Last week we had a family get together. Four generations, variously meat eating and vegetarian, to celebrate a birthday or two. The House of Happiness (for that is us) were tasked with bringing the meat-eaters’ dish.
Naturally I wanted to make something that was unambiguously meaty – no messing with foul or game – and nothing that could end up being tough or gristly. And absolutely no over-the-top spices or exotic additions that could surprise or horrify the more conservative palete.
So I plumbed for slow-cooker beef with dumplings served with a side of mashed potatoes – and lots and lots of it. In fact I had so many ingredients I had to go and get a great big massive pot to cook it in:
Slower Cooker Beef with Dumplings Ingredients
- Three beef cheeks (yes cheeks – they are tough as old boots but cook them for 3 to 4 hours and they fall to bits!)
- Two oxtail chunks
- Ten shallots
- Two large leeks
- Four or five carrots
- Half a swede
- Six or seven large flat mushrooms
- A big bunch of thyme
- A big bunch of flat leaf parsley
- 3/4 bottle of red wine
- 3/4 bottle of stout
- 1 pint beef stock
- 3 tbps of tomato puree
- Seasoned flour
- Olive oil
- Butter
Cut the cheeks into large chunks:
Heat the oil and butter in the enormous ceramic pot, dredge the meat in the flour and then fry in batches including the oxtail:
Drain the meat and set aside:
Now add the carrot, whole shallots and chopped up swede and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leek and cook for a few minutes more:
Now add the meat back in:
Add the chopped mushrooms and then add the stock, stout and wine:
Wine…
Stout…
Now add the tomato paste and the herbage:
Cover and cook at 140 centigrade for 3 hours or more. Meanwhile get the mashed potato ready. Get a big bag of spuds with daft packaging:
Boil the lot in a lovely big shiny pan:
Once tender, drain and add a half pint of cream, a load of chopped up butter and lots of salt and pepper:
Now mash up and then kind of cream so the mash has no lumpy bits:
Back to the meaty stuff. How’s it looking?
Its getting there but we need to get to that family gathering. So everything is tied up with string, stuck in the boot of the car and off we go.
Upon arrival I made the dumplings with beef suet, self-raising flour and water and then popped them on top of the dish and back into the oven for another hour or so:
Meanwhile I had a look at what the vegetarians were having:
Tagine, with couscous and haloumi and I’ve got to say no one would have missed the beef! With competition for oven space coming to a head we had to move quickly. Serving began:
That haloumi cheese was really something though….
Now this being a birthday celebration other things were on offer. For example, sweets from the States:
French-style cupcakes…
Scotch-infused brownies…
Shortbread…
and a delicious chocolate birthday cake….
The only problem was the huge amount of food on display meant I had quite a lot of beef left…
…but I’m sure I will think of something to do with it…
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You have been cooling like crazy lately. Bet your contribution was the big hit of the party. The wine surely made everyone happy.
The wine and the French cake – they do it in a way well i just cant explain realky – its kind of thick and creamy yet light and spongey at the same time
Funnily enough I made beef in beer tonight, and slow-cooked it! the dumplings will be for tomorrow… beef suet, nothing better! Great psot… I’m feeling a little hungry now!
yes beef and dumplings is proper food!
I’m making something similar tomorrow. This looks wonderful. As a kid my grandmother called this “Bubble and Squeak”. Have no idea if this still applies. There were always lovely plump dumplings to go with. I was surprised when I moved to Arkansas to discover that their dumplings were small and tubular. What? Anyhow, as usual looks fabulous.
Great get together! It looks so good! Scotch infused brownies sound dangerously delicious too!
How come I don’t get invited to that kind of parties?! Everything looks delicious 🙂 and your recipe looks scrumptious
Interestingly the cupcake and chocolate cake recipes come from Provence which isnt that far from Madrid! The sponge is much creamier and denser than we do in England and is basically a lot nicer than victoria sponge
A triumph. Well done. I have a big pot just like it. It only gets out for such dishes. I love it (and its slightly smaller brother).
Best,
Conor
Yes the smaller brother is my staple pot – it all goes on in that orange pot
I’ve never made beef cheek, nor have seen it for sale. Will have to ask my butcher.
I’ve never heard of those potato dumplings either, are they like gnocchi?
They aren’t a pretty cut and you get sinue right through them but cook them long enough and low enough they go as tender as anything you can cook.
As for the dumplings they contain beef suet (atora) which I believe is dehydrated rendered beef fat (yum, not) but really do make an impressive stodgy filling pastry –
Is beef suet the same as beef tallow? Is that a UK vs US thing again? It’s great for frying fries 🙂
Yes i think you’re right. It’s used for steak and kidney pudding pastry and spotted dick (dont ask). I can remember a big palaver years ago when McDonalds admitted they fried American McD fries in beef tallow but didnt tell the vegetarians..
I remember that, too. It makes sense, because it tastes better!
You know what? I have never made this with beef cheek, I always use shin. I will definitely be trying cheek next time though! It looks delicious!
Well in that case I will try shin!
1. I was going to say, “Crueset Rules” – but, that looks more like a Crueset knockoff.
2. Have you tried baking bread in a pot like that? When you get all the variables wired – tough in my locale, altitude, little humidity – it rocks.
1. Too right – I got that for £23 – a real one would have been more like £150
2. No but I have seen that – but my issues are more around human error rather than enviromental variables when it comes to baking i think
I don’t think of it, nowadays; but, when I moved here 26 years ago – this valley is at 6500′ altitude, avg humidity <20% – from a lifetime at sea level, even grilling a hamburger changed. Cooking takes up to 10% longer, for example.
Looks amazing. So good!
Um, but are you sure you used enough butter? 😉
Half a stick plus oil – not for the feint of heart
I vote for your recipe! That looks fantastic and it’s so cold here.. it would be comfy to tuck into a bowl tonight!!
Well thanks yes I think we made about 15 servings from this monster
Oh my—I’ll take 3 bowls, please!!
I know this one did severe damage to the diet
Now that looks like something to really sit down & stuff my face with! I agree w/everyone about it just getting better as it sits for a day (maybe 2?).
Are those Reese’s mini peanut butter cups I see? I love those things & hide a bag in my bedside table. Not that I’m protective about them, but I count them every night in case anyone finds them.
And love that new pot.
Yes i love that pot – but its going to be quite hard to find things to do with it – i mean it can holg a meal for 10 and i dont need to do that very often…
Ummm…leftovers?
This looks so delicious and I bet it smelled wonderful cooking. I’ve put this on my “to cook” list for a cold, wintry day. I need to know, though, exactly what is a swede?
I think its called rutabaga – god knows why we call it swede – its one of those cilantro/coriander things i guess
Yes please!!!! All looks wonderful to me.
Your beef dish will have better flavor the next day.
You’re absolutely right and I have the pie to prove it!
Oh! I was just thinking pie!
Yes it was never really in doubt
Thin the gravy and you have soup. Put the mashed potatoes on top and a crude sheperd’s pie emerges. There’s just no end to it!
You’re right also good for bake potatoes!
Everything looks delicious. Nice job!
I know so many things to sample and it’s so hard when you’re on a perpetual diet!
Looks amazing, I would love to be one of your neighbours on my best behaviour, and hopefully get some leftovers of that beef stew….
The neighbours…an interersting bunch, we have street parties very occassionaly but most of the time we pretend we don’t exist
That looks fantastic. Slow cooking is so good.
Its the only way to go but if I had the time I would have marinated those cheeks in wine for a day…
It looks fab,
And it was, didn’t do my 1000 calories a day any good though