Newfoundland Dough Boys...Fluffy Dumplings for Soup or Stew

Fluffy, soft dumplings, floating atop a steaming bowl of soup or stew, make a satisfying and filling meal on a cold winter day.  

We Newfoundlanders love our dumplings.  The fluffy, soft dumplings are often referred to as Dough Boys and are served with soups, stews or even with a cooked dinner.  Just the other day my daughter-in-law, Vicki, was telling me how much she liked Dough Boys with her soup but she didn't know how to make them.  Of course, I told her they were easy to make.  Easy to make right and just as easy to make wrong!  Dough Boys or dumplings can be wonderful soft pillows of steamed dough or heavy, tough globs of glue!  Ha, ha.  I've made them both ways but, fortunately these days, the globby glue days are far and few between.

The secret to fluffy dumplings is in the mixing and in the cooking.  Mix very gently, just enough to bring the ingredients together.  Over-mixing will produce a tough dumpling. When cooking make sure you keep the pot covered and never peek, not even once, while they are simmering.  Lifting the lid will produce a sticky, gluey dumpling.

I find making the Dough Boys about 20 minutes before the soup or stew is finished cooking ensures the vegetables will not become mushy.  I usually add them around the same time I add the potatoes or any frozen vegetables, if using.  

Printable recipe at bottom of post.

Dough Boys
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup milk or water (+ 2 tablespoons for a softer dumpling)

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.  Rub in the butter using your fingers or the back of a spoon.  Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the milk or water and gently mix until just combined.  Handle gently. The dough should be similar to biscuit dough--not sticky but not totally dry.   Drop the dough by spoonfuls into the simmering stew.  You should have about 6-8` portions.  Cover the pot and lower the heat so the mixture will keep simmering. Make sure the mixture is simmering because a rolling boil will break up the dumplings.  Simmer for 20 minutes. DO NOT lift the cover until the 20 minutes are up.  Remove the cover and let the dumplings sit about 5 minutes.  Serve 1 or 2 Dough Boys with each bowl of soup or stew. 

Makes 6-8 dumplings.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and butter together.  Rub the butter into the flour until it is mealy.

 Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the milk.

Mix all ingredients together to form a soft dough.  Do not over-mix the dough or your Dough Boys will be tough. 

Drop the Dough Boys onto the simmering stew or soup.  Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes. DO NOT lift the cover during cooking. 

 Fluffy, soft Dough Boys are ready to be served.

I like two Dough Boys with my stew.

A hearty and satisfying meal of Vegetable Stew and Dough Boys.

print recipe

Dough Boys

by Lois Gill February-7-2018

Fluffy, soft dumplings for soups or stews.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup milk or water (+ 2 tablespoons for a softer dumpling)

Instructions

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Rub in the butter using your fingers or the back of a spoon. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the milk or water and gently mix until just combined. Handle gently. The dough should be similar to biscuit dough--not sticky but not totally dry. Drop the dough by spoonfuls into the simmering stew. You should have about 6-8` portions. Cover the pot and lower the heat so the mixture will keep simmering. Make sure the mixture is simmering because a rolling boil will break up the dumplings. Simmer for 20 minutes. DO NOT lift the cover until the 20 minutes are up. Remove the cover and let the dumplings sit about 5 minutes. Serve 1 or 2 Dough Boys with each bowl of soup or stew.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 25 mins Yield: 6-8 dumplings