A labor intensive recipe with the reward of deliciousness at the end.
Perfect to make on a lazy weekend day.
We started at noon and ate dinner at 8! It takes a while~
Heavily season your 4lb beef chuck roast with fresh cracked black pepper, on all sides.No salt, please!
Meat wielding.
Sear away! This takes 5 minutes for each side.
Slice a medium onion in half then in 1/4" slices.
Roughly chop 4-6 cloves of garlic. Place onion & garlic in bottom of slow cooker.
Measure out 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth and 1/4 cup red wine. You know what to do with the rest of that wine.
Mix 2 cans cream of mushroom soup (low sodium), 2 packets of soup mix (super salty), wine and low sodium beef broth. This mix is poured over the roast once it's in the crock pot.
Almost done searing/browning on all sides (the top is next). This adds flavor.
One big hunk of meat! We're lucky the lid fit on. We cooked it on high 4 hours, low for 2 hours.If you are a seasoned crock pot cooker, you know these times seem to vary widely. One recipe called for 6 to 8 hours on low! Anyhow, if you are pressed for time, it does not hurt to rev it up on high!
Cook 2 unpeeled Maine or russet potatoes (1 lb) in boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Run cold water on them and remove to a plate and refrigerate until cold. Peel the skins and finely grate them.
To make dumplings: mix 1 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground nutmeg (do without if you are not a fan), a tablespoon or more each of chopped parsley and chives.Whisk up an egg and add to the potatoes. Add to the flour mix and combine until a dough forms.
Form into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls.
Boil the dumplings in beef stock.A 32oz carton was the right amount, in a small 1 1/2 qt sauce pan. I did it in two batches, about 10 per batch. If the liquid runs low, just add water. Time for 12 minutes once the last one is dropped in. At first they sink then rise to the surface.
Tester approved!
Notes on serving: Remove beef to a cutting board and cut away (if any) strings. Slice into 1/2" slabs and plate.Top with two dumplings, then gravy from pot and a generous spoonful of horseradish.
Serve with carrots (3 carrots peeled and sliced, microwaved for 3 minutes with a pat of butter, splash of water and generous dousing of marjoram).
