Suet Dumplings
A traditional British favorite, these light and fluffy suet dumplings are perfect for serving with practically any stew or hearty soup!
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 3.5 ounces shredded beef suet , see Note
- 3/4 cup cold water **start with less and add more as needed
- optional add-ins: cracked pepper, chopped parsley or thyme
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the shredded suet and stir to combine.Using a fork to stir the mixture, add just enough water until the mixture comes together to form a dough ball. Start with less water and add more as needed to avoid making the dough too wet. It shouldn't be very sticky or crumbly - it should be just moist enough to where you can easily form it into balls.Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll them into balls in the palm of your hands.
- To cook the suet dumplings: Whether you're making the stew on the stovetop or in the oven, toward the end of the stew's cooking time, place the suet dumplings on top of the stew in a single layer, cover with the lid, and let them simmer with the stew for 20 minutes. If you like a crispy exterior, remove the lid after the 20 minutes and continue to cook them for another 10 minutes or so until lightly browned. If necessary you can bump up the temp a bit.
Notes
To make your own shredded suet: You will need to find an independent butcher shop (not the butcher at a grocery store). Ask for beef kidney fat, also called leaf fat. This is the hard fat that surrounds the kidneys (as opposed to the back fat). Many butchers can shred the fat for your by running it through their finest grinder. If not, take the fat home, discard all of the membranes, veins, and any remnants of meat, and then freeze it for a few hours. If you have a meat grinder, run it through the smallest plate. Otherwise, grate the fat using a box grater. Do not try using a food processor or you will end up with a messy paste. The grated suet can be frozen and used as needed.
Make Ahead and Reheating: These suet dumplings can be prepared and shaped into balls, placed on a plate and covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge until ready to cook. They can be made up to a day in advance. Leftover dumplings can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated it by steaming them or microwaving them in a covered dish so that they don't dry out.
Freezing: There are two ways you can do this: freeze fully cooked and cooled dumplings or freeze them uncooked. Either way they will store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze cooked dumplings, let them cool completely and place them single layer in a freezer container to freeze. Let them thaw in the fridge slowly overnight. They're best reheated in a steamer but can also be microwaved in a covered dish to prevent them from drying out. To freeze uncooked suet dumplings, place the dough balls on a cookie sheet and freeze for a few hours until frozen. Then transfer them to a freezer container (I recommend placing parchment paper between layers so they don't stick to each other). They can be thawed in the fridge first or can be cooked directly from frozen (just add a few more minutes of cooking time).
Nutrition
Calories: 392kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 295mgPotassium: 262mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gCalcium: 95mgIron: 3mg
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