Belgian Carbonnade Flamande: Beer-Braised Beef Stew with Onions and Mustard Bread

Pat the beef dry and season well with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, without crowding. Transfer to a plate.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 4 oz (115 g) thick-cut bacon, diced
• 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (500 ml) Belgian brown or dubbel ale
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves and 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 thick slices crusty bread, spread generously with Dijon or grainy mustard
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the beef dry and season well with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, without crowding. Transfer to a plate.
2. Lower the heat to medium, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes until deeply golden and sweet.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the beer and stock, scraping up every browned bit from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, bay leaves and thyme.
5. Return the beef and any juices to the pot. The liquid should just cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, then lay the mustard-spread bread slices on top, mustard side down.
6. Cover and transfer to a 325 F (160 C) oven, or keep on the lowest stovetop simmer. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the beef is fork-tender and the bread has dissolved into the sauce, thickening it.
7. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Stir the sauce well, taste, and adjust with salt, pepper, a pinch more sugar or a splash of vinegar until the balance is rich, sweet and faintly tangy.
8. Serve hot, scattered with parsley, alongside thick-cut fries, boiled potatoes or buttered egg noodles.
9. Carbonnade flamande is Flanders in a pot: beef, onions and the region's beloved brown ale cooked slowly until everything turns dark, glossy and sweet. Where the French would reach for wine, Belgians reach for beer, and the dubbel or brown ale lends a malty depth that tastes of caramel and toasted bread. The slice of mustard bread melted into the braise is an old farmhouse thickening trick, and the sweet-sour finish of brown sugar and vinegar is the signature that separates a true carbonnade from any other beef stew. In Belgian cafes it arrives with a mountain of frites and a glass of the same beer that went into the pot.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 585 kcal
• Protein: 48g
• Fat: 32g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 690mg