I just LOVE dumplings and tried to make a few the other day. The only suet I had was about six years old but as it was all I had I persevered. Got a recipe from a book, adjusted the ingredients downwards so I didn't make too many and proceeded. They seemed to boil ok, but the taste - they were AWFUL. Could it have been the old suet, the old flour (same vintage as suet) or both? Would it improve with newer suet?
i make dumplings very often for my family. I just put twice as much flour as suet (ie 8oz flour, 4oz suet) and a pinch of salt mixed together with water. The quantities can be adjusted accordingly. I dont know what mine taste like cos i dont eat them but get lots of compliments! Perhaps you should try again with fresh ingredients.
Definitely agree that it was your out of date ingredients! Go get yourself some fresh and use Busy Bee's recipe, I use that one also and they turn out great. And then you can add bits depending on what you're cooking them with, parsley and garlic go with lamb, black pepper and a pinch of mustard powder is wonderful with beef and apple and sage for pork. Experiment, dumplings are great!
Thanks jiggy-gb. Certainly sounds a lot more tasty than my usual beans-on or spaghetti-on. Mind you, sometimes I really push the boat out and have egg and bacon.