Saturday 26 January 2013

Saturday Supper - Beef 'n' Beer Casserole with Herby Dumplings

One for the current cold weather:
Beef 'n' Beer Casserole with Herby Dumplings

Serves 4

2lb (900g) beef braising steak or shin beef
3 large British carrots cut into chunks
Half a bottle (ie. half a pint/500ml) strong beer like Black Sheep 'Riggwelter'
1 pint (500 ml) beef stock
1 tbsp tomato puree
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce

Dumplings
3 tbsp beef suet (although I always use vegetarian suet)
6 tbsp self raising flour
Good pinch dried herbs
Cold water to mix to a stiff paste

Cut off excess fat from the meat and cut into 1-inch cubes. Lightly dust with seasoned flour and place in a casserole dish or slow cooker. Add all other casserole ingredients.

Cook in a low oven (130 degree C) for around 3-4 hours or in a slow cooker on high for 6-7 hours.

Approx 40 minutes before the end of cooking (or one and a half hours in a slow cooker) add dumplings to casserole.

Serve with a selection of vegetables or in a giant Yorkshire pudding.

To be honest, this is really a glorified plain old stew/beef casserole - but the beer does add something extra!

Things I did: For two of us I halved the recipe - of course! The casserole was cooked in the oven, mostly as I remembered too late to set it going in the slow cooker. And we didn't have the giant Yorkshire puddings - much as I adore them it would have been waaaay too greedy to have dumplings plus Yorkshire pudding!

By the way, for those of you in the UK, have you seen the new 'Aunt Bessie's' boat shaped Yorkshire puddings? They are a brilliant way to cheat and make toad in the hole!

Have a lovely day - and those of you in the North especially, I hope you're coping with the snow. It did tickle me a bit this morning when I read that during the overnight blockage on the M6 motorway which stranded a lot of motorists, apparently a couple got out of their vehicle and built a snowman!

Di
x

14 comments:

  1. Oh my that looks tasty. I miss stew, hubbie doesn't like it so never makes it, insert sad face here lol. I chuckled too at the snowman story and think I would have probably done the same. Hugs, Amanda x

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  2. Yum yum that looks so tasty.....slow cooker going on as soon as I get off here but mine is pork today :-)
    Hugs,
    A x

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  3. We cook also this dish, great taste. Njami, today in my house I cook vegetable soup, because we need vitamins.
    Hugs Tamara

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  4. Looks delicious and a favourite here. Anne x

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  5. We love stew too. slight differences from yours, in that we putt chunks of potato in with all the rest - stewing steak and kidney, parsnips, swede, carrots, mushrooms, onion and the potato, together with whatever beer is nearing its use by date (Guinness is good too), and the whole lot goes into the pressure cooker. when it is done, then I reduce the pressure to open it, and add the dumplings, put the lid back on loosely and then thicken the whole thing once the dumplings are done. It lasts us for two days, and any that is left is added to the stockpot. Having ready your post and my comment, I can almost smell it, but I am off to make the bread. Can you smell that? xx Maggie

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  6. Brilliant recipe Di, I am using your dumpling recipe tomorrow with our Sunday dinner. (I normally buy ready mlixed, hangs head in shame)

    Yes, we have snow, AGAIN.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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  7. Well, THAT was good timing...I have a kilo of casserole beef in the fridge at this very moment. Guess what I'll be making this afternoon!!! Yum, yum, in my tum :D
    xxxx

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  8. Ooh mashed potato AND dumplings! That would be a massive carb overload for me! Love the sprouts though. I've made something similar but the beef chunks were marinated for at least 12 hours in the beer and some herbs and peppercorns before being cooked. It was melt in the mouth good!

    Hugs
    Brenda

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  9. Awwww.......This is so gorgeous looking l reckon it'll taste scrummy too! xx

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  10. Well I never thought of doing a stew without potatoes but what a great idea especially as I made a stew last week and the potatoes half boiled away Maris Piper too, so maybe next time I will try just meat and veg and do mash.
    Bought some of the boat Yorkshire's thinking Grandsons would like the novelty of them but they wouldn't touch them, anything out of the ordinary and they don't want to know, wonder who they take after.

    Kath x

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  11. Mmmmmm, mmmmm, this looks DELICIOUS. LOVE LOVE LOVE Dumplings . . . .

    Hugs
    Sarn xxx

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  12. Yum! Di, this is the sort of meal that is perfect for these cold days - it warms the cockles of your heart.

    I like those big Yorkshire puds filled with a variety of vegetables and gravy - perfect!

    Good on those stranded folks for turning a negative into a positive :) I read somewhere recently that if we want to avoid some of the flooding that comes with the thaw, we should build as many snowmen as possible because they take longer to thaw ... I think I understand the logic :)

    Hugs, Elizabeth xx

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  13. OMG. All I've had today so far is a bloody banana -- now my mouth is salivating for beer and a bit of beef. Oh, and I do love brussel sprouts!

    Hugs,
    Kay

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  14. Oh yummy! I am going to give this one a try!

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