Braised Shoulder of Beef with Suet Dumplings

Suet dumplings have been getting made for hundreds of years not only in Scotland but the whole of the UK and Ireland, especially during hard times. Dumplings were very inexpensive to make and where a great filler. Cooking the dumplings in the sauce in my opinion is the best way to cook them as they take on loads of flavor.

Beef Ingredients

6Ib                                            Shoulder of beef/ chuck beef diced

6 sticks                                    Celery, peeled and diced

8                                                Shallot, peeled and diced

1Ib                                            Carrot, peeled and diced

4 clove                                     Garlic crushed

2 sprigs                                   Rosemary

Small bunch                          Thyme

6 oz                                         Tomato puree

4 oz                                         Flour

10 floz                                    Red wine

1 pint                                     Beef stock, premade pouch stock works for this

1floz                                       Vegetable oil

2oz                                          Unsalted butter

Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Pre heat your oven to 275˚F.
2. In a large pan suitable for the oven, heat your oil.
3. Next season beef, once the pan is nice and hot add the meat.
4. Brown the meat over a high heat until evenly caramelised, once caramelised remove from the pan and put to one side.
5. Next add your butter to the pan and over a lower heat soften the vegetables for 3-4 minutes then add the garlic.
6. Next add your flour this will absorb any excess fat and help the sauce to thicken.
7. Now add puree and cook out for a minute followed by the wine which you need to reduce by 2/3.
8. Add the beef back to the pan then add the stock and bring it up to the boil.
9. Check seasoning and place lid on pan and pop into your preheated oven for 1 ½ hours.
10. Next take the beef out of the oven and add your little dumplings.
11. Spoon over some sauce, pop the lid back on in put back in the oven until the beef is tender and the dumplings have cooked.

Dumpling Ingredients

8 oz                                         Self-raising flour

4oz                                          Beef suet

5 fl oz                                     Cold water

Sm bunch                              Chives, chopped

Instructions

1. Sieve flour into a bowl add the suet and mix well.
2. Add a pinch of salt and your chives.
3. Make a well in the centre, add the water and mix lightly to form a smooth paste.
4. Flour your hands and roll into 2cm/3/4 inch sized balls, place on a tray and add to your stew at the appropriate time.

Notes

This Stew will keep in the fridge for 72 hours. If you are making in advance I would add the raw dumplings when you need it. They are much better cooked and served.

To make the dish gluten free you can replace both flours in the recipe with GF alternatives.

The recipe will also work well without the red wine.