“It reminds me of winter days in my youth, when I would come home late completely soaked through and Mum would give me a rollicking about catching pneumonia, then she’d give me a big bowl of stew. ”
Jamie Oliver
Is there anything more satisfying on a cold day than a steaming helping of hearty lamb stew? One pot of stew feeds a crowd without breaking the bank, and has the added benefit of being quite delicious. While stews are often seen as a way to utilize inexpensive cuts of meat, slow cooking meat for a long period also brings out its unique flavor. This is especially true with lamb. However, if lamb isn’t to your taste, this stew can also be made with beef.
Stick to the traditional ingredients, or customize the dish with the addition of your favorite root vegetables. The dumplings, although optional, give the dish an added boost. While you can make the dumplings from scratch, Bisquick makes perfect dumplings every time.
I like to serve lamb stew with a side of mash, as we call mashed potatoes. The stew provides its own gravy, while the plain mash serves as a blank canvas for the distinct flavors and textures of the stew. It’s guaranteed stick-to-your ribs goodness!
Ingredients
Stew
- 2 tbsps oil
- 6 rashers of bacon
- 6 baby onion
- 2 crushed cloves garlic
- 2 lbs shoulder or leg of lamb cubed (or substitute beef)
- ¼ cup seasoned flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 chopped carrots
- 2 chopped stalks celery
- 1 medium rutabaga peeled and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
Dumplings
- 2 cups of Bisquick mix
- ⅔ cup of milk
Instructions
- Heat half the oil in a large frying pan or heatproof casserole dish.
- Saute bacon, onions and garlic. Put aside.
- Dust lamb with flour. Heat remaining oil and brown lamb in batches.
- Add bacon mixture.
- Stir in wine and stock and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to low and add vegetables and bay leaf.
- Simmer covered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves.
Make dumplings:
- Mix 2 cups Bisquick and ⅔ cup milk until soft dough forms.
- Drop dough by spoonfuls onto stew (do not drop directly into liquid).
- Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.
- Remove lid and place under hot broiler for a few minutes until dumplings are golden