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Stew: Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

Source of Recipe

This classic comes from an old newspaper clipping.


List of Ingredients

3 pounds lean beef, round or rump
2 tablespoons butter or other fat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 pinch thyme
6 small whole carrots
3 large potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound small white boiling onions



Recipe

Cut meat into small pieces. Brown in fat. Add water to cover and seasonings. Simmer, covered, about 2 hours. Add vegetables and simmer until vegetables are tender--about 30 minutes. If desired, this stew may be served with dumplings.

The Dumplings:

2 C All-purpose flour
½ t Baking soda
½ t Salt
3 T Shortening
1 C Buttermilk

Combine the flour, baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt; cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is consistency of coarse meal. Add the buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times -- no more.

For drop dumplings, pat the dough down to a ¼-inch thickness, and pinch off 1-½-inch pieces.

For rolled dumplings, roll the dough to a ¼-inch thickness, and cut into strips, no larger than about 2 x 2 inches. (The dumplings will plump up when they are cooked.)

YIELD: 6 Servings