Try this Carbonnade Beef and Beer Stew (Carbonnade Flamande) the next time you make a beef stew recipe. Made with Belgian ale, beef, onions, bay leaf and thyme, it’s a hearty recipe with wonderful flavor notes. Add your favorite veggies or a classic side dish of mashed potatoes!
In this recipe
-
What is carbonnade beef?
-
Why use Belgian Ale?
-
Belgian Ale Suggestions
-
Side dishes
-
Save and Freeze
When the days are cold, dark, and humid, what we want most is to curl up with a big pot of stew, right?
What is carbonnade beef stew?
Known as “Carbonnade a la Flamande,” this Belgian beef stew is made with hearty Belgian ale and plenty of onions.
The taste is a little sweet and sour, the sweet from the onions and either a little sugar or tomato paste and the sour from a hint of mustard or vinegar.
Since I first posted this recipe, I’ve made a few adjustments to the recipe itself, and we’ve had several recommendations as to which beer to use (see comments).
Why use Belgian Ale?
The general opinion is that you should try using a Belgian ale for this stew. If you can’t find a Belgian or Belgian-style ale, try Newcastle Brown Ale or Anchor Steam (the last two are commended by Cooks Illustrated for their carbonnade).
We found some American Belgian style beers at our local Whole Foods and for our final stew we used a bottle of Ommegang Abbey Ale.
Apparently it’s also a tradition to add some beef liver to the stew. We passed that on, but if there’s one stew that could stand up to the strong flavors of liver, this would be it. Wonderfully hearty, flavorful and filling.
Belgian Ale for Carbonnade Beef Stew
Belgium produces great ales, and a Belgian Dubbel – one that’s dark with a malty sweetness – works really well for this recipe. It is the style typically used in a carbonnade. Try one of these Belgian-style ales (or a similar beer) that you can usually find at a local shop.
- Ommegang Abbey Ale
- Chimay Blue
- Leffe Brune
- New Castle Brown Ale
- Brown Ale by Sam Smith
- anchor steam
Or support your local craft brewer. Ask them what they have that comes close to a Belgian Dubbel.
What goes well with Carbonnade Flamande?
Potatoes are the most traditional pairing with this beef stew. Try mashed potatoes or french fries. Butter noodles also go well with this. If you want to add some veggies to round out the meal, try one of these easy veggie side dishes.
- Asparagus quick and easy
- Roasted Parsnips
- French green beans with butter and herbs
- Classic glazed carrots
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
Save and Freeze
Like most stews, carbonnade is even better the second day as the flavors meld in the fridge. Go ahead and make the entire stew a day ahead and refrigerate, or refrigerate or freeze the leftovers with confidence.
- Refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 4 days. Heat on stovetop over medium-high until heated through and beef reaches 145°F.
- Freeze in a freezer safe ziplock bag or container up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Heat on stovetop over medium-high until heated through and beef reaches 145°F.
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Carbonnade Beef and Beer Stew
They are trying to achieve a sweet and sour taste with this stew. You can swap the sugar for tomato paste and use apple cider vinegar instead of mustard if you like.
You can sear the meat in vegetable oil instead of butter, although butter makes it spicier. Instead of flour, you can use a few slices of bread to thicken the stew.
Whatever beer you used in the cooking, it makes a great drink accompaniment to the stew.
ingredients
-
3 1/2 lb fry frycut into 1 inch pieces
-
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
-
4 tablespoon butterdivided
-
3 medium yellow onionssliced 1/4 inch thick (approx 8th cups)
-
3 tablespoon all purpose flour
-
1 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
-
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) Belgians Beer
-
4 branches fresh thyme
-
2 bay leaves
-
1 tablespoon full grain Mustard
-
1 tablespoon Brown sugar
method
-
Roast the beef:
Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then season well with salt and pepper. On stovetop, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch Oven over medium-high heat.
Sear the meat in batches for about 3 minutes on each side without stirring (do not stir, give the meat a chance to brown well).
Transfer the browned beef to a separate bowl.
-
Cooking onions:
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the Dutch oven; Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until onions are browned, about 15 minutes.
-
Add flour:
Add the flour and stir until the onions are evenly coated and the flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
-
Add the liquids, spices, and beef and let simmer:
Stir in the broth and scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to loosen any browned bits. Stir in the beer, thyme, bay leaf, seared beef with any of the accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook until beef is tender, 2 to 3 hours. (Alternatively, you can cook in the oven at 300°F.)
Stir occasionally and scrape off anything that’s stuck to the bottom of the pan.
About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, add the mustard and brown sugar. Adjust the spices to taste.
-
Surcharge:
Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Can be served on its own, with potatoes, over pasta or over French fries.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 776 | calories |
| 49g | Fat |
| 13g | carbohydrates |
| 68g | protein |
