You’ll Need
For the Beef Pots
700g beef shin, cut into 2cm pieces
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp plain flour
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, cut into small chunks
1 small swede, cut into small chunks
80g pearl barley, rinsed
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
650ml hot beef stock
Sea salt and black pepper
For the Dumplings
120g self-raising flour
60g shredded beef or vegetable suet
1 tbsp chopped parsley
5-6 tbsp cold water
Optional but dangerous
Steamed greens
Extra mustard
Thick slices of bread
Equipment
One 1.8-litre deep heatproof dish, or four 450ml pots, plus foil
Method
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.
Toss the beef with the oil, flour, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
Air fry the beef in the uncovered dish for 10 minutes, stirring once, until the edges colour.
Stir in the onion, carrots, swede, barley, tomato puree, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and hot stock.
Cover the dish tightly with foil, reduce the air fryer to 160°C and cook for 80 minutes, stirring after 45 minutes.
Mix the flour, suet and parsley, then add just enough cold water to make a soft dough. Shape eight small dumplings.
Stir the stew, add a splash of boiling water if the barley has drunk it dry, then sit the dumplings on top.
Cover and air fry at 180°C for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook at 190°C for 10 minutes until the dumplings are browned.
Check the beef is piping hot and spoon-tender before resting the pots for 5 minutes.