How To Make Stew & Dumplings

Irish stew is traditionally made with lamb and potatoes, whereas English stews tend to leave out the potatoes and have dumplings instead. This stew has both because I don’t like giving up one for the other, but either beef or lamb will do so use whichever one you prefer. Also, Irish stew includes pearl barley which I’ve left out here, but which could easily be added with the vegetables straight from the packet, or blanched in boiling water first according to the instructions on the box.

1. Step 1:

   Trim the meat and season with a little black pepper while you warm some lard or oil in a very large pan and preheat the oven to Gas Mark 2–3 (160–170°C).

2. Step 2:

   Slice the onions and chop the vegetables into roughly same-size pieces. (Not too small though or they’ll turn to mush in the oven.)

3. Step 3:

   Seal the meat in the hot oil as quickly as you can and transfer to a large casserole dish.

4. Step 4:

   Fry the onions, potatoes, turnips and carrots together, stir in the flour and cook for another couple of minutes before adding the vegetables to the casserole with the meat.

5. Step 5:

   Make 1½ pints (850 ml) of stock with 1 stock cube and mix 1 big teaspoon of gravy browning in about ¼ mug of cold water.

6. Step 6:

   Stir the gravy mixture into the stock then pour the liquid over the meat and vegetables.

7. Step 7:

   Cover with a lid and cook in a slow oven for about 3 hours, or until the meat is completely tender.

8. Step 8:

   Make the dumplings by mixing the flour, salt, suet and herbs together, gradually adding the cold water to make a soft but not too sticky dough.

9. Step 9:

   Form the dough into very small dumplings and place on top of the stew.

10. Step 10:

    Cook the stew for another 20 minutes or so without the lid, until the dumplings are risen and slightly golden.