The Art of Cooking a Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings

As I stand in the kitchen, I'm reminded of my youngest child's enthusiasm for cooking. Tilly is eager to help me prepare our favorite beef and ale stew with mustard dumplings. First things first, we need to season the stew steak. I sprinkle a nice spoonful of flour onto it, and she asks what the flour will do. I explain that it will help to brown the beef and also add flavor and thicken the stew. She looks intrigued and asks if it makes the stew feel like marshmallows. I chuckle and say yes, they do!

Next, we move on to cutting our carrots into similar-sized chunks. Tilly observes that this will ensure they cook equally. We then proceed to chop up some little pearl onions as well, which she's excited to add to the pot. As we begin cooking, I remind her not to mention garlic, a ingredient we've had issues with in the past. She giggles and says "Oh Matilda you promised you weren't going to mention that." I smile and continue with the recipe.

As we sauté the beef in a tablespoon of oil, Tilly comments on how it's developing a nice color. We add some garlic and pearl onions to the pot, giving everything a good mix-up. She asks if stews are easy to make, and I tell her that providing a little bit of love at the beginning is key. The beef becomes juicy and browned, thanks to our beer addition. This helps to tenderize the meat and give it a hearty delicious flavor.

With everything in place, we cover the stew with a beef stock and add two teaspoons of tomato puree. Tilly asks if we can keep all the vegetables in when serving, but I reassure her that we'll be removing some of them before serving. We put the lid on the pot, allowing it to breathe just a little bit, so it doesn't become watery. The stew simmers away at 150 degrees for about two and a half hours, during which time Tilly can focus on her homework.

As we approach the end of cooking time, Tilly asks if she can have a taste of the stew. I smile and say yes, but not too much – she's still in her "stew-tasting phase." She takes a little bite and exclaims how delicious it is. Now it's time for dumpling-making! We flour our hands with self-raising flour to get them nice and clean, and then proceed to mix together some warm water and grain mustard. Tilly giggles as she rolls her fingers around in the mixture.

With the dough ready, we roll out our dumplings into long rectangles. As we place them in the center of the pot, they sort of double in size as they cook. Finally, we sprinkle some chopped parsley on top for a finishing touch. Our stew is now ready to be served! I ask Tilly if she's ready for a taste, and she exclaims how excited she is. We take a few bites together, and the flavors all come together beautifully.

Two days later, Tilly comes back into the kitchen with Mom and Jack in tow. We reheat the stew and serve it up, feeling proud of our culinary creation. As we sit down to eat, I realize that this recipe has become more than just a meal – it's a bonding experience for us as a family.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: ena great stick to your ribs stew here's my favorite beef and Ale with mustard dumplings and helping in the kitchen is my youngest Tilly Tilly first things first I'd like you to season the stew steak a nice spoon of flour Mi mix yeah good girl what's the flour going to do dad the flour helps to Brown the beef as seasoned flour will also help to add flavor and thicken the stew feel a bit like marshmallows they do feel a little bit marshmallow don't they look at the size of the chunks of the beef yeah I'm going to cut my carrots literally it be similar similar size that's right does that mean they'll cook equally that's right now these are little pearl onions we're going to put them in hole as well everything think has to stay the same otherwise it could burn oh we've seen burn garlic before Oh Matilda you promised you weren't going to mention that what is that th time and what are they bay leaves bay leaves good girl tablespoon of oil in the beef goes in first okay in now really nice color got a beautiful color in with the carrots time in good girl garlic pearl onions in oo good give that a really good mix up o are stews easy to make Daddy stews are very easy to make providing at the beginning you give it a little bit of love now that's all juicy browned M that beer that is beer and that's going to Del delaz the pan adding beer or out helps to tenderize the beef and give it a hearty delicious flavor and that's the only way I want you to taste beer in a stew yeah I want to add in a couple of teaspoons of tomato puree please in fact three please cuz it's so nice and there's one final thing in there cover the stew and steak with a beef stock give that a little mix for Daddy please wow that's really nice it's not even cooked yet do you keep all these vegetables in when you um serve it to be oh yes is the Garlic going to be burnt no excuse me right and we always put the lid with a little bit just a little bit so it can breathe that's right not make the stew or watery into the oven at 150 please tills for about 2 and 1/ half hours and now you can focus on your homework fun can you smell the beef smells s this wow it's even gone down a bit more hasn't it look at that I want you to just I was hoping you D just have a little taste how's that taste now you're not allowed anymore right dumpling time flouring please I'm using self-raising flour for a fluffy result but if you like your dumplings hard use plain flour next The Dumpling essential Sue it that makes the dumplings nice and moist thank you followed by a generous dollop of grain mustard two fingers start rolling the fingers around and I got a touch of warm water here your fingers are now a nice little whisk your fingers are getting tired right now put your hand in there now you should bring all that dough together I'll show you the best way get that nice and clean sprinkles of flour on your hands rub them together all that will come off nice that's a good way isn't it now got this wonderful dumpling mixture how squid is that oo a little flour on your hands okay roll these lengthways and then I want you to R them like that in your hand off the go smell that mustard in there huh smell come on I never trust you with something like that should I do you want yes please silly gently let's go in at 12:00 1:00 12 in the center and put that back into the oven for 20 minutes to cook the dumplings now look exced they've sort of doubled in size wo definitely a final sprinkl of chopped parsley and our stew is ready for the table I might have to have a quick taste before we go just to check I mean we have to be sure we have to be very sure M that is an amazing hearty beef stew with dumplings are you ready for some delicious beef stew yeah wow thank you very looks delicious thank you we'll be be able to heat this up for Mom and Jack when they come by easy Evena 2 or 3 Days Later tastya great stick to your ribs stew here's my favorite beef and Ale with mustard dumplings and helping in the kitchen is my youngest Tilly Tilly first things first I'd like you to season the stew steak a nice spoon of flour Mi mix yeah good girl what's the flour going to do dad the flour helps to Brown the beef as seasoned flour will also help to add flavor and thicken the stew feel a bit like marshmallows they do feel a little bit marshmallow don't they look at the size of the chunks of the beef yeah I'm going to cut my carrots literally it be similar similar size that's right does that mean they'll cook equally that's right now these are little pearl onions we're going to put them in hole as well everything think has to stay the same otherwise it could burn oh we've seen burn garlic before Oh Matilda you promised you weren't going to mention that what is that th time and what are they bay leaves bay leaves good girl tablespoon of oil in the beef goes in first okay in now really nice color got a beautiful color in with the carrots time in good girl garlic pearl onions in oo good give that a really good mix up o are stews easy to make Daddy stews are very easy to make providing at the beginning you give it a little bit of love now that's all juicy browned M that beer that is beer and that's going to Del delaz the pan adding beer or out helps to tenderize the beef and give it a hearty delicious flavor and that's the only way I want you to taste beer in a stew yeah I want to add in a couple of teaspoons of tomato puree please in fact three please cuz it's so nice and there's one final thing in there cover the stew and steak with a beef stock give that a little mix for Daddy please wow that's really nice it's not even cooked yet do you keep all these vegetables in when you um serve it to be oh yes is the Garlic going to be burnt no excuse me right and we always put the lid with a little bit just a little bit so it can breathe that's right not make the stew or watery into the oven at 150 please tills for about 2 and 1/ half hours and now you can focus on your homework fun can you smell the beef smells s this wow it's even gone down a bit more hasn't it look at that I want you to just I was hoping you D just have a little taste how's that taste now you're not allowed anymore right dumpling time flouring please I'm using self-raising flour for a fluffy result but if you like your dumplings hard use plain flour next The Dumpling essential Sue it that makes the dumplings nice and moist thank you followed by a generous dollop of grain mustard two fingers start rolling the fingers around and I got a touch of warm water here your fingers are now a nice little whisk your fingers are getting tired right now put your hand in there now you should bring all that dough together I'll show you the best way get that nice and clean sprinkles of flour on your hands rub them together all that will come off nice that's a good way isn't it now got this wonderful dumpling mixture how squid is that oo a little flour on your hands okay roll these lengthways and then I want you to R them like that in your hand off the go smell that mustard in there huh smell come on I never trust you with something like that should I do you want yes please silly gently let's go in at 12:00 1:00 12 in the center and put that back into the oven for 20 minutes to cook the dumplings now look exced they've sort of doubled in size wo definitely a final sprinkl of chopped parsley and our stew is ready for the table I might have to have a quick taste before we go just to check I mean we have to be sure we have to be very sure M that is an amazing hearty beef stew with dumplings are you ready for some delicious beef stew yeah wow thank you very looks delicious thank you we'll be be able to heat this up for Mom and Jack when they come by easy Evena 2 or 3 Days Later tasty\n"