![Beef and Onions Braised in Beer<br>[Carbonnades à la Flamande]](https://assets.wsimgs.com/wsimgs/ab/images/dp/recipe/202508/0001/img57l.jpg)
Beef and Onions Braised in Beer
[Carbonnades à la Flamande]
Beef and Onions Braised in Beer[Carbonnades a la Flamande] is rated
out of
5 by
2.
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
175 minutes
Servings:
6
Beer is typical for the Belgian braise, and gives a quite different character to beef than the red wine of the bourguignon. A bit of brown sugar masks the beer's slightly bitter quality, and a little vinegar at the end gives character. Serve this with parsley potatoes or buttered noodles, a green salad, and beer.
For 6 people
For 6 people
Ingredients:
- A 3-lb. piece of lean beef from the chuck roast
or rump - 2 to 3 Tb rendered fresh pork fat or good
cooking oil - A heavy skillet
- 1 1/2 lbs. or 6 cups of sliced onions
- Salt and pepper
- 4 cloves mashed garlic
- A 9- to 10-inch fireproof casserole about 3 1/2
inches deep - Salt and pepper
- 1 cup strong beef stock or canned beef bouillon
- 2 to 3 cups light beer, Pilsner type
- 2 Tb light brown sugar
- 1 large herb bouquet: 6 parsley sprigs, 1 bay
leaf, and 1/2 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth - 1 1/2 Tb arrowroot or cornstarch blended with
2 Tb wine vinegar - Parsley potatoes or buttered noodles
- Parsley sprigs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut the beef into slices about 2 by 4 inches across and 1/2 inch thick. Dry on paper towels. Put a 1/16-inch layer of fat or oil in the skillet and heat until almost smoking. Brown the beef slices quickly, a few at a time, and set them aside.
Reduce heat to moderate. Stir the onions into the fat in the skillet, adding more fat if necessary, and brown the onions lightly for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the garlic.
Arrange half the browned beef in the casserole and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread half the onions over the beef. Repeat with the rest of the beef and onions.
Heat the stock or bouillon in the browning skillet, scraping up coagulated cooking juices. Pour it over the meat. Add enough beer so the meat is barely covered. Stir in the brown sugar. Bury the herb bouquet among the meat slices. Bring casserole to the simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and place in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid remains at a very slow simmer for 2 1/2 hours at the end of which time the meat should be fork-tender.
Remove herb bouquet. Drain the cooking liquid out of the casserole into a saucepan, and skim off fat. Beat the starch and wine vinegar mixture into the cooking liquid and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully correct seasoning. You should have about 2 cups of sauce. Pour the sauce back over the meat.
(*) May be prepared in advance to this point.
When ready to serve, cover the casserole and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes until the meat is thoroughly heated through. Either bring the casserole to the table, or arrange the meat on a hot serving platter, spoon the sauce over it, surround with potatoes or noodles, and decorate with parsley.
Reduce heat to moderate. Stir the onions into the fat in the skillet, adding more fat if necessary, and brown the onions lightly for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the garlic.
Arrange half the browned beef in the casserole and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread half the onions over the beef. Repeat with the rest of the beef and onions.
Heat the stock or bouillon in the browning skillet, scraping up coagulated cooking juices. Pour it over the meat. Add enough beer so the meat is barely covered. Stir in the brown sugar. Bury the herb bouquet among the meat slices. Bring casserole to the simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and place in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid remains at a very slow simmer for 2 1/2 hours at the end of which time the meat should be fork-tender.
Remove herb bouquet. Drain the cooking liquid out of the casserole into a saucepan, and skim off fat. Beat the starch and wine vinegar mixture into the cooking liquid and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully correct seasoning. You should have about 2 cups of sauce. Pour the sauce back over the meat.
(*) May be prepared in advance to this point.
When ready to serve, cover the casserole and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes until the meat is thoroughly heated through. Either bring the casserole to the table, or arrange the meat on a hot serving platter, spoon the sauce over it, surround with potatoes or noodles, and decorate with parsley.
Adapted from
Mastering the Art of French Cooking,
by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck
(Alfred A. Knopf, 2001).
Rated 5 out of
5
by
mrsbumblebee from
great...but use different beer
the recipe is generally good....this is a delish dish if made w/ right ingrediants...easy to do and very comforting....a husband favourite.
Whatever you do, do NOT use pilsner. In the US pilsner is a bland budwiser-esque beer which does nothing yummy. (Even a European pilsner would be wrong). The carbonnades a la flammande should be made with a Belgian abbey beer. If you can find Leffe Brune or its like, use that. If you cannot, look up the Belgian beer online and try to find a local microbrew with that flavour profile.
Overall a classic dish and good recipe to follow with a few ingrediant tweaks...
serve more formally with suggested sides, or in the classic Belgian way w/ pomme frites
(you may also wish to add a dollop of grain mustard, and caramelise the onions....so more than 10min, cook w/ a bit of brown sugar and consider a splash of cidre vinegar at the end to enhance the sweet / sour character if you are so inclined)
Date published: 2013-09-23
Rated 5 out of
5
by
LCHRH from
A family favorite!!
This recipe is currently in the oven, this is the fourth time I've prepared it. The prep is not labor intensive and the dish is impressive for guests. A perfect dish for a Belgian beer-centric dinner. I add cremini mushrooms (I know, cheating) and serve over the best egg noodles money can buy. This dish has been loved by all I have served it to and pairs beautifully with Chimay White. Bon appetite!
Date published: 2012-04-21