Beef Stew with Potato Dumplings

Beef stew is glorious on it's own but when it's paired with potato dumplings then, oh then, it's just beyond words.

One of my favorite blogs is Marie's, she has some of THE best recipes I've ever seen, so when I found this one while browsing her older posts, I immediately bookmarked it to try.

I veered off her original recipe a bit, mainly because this calls for the stew to cook on the stove top but I was going to be out of the house all day, hence, I dumped it into the Slow Cooker.

*Beef Stew with Potato Dumplings*

Credit: A Year From Oak Cottage
Serves 5

A delicious rich gravy full of tender pieces of beef and tasty vegetables, this is a meal that generally cooks itself. Except for the potato dumplings it takes very little effort at all, but my oh my, is it ever good when it is done . . . not to mention quite economical.

1-1/2 pounds stew beef, cut into bite size chunks
4 slices of streaky bacon, chopped
1 TBS butter (I used a little oil instead of butter)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 TBS flour
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 of a swede, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 cupful) (I didn't add this, it's turnip BTW)
1 (10 1/2 oz) tin of condensed beef broth
1 TBS vinegar

For the dumplings:
1 egg
3/4 cup soft white breadcrumbs
1 TBS flour
1 TBS finely chopped onion
1 TBS snipped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
2 1/2 cups finely shredded raw potato

I use my electric skillet for this. Melt the butter in the skillet on high heat until it foams. Throw in the meat and bacon. Stir around and cook until it begins to brown. Throw in the onions and cook until the onions are quite tender. Stir in the flour and mix around until it is absorbed by all the drippings. Stir in the broth, 3/4 cup of water and the vinegar. Add the carrots and the swede. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer, covered, until quite tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

After 1 1/2 hours make the potato dumplings. Combine the beaten egg, breadcrumbs, flour, onion, parsley and seasonings in a bowl. Squeeze as much liquid as you can from out of the potatoes and then stir them into the mixture, combining everything really well. With floured fingers shape the mixture into ten 2-inch balls. Dust lightly with more flour before dropping on top of the simmering stew. Cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes.

Spoon out onto warm plates allowing each person 2 dumplings and enjoy!

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I added a little oil, then the meat and onions, cooked it for a little until the meat turned brown and added the bacon. Cooked it for a few minutes longer.

Stir in the flour and mix around until it is absorbed by all the drippings. At this point, I moved my crockpot dish into the base.

Stir in the broth, 3/4 cup of water and the vinegar.I also added the carrots at this point.

I set my crockpot to cook 6 hours on LOW.
About an hour before the stew is done, combine all the dumplings ingredients in a medium bowl.

When you have 30 minutes left on the crockpot, spoon dumplings into the stew.

Spoon out onto warm plates allowing each person 2 dumplings and enjoy!