Beef Stew with Cheddar and Dill Biscuits

So what do I make for Sunday supper when I have a 2lb bag of beef cubes staring at me? Well I've been meaning to try out my new meat grinder attachment, but that can wait for another time. We only have some (getting old) celery, and the usual pantry staples onions and potatoes. Stew it is!

My expectations were a bit on the low side - how good could it be with some old onions, 5 day old celery, and frozen beef cubes? And I had to go to the store around the corner to get a cheap bottle of red wine.  Huh.  Turns out it could be probably the best stew I've ever made, plus the best biscuits as well.  No fancy herbs or veggies, no advanced techniques, just basic stew with a real depth of flavour.

Beef stew - celery, potato, onion, and lots of red wine

And what goes well with stew? Biscuits of course!  Let's throw in some cheese and dill this time. They ended up being a big hit - we had 3 each!

Cheese and Dill Biscuits

I'm not a big bread maker, but biscuits are OK. They are pretty easy really, just a matter of not over kneading, and getting the butter in the flour without melting too much. Some people will grate frozen butter, I've had more luck just cutting a stick into small pieces and using a pastry blender.

Cutting a cold stick of butter into little pieces

Mixing the butter into the dough is just a matter of going at it with a pastry blender or fork. It should be loose and crumbly.

Mixing butter pieces into flour

Once you add the milk and start mixing it, the dough will start to come together. It should be pretty dry, but there should be no loose flour in the bottom of the bowl. Finally, rolling it out and cutting rounds of your favourite size. I have a ring that is 2.5" diameter.

Cutting rounds of dough

You can gather the remains and roll it out again to get more rounds.

Next time: I would try turnip and/or carrot just for some variety, and fresh tomatoes instead of canned

Me: 10/10
SO: 9/10
SSO: 7/10


Beef Stew with Cheddar and Dill Biscuits
Enough for 4 people, with a lunch or two left over
Stew Ingredients

• 2 lbs stewing beef
• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 2 large cooking onions
• 2-3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2-3 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 large can diced tomatoes, or use fresh tomatoes
• half a bottle of a big honking red wine
• 1L beef broth
• a few bay leaves
• lots of salt and pepper
• a few tsp Thyme leaves

Stew Method

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the beef on all sides in batches, and remove to a bowl.
2. Add the veggies, scraping up all the browned bits. Add the wine and broth, and the spices. Return the beef to the pot.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour or two.

Biscuit Ingredients

• 2C flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 stick cold or frozen butter, cut up into little tiny pieces
• 1/2 C grated cheddar
• 3/4C plus a Tb of milk
• 3 to 4 tsp dried dill

Biscuit Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. Prepare one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together to mix well. 
3. Cut in the butter pieces with a pastry blender or fork if you don't have one. There should be no big lumps.
4. Add in the dill and the cheddar. It should be easy to mix since the cheese will be flour coated.
5. Finally, add the milk and mix until all the dry flour is incorporated into a ball. If it is a bit dry, add more milk a half-teaspoon at a time. When it is holding its shape with no dry flour, but still not too wet, need it a few times, flipping it over and folding in half.
6. On a floured surface, smush down the dough and roll out to around 1/2" or a bit thicker. Cut out rounds about 3" in diameter or whatever you prefer. Put on the baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes.