Dumplings For Stew

These drop dumplings are about as bare-bones as it gets: flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, sugar, and enough milk to form a thick dough. No butter, no eggs, no fuss. They steam right on top of your bubbling stew and puff up into light, fluffy pillows that soak up the broth.

The cream of tartar and baking soda combination is an old-school leavening trick that works the same way baking powder does. The reaction starts the moment the milk hits the dry ingredients, so work quickly once the dough comes together.

The absolute rule: do not lift the lid for 15 minutes. The dumplings cook by steam, and every time you peek, you release that steam and they deflate. Set a timer and walk away.

Pro Tips

• The stew must be at a steady, medium boil before you drop the dough in. If it’s just simmering, there won’t be enough steam to cook the dumplings through.
• Mix the dough just until it comes together. Overworking it makes dense, gummy dumplings instead of fluffy ones.
• Drop the dough in evenly spaced spoonfuls so each dumpling has room to expand. They roughly double in size.
• Test one by pulling it apart. The center should be cooked through with no raw, doughy streak.

Variations

• Stir in a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley or chives for herbed dumplings.
• Add a pinch of garlic powder and black pepper to the dry mix for a savory punch.
• Use buttermilk instead of regular milk and reduce the cream of tartar to 1 teaspoon for a tangier, more tender dumpling.