Beef Stew And Dumplings Recipe

Heat the oven to 140°C.

Cut the beef shin into 5cm pieces, or get the butcher to do this for you. Scrape into a bowl.

Halve the onion and cut into chunky dice, then peel the carrots and cut them into similar-sized pieces. Do the same with the celery.

Scatter the beef pieces with the flour and plenty of salt and pepper, then toss to coat really well.

Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large lidded casserole pan set over a medium-high heat. Lay in some of the beef pieces, leaving a little gap around each so they can fry properly.

Cook for 2 mins on each side until golden and crisp, then remove into a clean bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef pieces, adding a little more oil as you go, if needed.

Add in another drizzle of oil and add the onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaves along with a good pinch of salt.

Put on the lid and cook for 6-8 mins, stirring regularly until the onions have softened slightly.

Squeeze in the tomato purée, spoon in the Marmite, and cook for a minute before pouring in the beef stock and adding the beef back to the pan along with any resting juices from the bowl.

Bring to the boil, then put on the lid and pop it into the oven for 2 hrs. After 2 hrs, remove the lid and cook for another 30 mins, until the beef is meltingly tender and the gravy has thickened slightly.

For the dumplings, tip the flour, baking powder and suet into a bowl with a pinch of salt and pour in the water. Mix briefly to form a dough.

Tip the dough out onto a well-floured work surface, divide it into 8 pieces and shape into rough scone shapes.

Coarsely grate the cheddar.

Once the beef has been cooking for 2 hrs 30 mins as described above, nestle the dumplings into the top of the stew.

Add a pinch of cheddar on top of each, then pop back into the oven for 30-40 mins, until the cheese and dumplings are lightly golden.

Scatter with the parsley to serve.