the meat pieces completely dry using clean kitchen paper towels, then dust them thoroughly with plain flour, shaking off any excess to ensure an even coating.
- Combine the prepared onions with vegetables, tomato purée, red wine, meat stock, fresh rosemary, and appropriate seasonings in the saucepan, ensuring the meat and vegetables are fully submerged in liquid; add extra stock or water if needed.
- Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven for slow cooking.
- Cook the beef stew for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, allowing the meat to become extremely tender and the flavors to develop fully.
- Prepare the dumplings approximately 30 minutes before the beef is expected to finish cooking by mixing flour, suet, finely chopped parsley, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl.
- Gradually add 100 milliliters (3.5 fluid ounces) of cold water to the dry ingredients, mixing until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms.
- Shape the dumpling mixture into small, uniform balls and carefully place them on top of the stew during the final 30 minutes of cooking.
Notes
- Seasoning Matters: Salt and pepper the meat generously before flouring to build layers of delicious flavor from the start.
- Moisture Control: Removing excess moisture from meat ensures a crispy, golden exterior when searing in the pan.
- Pan Performance: Use a heavy-bottomed skillet to distribute heat evenly and prevent burning during the initial meat browning stage.
- Flour Power: Shake off excess flour to create a thin, even coating that helps seal in meat juices and creates a beautiful crust.
- Caramelization Magic: Take time to brown meat slowly, developing rich, deep flavors that transform the entire stew.
- Temperature Tip: Start with high heat to sear meat, then reduce to create a gentle, slow-cooking environment for maximum tenderness.
- Onion Wisdom: Cook onions until they’re soft and golden, releasing their natural sweetness and adding complexity to the dish.
- Layering Technique: Build flavor by browning ingredients in stages, allowing each component to develop its unique taste profile.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 482 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg