Old-Fashioned Beef Stew with Dumplings

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew with Dumplings

 

It’s official, the snow tires are on my car so the crock pot/slow cooker is on my counter!!! Without even meaning to, I make a slow cooker beef stew every late autumn.

This year I wanted to try a traditional, gravy based stew with dumplings.

Enter doughboys.

Doughboys are something I learned from Mike’s east coast family. They’re little heavenly dumplings that steam on top of soups and stews. I’m pretty sure I’ve mastered that recipe 💪

This is how you make it:

Using a clean plastic bag; add the flour and season the flour with salt and pepper (about 1/2 tbsp salt and 1 tsp pepper).  Mix well (just tie the bag and shake it, you can tell it’s mixed by looking at the pepper.

When the flour mixture is seasoned add the beef cubes and coat the beef well with the flour; again just hold the bag closed and shake it.

 Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add the butter and extra virgin olive oil.

When the pan is hot and the butter has started to bubble,  add the beef in an even layer, shaking off any excess flour before it goes in the oil.  The idea is to brown the beef and get a yummy crust on it but not cook it through.  Turn over after about 4 minutes.  If the flour is darkening too quickly drop the heat to medium.

When the meat has browned transfer it to your crockpot.

Add in the bay leaves.

Return the pan to the heat and add the stock; scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any of the food stuck to the bottom of the pot (deglazing).

Add the boiling stock to the crock pot then add the onion, mushrooms and carrots.

Mix Well.

Set the temperature to low, stirring occasionally.

When you have about an hour left until dinner turn the heat to high on the crockpot.

Discard the bayleaves.

Combine a 1/2 cup of the beef stew liquid with the remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk well to create a slurry.

Add the slurry to the crock pot and mix well; cook until the stew is thick (this takes about a half hour).

Add in the frozen peas and mix well.

Meanwhile prepare the Doughboys; combine the flour, baking powder and water.  Mix until a dry dough comes together, add more flour, tbsp by tbsp if the dough is too wet.

Drop pieces of the dough onto, not into the stew.

Cover the crock pot and let it simmer, without uncovering for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately!

 

 

 

A recipe for slow-cooked beef stew in a rich gravy with robust veggies, topped with homemade dumplings. Bring on the cold weather!

 

 

Other recipes you might like:

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

 

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