Tender beef brisket stew with dumplings
Brisket has a wonderful flavour and texture when cooked to tender perfection in a rich stew with fluffy dumplings.
Ingredients
For the dumplings
- 55g/2oz fresh suet, finely chopped, or 85g/3oz shredded suet
- 175g/6oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp horseradish sauce (optional)
- 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- dash milk or water
For the beef stew
Method
For the dumplings, mix the suet, flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl and stir in the horseradish and parsley, if using. Gradually add milk or water to the mixture, mixing well to form a soft dough. With floured hands, roll small pieces of the dough into dumpling-sized balls. Set aside.
For the stew, place the beef brisket into a large saucepan and scatter around the onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, bay leaf and parsley. Add enough water or beef stock to cover, then bring to the boil.
Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to its lowest and simmer for at least 1-2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the dumplings to the stew 20 minutes before the stew is finished cooking. Cover with a lid and do not lift again until the end of the cooking time, or until the dumplings are cooked through.
To serve, spoon the stew and dumplings into bowls.