This stewed beef with dumplings is the ultimate comfort food, perfect for these cold, winter days.
In this recipe, beef is browned using the traditional ‘burning of the sugar’ method. The only difference from stewed chicken is the addition of chunks of carrots, celery and dumplings to make it a hearty stew with lots of gravy.
Ingredients You Need
• 3 lbs beef, cut into 1 inch pieces – Use chicken or other protein if you do not eat beef
• 4 tablespoons green seasoning, plus 1 tsp, divided-Find Green seasoning recipe here.
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 tbs minced garlic
• 4 sprigs thyme
• Hot pepper, optional
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 lb tomatoes, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar – You can use raw brown sugar or demerara sugar
• 2 tbs each chopped oregano-Substitute with dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley-Optional if you do not have. Cilantro is a good substitute.
• Green bell pepper, optional
Stewed Beef with Dumplings in 5 Easy Steps
- Cut beef, rinse and season meat
- Brown sugar
- Add seasoned beef or other protein
- Add aromatics and water. Cook until meat is tender or fully cooked
- Make Dumplings, add and cook until no longer raw
WHAT TO EAT STEWED BEEF AND DUMPLINGS?
I can eat this stewed beef and dumplings alone, but you can certainly enjoy it over freshly steamed jasmine rice, basmati rice, rice and beans, yellow rice and peas, carrot rice, or accompanied by stewed beans, callaloo, or dhal with a side of your favorite salad, fried plantains or this cabbage and tomatoes stir fry or chunky veggie stir fry.
Wash it down with a cold glass of mauby, sorrel, ginger beer, or home-made lemonade.
If you would like a recipe without dumplings, check out my original stewed beef recipe here.
Other Recipes You Will Love:
- Festive Quinoa Salad
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Gulgula Bread (Banana Bread)
- Gulgula (Banana Fritters)
- Family Chicken Soup
- Fried Chicken Recipe
Stewed Beef with Dumplings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons green seasoning plus 1 tsp, divided
- 1 large tomato chopped
- ½ onion chopped
- 2 tbs minced garlic
- 4 sprigs thyme
- Hot pepper optional
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 lb tomatoes chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tbs each chopped oregano or 1 tbs dried oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- Green bell pepper optional
Dumplings
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp brown sugar optional
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp green seasoning optional
Instructions
- Cut beef into 1-2 inch cubes. Rinse beef with cold water and drain well.
- Season with green seasoning, tomato, onion, garlic, thyme, hot pepper-if using, salt and black pepper. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight covered in the refrigerator. Note that I don’t always season in advance and seasonings can be added after coating with the browning--as seen in the correponding YouTube video.
- In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. When hot but not smoking add sugar and allow it to bubble, froth, expand and darken. Do not allow it to smoke and get black. If this happens you have to start over!
- Add seasoned beef and listen to it sing in the pot. Immediately raise heat to high and stir continuously to coat with the brown sugar, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in carrots, celery, tomatoes, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Make Dumplings: Meanwhile, in a bowl add the ingredients for the dumplings, except water, and mix well to combine. Gradually add water and knead to form a soft dough, about 3 mins. A few minutes before the beef is finished cooking, pinch off pieces and roll between the palms of your hands to make dumplings. Place them on an oiled sheet pan until they are ready to be used.
- After the liquid has evaporated, add 2-3 cups of hot water, more if you like lots of "sauce". Bring to a boil, add chopped herbs, green bell pepper, more salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and cook an additional 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Place dumplings in pot, trying to immerse them gently in the sauce.
- Cover and cook or until the dumplings are fully cooked and chewy and the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if required.
