Suet comes traditionally from beef cattle, but also occasionally from sheep and is the shredded fat taken from around the internal organs. Combined with flour, salt and a little water it is formed into ball shapes which are called dumplings. (Suet can also be the fat content of a sweet or savoury winter pudding or of a roly-poly, both which are usually quite satisfying, or it can be made into suet crust pastry. Suet is also one of the ingredients of sweet mincemeat which is most commonly made into Mince Pies at Christmas and is also a major ingredient of the traditional Christmas Pudding.) Suet dumplings are often added to warming casseroles or stews, mostly in cold weather, where they cook in the gravy, but they can also be steamed and served separately. This is usually eaten as part of a hearty meal with potatoes, although I usually serve them as an alternative.
I always buy vegetable suet, although I am not vegetarian. It is readly available and is made from vegetable fats. It contains less saturated fat so I feel it is slightly healthier, especially as the version I buy contains 30% less fat than meat suet. Dumplings benefit from gentle handling with hands and ingredients both being as cold as possible. Additional flavourings can be added to dumplings, a common example being herbs. The Atora website gives some good hints and tips for using suet and a number of recipes. The basic recipe for making dumplings is very simple and the one below comes from the side of a packet of Atora Light Suet. I have frozen dumplings but they are much better made and used immediately and it is such a simple method there is really no need to freeze. Dumplings can be served plain, as in this basic recipe, or can be flavoured (see alternative versions and links to recipes further down this page).
'Meanderings through my Cookbook' http://www.hopeeternalcookbook.wordpress.com
(Suet Dumplings cooked in Beef & Bean Casserole)
Suet Dumplings
(Serves 3/4 alongside potatoes – double quantity if serving in place of potato)
100g/4ozs self-raising flour
50g/2ozs shredded suet
pinch of salt
5 tbsp cold water, aproximately
Herbs or other ingredients to flavour – optional
1. Mix the flour, suet and salt with the water. It should not be sticky but soft and pliable. If too dry add a little more water: if too sticky add a little more flour.
2. Using floured hands divide dough into 8 pieces and shape into balls.
3. Place on the top of a stew or casserole where the liquid is already simmering. Cover with a well fitting lid and cook gently for about 20minutes.
4. Serve hot.
Further recipes for dumplings:
(Please leave comments about the following recipes with the recipe at the link given rather than here – thank you)
'Meanderings through my Cookbook' http://www.hopeeternalcookbook.wordpress.com
Beef & Bean Casserole
(with plain dumplings using above recipe)
'Meanderings through my Cookbook' http://www.hopeeternalcookbook.wordpress.com
Pork Goulash Soup/Stew
with Caraway Dumplings
'Meanderings through my Cookbook' http://www.hopeeternalcookbook.wordpress.com
Lamb & Lentil Stew
with Carrot & Rosemary Dumplings
Alternative flavourings – tried and ideas:
Fennel Seeds (to replace Caraway Seeds)
Toasted Sesame seeds
Cumin seeds
Herbs, dried or fresh
Grated root vegetable, particularly carrot (see above), parsnip or beetroot
Citrus zest
Dried fruit
Anything else? Comments appreciated especially tried and trusted ideas!
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Meanderings through my cookbook 
Can you tell me the best way to steam these dumplings? (will be filling with bacon and onion, not adding to a stew)
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Welcome Alanna: I’m afraid that I have very little experience on steaming dumplings separately to stew, but I would put them in a steamer basket over a pan of gently simmering water, carefully turning them after a while if necessary, until they are cooked. I like the idea of filling them rather than putting them in with meat so I think I will experient with the idea when winter comes again. I do hope this works out for you and would be pleased to hear (via these comments) any information you have to pass back. Thanks!
h/e
Try steaming dumplings in a bamboo Chinese steamer basket. This is how the Asian cooks steam their pork buns
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Thank you Sue: Using a steamer basket, bamboo or metal, is definitely an option for cooking dumplings if you do not want them cooked in with the stew. Chinese dumplings are delicious!
h/e
My mother used to make large suet dumpling laying it out on cheese cloth fill the middle with sauted onion slices, sauteed chopped baby beef liver, fully chopped fried bacon (put what ever items to try for your own taste). Using butchers twine wrapping in a ladder pattern. Wrap firmly in the dumpling. Using a spaghetti pot, once boiling place the packet in so it can move around. I never got the recipe from my mom but I know what it tasted like. Your suet dumplings sound about what I remember.
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Thanks for your comment and memories Theresa.
Suet pastry can be rolled out and filled with either sweet or savoury filling: as a ‘jam roly-poly’ for example, which is a traditional British dish.
As is usual, I am assuming your suet roll is wrapped in a couple of layers of greaseproof paper before tying with string. The liver, bacon and onion filling sounds good to me!
I am sure the recipe I have outlined can be used to make a similar suet roll, with either beef or vegetarian suet. I hope you get a chance to try your family recipe.
hopeeternal
Hi just came across your site as I’m looking to try and make suet dumplings for the first time. When I was a child I loved them especially with mince. Don’t know if they’ll turn out like I remember but one can only try.
I just have one comment to make and that’s on a previous post, why wait for winter personally I would eat stews and casseroles any time of year.
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Welcome Simon
Of course you can eat dumplings whenever you want and they are not just for the winter but I can think of nothing more warming when the weather is cold. They are really simple to make so you are bound to be successful. Enjoy!
h/e
just about to try my mint dumplings, with a beef and koppaberg pear cider stew, just kind of improvised, i’ll let people know how they go, used dried mint and 2 teaspoons of mint sauce
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Sounds interesting – will wait to hear how this turns out. Herby dumplings are lovely.
h/e
Made plain dumplings last night with a chicken and veg stew despite the 36 degree heat, was in the mood for comfort food. They were so lovely.-----
Glad you enjoyed them. Not sure I would have been so brave. I have been sticking to salads and staying out of the kitchen as much as possible!
h/e
My dad always makes cheese dumplings, exactly the same as the recipe above but use grated cheese instead of suet. They’re delicious but I can never get them to taste as nice as his.
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Thank you Rachel
Grated cheese does make a very good and tasty substitute for suet. It’s one of the variations which I have not got round to posting. I wonder if your dad uses a particular type or brand of cheese to get the flavour you are trying to copy – or even just an extra mature type. A little mustard adds good flavour too (English for heat or, my favourite, Dijon) as does paprika or even some cayenne pepper. Thank you for the reminder – must make these again!
h/e
My mother used a similar recipe but sometimes added 2oz of sugar and cooked them over stewed apples as a fantastic winter dessert. Brings back great memories.
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Suet is lovely used for sweet desserts too. Just not good for the waistline! This post was concentrating on savouries hence no mention of Jam Roly Poly etc. Your mother’s method seems a useful and easy version and especially good for the cold weather.
Thank you for getting in touch.
h/e
Mine seem to use up all of the gravy in the stew and are sometimes stodgy. What am I doing wrong?!
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Hello Wendy
Dumplings are rather stodgy anyway – I often serve them in place of potatoes. The only suggestion I could make is that you use even more liquid in your dish so you have some gravy left. Hope this is helpful.
h/e
Thank you for all the information here, much appreciated. I usually make homemade chicken stock the day before (chicken wings, carrots, celery, onion, other vegies in the fridge, garlic, salt etc.). So the base for the dumplings is nice and rich. Then on the day I make the dumplings (here it important to take a light hand – if you ‘overwork’ them they become tough).
But even so I wanted to see if I could steam the dumplings and then just drop them into bowls of warm chicken soup (this leaves the original stock nice and clear, and obviously, makes the stock go further).
My husband considers this a whole meal and really it is so easy to make.
I am going to try the bamboo steamer method tonight. I might even mix the suet/flour with cold chicken stock instead of water. Anyway here goes…