Irish Beef Stew Dumplings (Printable)

Tender beef and root vegetables simmered with fluffy dumplings in a rich, savory broth for comfort.

# What goes in:

→ Stew

01 - 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
03 - 2 large onions, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
06 - 3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
07 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
08 - 1½ pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
11 - 4 cups beef stock
12 - 1 cup Guinness or other stout beer
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

→ Dumplings

18 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
19 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
20 - ½ teaspoon salt
21 - 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
22 - ½ cup whole milk
23 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper, then brown in batches for about 5 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in carrots, parsnips, and celery. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add tomato paste and flour. Mix well to coat the vegetables.
05 - Return browned beef to the pot. Pour in beef stock and Guinness, then add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to combine.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
07 - Add potatoes. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 45 minutes, or until beef and vegetables are tender. Skim excess fat from the surface if needed.
08 - In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and parsley to form a soft dough.
09 - Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the simmering stew. Cover and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
10 - Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dumplings steam into little clouds that drink up the broth from below while staying pillowy on top
  • It forgives a distracted cook, you can let it burble away while you hide from the world for a few hours
02 -
  • Lifting the lid during dumpling cooking releases the steam they need to rise, and they will collapse into sad dumpling pancakes
  • The stew tastes markedly better the second day, so make peace with leftovers or intentionally delay your own satisfaction
03 -
  • Freeze extra dumpling dough in portions, it thaws quickly and rescues any future soup from bareness
  • The rendered fat from browning can be skimmed and saved for roasting potatoes, waste nothing from this process

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