This slow-simmered beef stew is built for cool evenings and family tables. The beef becomes tender in rich gravy while soft dumplings steam on top and absorb the flavour.
Serves: 6 Difficulty: Easy
Total time: 2 hours 20 minutes Estimated cost: R210–R250 total; R35–R42 per serving
Prices are estimates and vary by shop, brand and area in South Africa.
Ingredients
- 1 kg stewing beef
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 750 ml beef stock
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¾ cup milk
Method
- Season and brown the beef in batches.
- Cook the onion and carrots; stir in flour and tomato paste.
- Return the beef, add stock and thyme, and simmer for 1½ hours.
- Add potatoes and cook until tender.
- Rub butter into self-raising flour and add milk to form soft dough.
- Drop spoonfuls onto the bubbling stew, cover and steam for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
Tender beef comes before dumplings
Choose stewing beef cut into even 3 cm pieces. Brown in batches so it colours rather than steaming, then keep the stew at a gentle simmer. The stated time is a guide: test a piece with a fork and allow longer if it is still firm. Add hot water in small amounts if the sauce reduces too far before the beef softens.
Keep dumplings light
Rub the cold butter into the self-raising flour, then add the milk gradually and mix only until a soft dough forms. Divide into about 12 small spoonfuls. The stew must be gently bubbling with enough gravy to generate steam before the dumplings go on. Leave room for them to expand and keep the lid closed for the first 20 minutes.
Check and serve
Split one dumpling to check that the centre is fluffy with no sticky raw dough; cover and cook longer if needed. For make-ahead meals, prepare the stew first and cook fresh dumplings while reheating it. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers for up to three days and reheat until steaming hot throughout.