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Belgium, Europe

Carbonnade Flamande (Flemish Beef and Beer Stew)

Browned beef and caramelised onions slow-cooked in dark Belgian beer with mustard-spread bread: Flanders’ bittersweet comfort stew.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time3 h 15 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsLong simmering drives off most of the alcohol, but not all of it. For children or anyone avoiding alcohol, use an alcohol-free dark beer.

Method

  1. Pat the beef thoroughly dry with paper towels, cut it into 4 cm cubes and season with the salt and pepper. Halve the onions and slice them into thin half-moons. Damp meat won’t brown, so don’t skip the drying.

    Add in this stepSalt 0.4 tspBlack pepper 1 pinch

  2. Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy pot, ideally cast iron, over medium-high heat (pot size · number of batches: 24 cm · 1×). Lay the beef in without the pieces touching and brown each batch for . Leave it alone at first; when it releases from the bottom by itself, turn it until deep brown on all sides, then set aside on a plate.

    Add in this stepBeef chuck or blade (stewing beef) 400 gNeutral oil 1 tbspButter 13 g

    medium-high heat

  3. Lower the heat to medium heat, add the remaining butter and the onions and cook for . Use the moisture from the onions to scrape up the brown crust on the bottom, and cook until they are soft and deep golden.

    Add in this stepButter 13 gOnions 1½

    medium heat

  4. Return the beef and its juices and pour in the beer, slowly, as it foams up a lot. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaves and bring to the boil over high heat for . Spread one side of the bread thickly with mustard and lay it mustard side down on top of the stew.

    Add in this stepDark Belgian brown ale or dubbel (low bitterness) 330 mlBeef stock 100 mlFresh thyme sprigs 2Bay leaves 1Slice of white or brown bread 1Dijon mustard 2 tsp

    high heat

  5. Cover, turn the heat down to low heat and simmer very gently for ; just the odd bubble should break the surface. Stir to the bottom every 30 minutes: the bread melts in and thickens the sauce naturally. If the liquid gets too low, add a splash of water.

    low heat

  6. Uncover, stir in the brown sugar, vinegar and the rest of the salt and pepper, and simmer over medium-low heat for more until the sauce is glossy. It is done when the beef falls apart easily with a fork. Fish out the thyme stalks and bay leaves and serve.

    Add in this stepBrown sugar 1 tbspCider vinegar 1 tspSalt 0.4 tspBlack pepper 1 pinch

    medium-low heat

Cook's tip

Hoppy IPAs turn harsh when simmered for hours, so choose a sweet, malty Belgian brown ale or dubbel. It tastes even better the next day. In Belgium it comes with fries and mayonnaise; mashed potatoes or bread are good too.

Cooking it at camp

A cast-iron Dutch oven over the embers, with a few coals on the lid, makes it at camp too. Heat is harder to control, so check every 30 minutes and top up with water. Short on time? Cook it at home, cool it and simply reheat it on site.