What I really love about this this dish is that it doesn’t require any special or expensive ingredients. It only require effort , patience and a some practice but it is not at difficult. Trust me, if you follow the instructions, it will taste just like your grandma’s!
Homemade dumplings can be made easily from flour, baking soda, vegetable shortening, and buttermilk. Start off by roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness and pinch off pieces that are about 1 1/2 inches across. Then the dough pieces into the simmering broth and don’t forget to watch them puff up into tender, doughy dumplings that are so soft and good.
Ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) whole chicken
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 quarts water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
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Chicken, celery, carrots, onion and 2 teaspoons of salt should be placed in a Dutch oven. Then add water and bay leaf.
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Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
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Remove chicken from pot. Let cool 15 minutes and then remove chicken from bone, discarding the skin and shredding the chicken.
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Add pepper to pot and bring broth to a boil.
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Meanwhile combine flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
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Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut shortening into flour until it resmembles coarse meal.
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Add buttermilk and stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
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Turn dough out onto a floured surface and kead 4 to 5 times. Roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness.
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Pinch off dough in 1 1/2-inch pieces and add to boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chicken.
