Beef Stew With Newcastle Brown Ale and Dumplings

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/8/22
Beef stew with herb dumplings
Norman Hollands / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
785 Calories
38g Fat
61g Carbs
41g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 785
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g 48%
Saturated Fat 17g 86%
Cholesterol 143mg 48%
Sodium 526mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 61g 22%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 17mg 86%
Calcium 171mg 13%
Iron 6mg 33%
Potassium 1244mg 26%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A hearty beef stew is a comforting dish that's welcome on a chilly evening, and when it's enriched with brown ale and topped with dumplings, it's even more satisfying. The beer makes for a robust gravy, and the dumplings offer a wonderful contrast in texture. This stew recipe from Jamie Oliver's "Happy Days With the Naked Chef" includes pancetta, red onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and celery, along with rosemary as the prevailing herb. You may substitute another dark beer for the Newcastle Brown ale if you like, and the dumplings are optional. 

Ingredients

For the Stew:

  • 2 pounds plus 3 ounces beef shin. or flank, or neck, chopped into chunks

  • 3 tablespoons flour

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 3 medium red onions, halved, roughly sliced

  • 1 3/4 ounces pancetta, or bacon, chopped

  • 3 stalk celery, chopped

  • 1 small handful rosemary leaves

  • 5 cups dark ale

  • 1 1/4 cups water

  • 2 medium parsnips, peeled, roughly chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled, roughly chopped

  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled, roughly chopped

For the Dumplings:

  • 1 3/4 cups self-rising flour

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped

Steps to Make It

Make the Stew

  1. Place the beef on a plate and sprinkle with the flour, salt, and pepper; toss until well coated.

  2. Heat up a frying pan until it is good and hot, add the olive oil, and fry the beef in 2 batches until nice and brown.

  3. Transfer the meat to a Dutch oven or big casserole dish that is suitable to go on a stovetop burner; add any flour left on the plate.

  4. Place over medium heat, add the red onions and pancetta, and cook until the onions are translucent and the pancetta has a bit of color.

  5. Add the celery and rosemary.

  6. Pour in the ale and water, and add the parsnips, carrots, and potatoes.

  7. Bring to a boil, put on the lid, turn down the heat, and leave to simmer while you make the dumplings.

Make the Dumplings

  1. Add the dumpling ingredients to a blender or food processor and mix until a breadcrumb consistency is reached (you can also place the ingredients in a bowl and rub the ingredients between your fingers). Add just enough water to make a dough that is not sticky.

  2. Divide the dough into pingpong-ball sized dumplings.

Finish the Stew

  1. Drop the dumplings into the stew, pressing down to submerge them. Put the lid on the pot and cook for 2 hours.

  2. Taste, season with salt and pepper if needed, and serve hot with some greens and crusty bread to mop up the juices.

  3. Enjoy.


Recipe Source: "Happy Days With the Naked Chef" by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion)
Reprinted with permission.

Recipe Tags: