Braised Beef Shin Dumplings (Printable)

Tender slow-cooked beef shin in aromatic gravy with fluffy herb dumplings and fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef and Braise

01 - 2.64 lb beef shin, cut into large chunks
02 - 2 tbsp plain flour
03 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
04 - 2 large onions, sliced
05 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
06 - 2 celery sticks, sliced
07 - 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 13.5 fl oz beef stock
10 - 8.5 fl oz red wine
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme
13 - 1 tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tsp salt

→ Herb Dumplings

15 - 1.75 cups self-raising flour
16 - 7 oz cold unsalted butter, diced
17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
18 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
19 - ½ tsp salt
20 - 3.4 fl oz cold water

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 320°F.
02 - Toss the beef shin pieces in plain flour, shaking off any excess flour.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy ovenproof casserole over medium-high heat and brown the beef pieces in batches, then set them aside.
04 - In the same pot, add sliced onions, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
05 - Add finely chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute; stir in tomato paste and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
06 - Return the browned beef to the pot; pour in beef stock and red wine. Add bay leaves, thyme sprigs, black pepper, and salt; stir to combine evenly.
07 - Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove, cover with a lid, then transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 2 hours.
08 - Meanwhile, combine self-raising flour and diced cold unsalted butter in a mixing bowl, rubbing together until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in chopped parsley, chives, and salt. Gradually add cold water, mixing to form a soft dough.
09 - Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each into a ball.
10 - After 2 hours, remove the casserole from the oven and arrange the dumplings evenly on top of the stew.
11 - Cover and return the casserole to the oven for 30 minutes until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
12 - Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs before serving. Serve hot and garnish with extra fresh herbs if desired.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it barely needs chewing, and the gravy thickens into something you'll want to soak up with everything on your plate.
  • Those dumplings puff up like little clouds and soak in all the savory warmth from below.
  • It fills the house with a smell that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when dinner will be ready.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the beef properly, pale meat means a pale gravy and you'll miss out on all that caramelized flavor.
  • Keep the dumpling dough cold and handle it lightly, warm hands and overworking will make them heavy instead of fluffy.
  • If your gravy looks thin after braising, uncover the pot for the last 15 minutes to let some liquid evaporate.
03 -
  • Use a casserole dish that can go from stovetop to oven, it saves washing up and keeps all the flavors in one place.
  • Taste the gravy before adding the dumplings and adjust the seasoning then, because once they're in, stirring becomes tricky.
  • Let the stew rest for 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven, the flavors settle and the gravy thickens just a bit more.

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