Ten Ton Stew.

Ten Ton Stew - named so in our house because after you've eaten loads that's how much you feel like you weigh and also because it feels like that's how many vegetables are in it!

This recipe is one that my Nan makes, my Mum makes and now I make. We've had to adapt it over the years because certain things went out of fashion or just became impossible to source.

For example, when my Nan started making this stew you could get oxtail squares. Which were basically like the jelly stocks now but made from oxtail stock. When I'm being particually resourceful I save the meat stock from a Sunday Roast and pour into ice cube trays, freeze and then pop into freezer bags to use in stews. But in this stew I cheat like crazy and although it sounds pretty rank it does taste VERY good.


Ten Ton Stew & dumplings

600g diced beef
1.5kg mix of carrots, parsnips and swede - peeled and cut into chunks
A punnet of button mushrooms
Tin of butter beans/baked bins/any!
2 onions, sliced
1 leek, sliced
Beef stock
Oxtail soup
Boiling water - approx 3 litres

Dumplings
6oz Atora suet
40z Plain flour
Pinch of salt
Cold water


Start by prepping the vegetables, by this I mean peeling and either slicing/cutting. That's the hard bit done!

In a pan pop in the beef and sliced onion, quickly cook until the beef has browned. Transfer to a slow cooker or a big, big casserole dish. To give some idea my slow cooker is 6.5 litres and I base this recipe on almost filling this up!

Layer the beef and onion onto the bottom and then cover in the chopped vegetables, I tend to try and put the swede towards the bottom because it needs more time to cook. By loading the veg on top on the meat it ensures that the meat is always in the stock and therefore gets lovely and tender.

Having put all the vegetables in the slow cook, I then add the beans and give a gentle mix. Finally I add the stock and the boiling water.

I leave to cook for as long as possible, ideally at least 5 hours. What generally happens is that I prepare this in the morning and then go out and by the time we get back in the evening it's pretty much ready.

Approximately 35 minutes before the end of cooking I add the 'secret' ingredient. By this I mean the oxtail soup! It's crazy but the best we have found is actually oxtail cup a soups - and I add 5 sachets! This thickens the stock up and adds a really lovely meaty flavour. My Mum also swears that this is the best replica of the oxtail squares from years ago.

We then make dumplings out of suet, flour, water and salt. They are very easy and all you do is combine the suet and flour, add a pinch of salt and then add the cold water until the mixture combines. The less you touch the mixture the better, I tend to use a fork and then just pick them up at the end to quickly form the shape. Pop them onto the top of the stew. 20 minutes later they should have doubled in size and be fluffy and round.

Serve with boiled potatoes - boiled, not mash! The boiled potatoes soak up the liquid and taste much better.

Just put the dumplings in - they easily doubled in size after 20 mins!