Beer Stew and Dumplings

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
    
2. Coat beef strips with flour. Heat oil in a deep skillet and brown strips a few at a time. Put them into a large (6- to 8-quart) flameproof casserole. Set aside.
    
3. Add onions and garlic to oil in the skillet and brown them lightly, adding a little more oil if necessary. Add them to the casserole, then add sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir once or twice to combine ingredients. Pour off any oil remaining in the skillet.
    
4. Add the broth and heat over low heat, stirring to loosen all browned bits. Pour over the meat mixture in the casserole. Add the beer.
    
5. Cover the casserole dish and bake for 2 hours.
    
6. Take the casserole out of the oven and place it on top of the stove. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Remove bay leaf. Cook over medium heat until the sauce bubbles.
    
7. Drop dumpling batter by heaping teaspoonfuls on top of the hot stew, cover, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes. Do not remove cover while cooking or the dumplings will not rise.

Dumplings

1. Use 2 cups sifted self-rising cake flour,  3/4 cup milk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and  Mix flour, milk and melted butter together.
    
2. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls on top of the hot stew. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
    
3. To achieve light, fluffy dumplings, there are two rules: Never remove the lid while the dumplings are cooking (the steam escapes, which causes the dumplings to boil, not steam), and do not let the stew boil furiously.