Gordon Ramsay's 'Stick To Your Ribs' Stew Levels Up A Beefy Classic

Beef stew is one of those dishes that we turn to in the winter months; a steaming bowl of this hearty stew served with rice or mashed potatoes is the ultimate stick-to-your-ribs meal at the end of a cold, snowy day. There are many variations on a basic beef stew, but celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's version levels it up in a way that only he can. His beef stew includes the addition of mustard dumplings, made by adding whole grain mustard to your flour when mixing dumpling dough.

Along with bay leaves, thyme, and beer, the stew packs a medley of strong flavors that you might expect to be overpowering, but Ramsay's surprising combination of ingredients comes together to make the whole dish sing. The grain mustard will give more of a bite than other kinds of mustard, and while strong on its own, it mellows out when it's cooked. It adds a light, tangy taste to the finished dish, perfectly complementing the heavier flavors of the beef and beer.

There are a few simple rules to follow when making beef stew, and one is to coat your beef in flour before cooking. This will help brown the beef, as well as thicken the stew. If you use a seasoned flour, it can also help add flavor to your stew. Start with some oil in your pot and then sear the flour-coated beef before adding other ingredients. Beef stew is deceptively easy because there's not a lot of chopping needed during the prep work. You can throw whole shallots and cloves of garlic in with roughly sliced carrots alongside your beef before adding a bottle of beer or brown ale for a more flavorful stew. Add a few spoonfuls of tomato paste and then cover the stew with beef broth before setting in the oven at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for about two hours. 

The final step is making the stars of the show: the mustard dumplings. These are made by combining flour, suet, and grain mustard and rolling into dumplings. Suet is an animal fat that is used in many British puddings, both sweet and savory. It helps to keep the dumplings rich and moist, and Gordon Ramsay considers it a non-negotiable ingredient for this stew. Place the dumplings in with your stew and return to the oven for about 20 more minutes before your beef stew is ready to be enjoyed.