Season the beef cubes generously with salt and pepper.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.

In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.

Slowly pour in the beef broth while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the beef to the pot and add the dried thyme.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the beef is tender.

To make the dumplings, whisk the remaining flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and the fresh parsley in a medium bowl.

Stir the milk and melted butter into the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.

Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly onto the simmering stew. Space them apart slightly as they will expand.

Cover the pot tightly with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time to ensure the dumplings steam properly and become fluffy.

Serve hot, ladling the stew and dumplings into bowls.