Carbonnade Flamande Belgium Beef And Beer Stew Food

BELGIAN BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Preparation: Remove any excess fat from the beef and cut it in large cubes. Dice onions. Peel carrots and slice into coin shape pieces.
• Pour olive oil into a Dutch oven or large stew pot over a medium flame. Add diced onions and cook for about 3 minutes until they begin to sweat.
• Add the cubed beef and continue to cook about 5 minutes, making sure all the sides of the beef are brown.
• Sprinkle the brown sugar over the beef and onions. Continue to cook a couple minutes to caramelize a bit.
• Add the red wine vinegar, the beer, thyme, bay leaves, parsley and carrots. The liquid should cover the meat and carrots with about 1 cm (1/2 inch) on top. Stir. Reduce the flame, cover the pot, and let cook for about 2.5 hours. Be patient and let your stew cook slowly. Do not stir frequently.
• After 2 hours of cooking check the liquid level in the pot. If there is not much liquid for a sauce, add some water and continue to cook. Check the meat for its tenderness after 2 hours. The fork should enter the meat easily without the meat falling apart. Once it's tender go to the next step. Don't worry if the meat is ready before the time indicated above. Mine is usually done after 2.5 hours. [If you are making this dish in advance to reheat later, remove from the stove when the meat is still a little firm so that it becomes tender when reheating.]
• Add the mustard and stir.
• If the sauce is too thin, prepare a roux by mixing the flour and the butter together to make a smooth paste. Add the roux into pot and cook over low heat a few minutes to thicken up the sauce.
• Add salt and black pepper and adjust herbs to taste. You should be able to taste the meat.

CARBONADE FLAMANDE (BELGIAN BEEF STEW WITH BEER)

Steps:

• Heat a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the diced bacon. Sauté over medium-high heat, until crisp, 4-5 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate and set aside.
• Drain all but 2 Tbsp of bacon fat from the pan (reserving the extra fat). Season the beef cubes with a little salt and pepper and place them in the pan with the bacon fat to sear. Sear the beef cubes on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot. (If necessary, do this step in batches so you don't crowd the pot.).
• Add a little more of your reserved bacon fat to the pan. Then, Add the sliced onions. Sauté the onions over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and continue to sauté until golden and caramelized, 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook until the flour is moistened.
• Add the ale to deglaze the pot. Scrape any stuck bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Add the beef and bacon back to pot. Add the stock, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Add extra broth or water as necessary so that the beef is nearly covered with liquid.
• Place the lid on the pot and simmer over low heat for 1 ½ hours.
• After 1 ½ hours, remove the lid and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• Once the stew has reduced to a thick consistency it is ready to eat! Serve with wedge fries or boiled potatoes and hearty bread.

CARBONNADE FLAMANDE

Steps:

• Marinate the beef overnight in the ale with the garlic and bay leaves. The next day, drain the beef from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper and toss it in the seasoned flour until evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole until hot. Fry the beef in 3-4 batches for about 5 minutes per batch, stirring occasionally, until it is a rich golden brown all over. You may need to add a little more oil between batches but make sure it is hot again before adding the next batch. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside. Don't worry if the bottom of the casserole is starting to brown, this all adds to the flavour of the finished dish.
• Lower the heat to medium and fry the pancetta in the casserole for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden. Scoop the pancetta out with a slotted spoon and set aside with the beef.
• Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/gas 3. Tip the carrots, onions and leek into the casserole and fry, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown - this takes about 12 minutes. Spoon in the tomato purée and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the beef and pour in the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan, then add all the beef stock and bouquet garni to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and bring everything to the boil. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through. (The carbonnade may now be left to cool and frozen for up to 1 month. Add 100ml/31⁄2 fl oz more stock to the sauce when reheating.) When the beef is ready, taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top and serve straight from the casserole, with creamy mash or jacket potatoes and buttered greens or cabbage.

CARBONNADE À LA FLAMANDE (FLEMISH BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• In an enameled cast-iron casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add one-third of it to the casserole. Cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with 2 more batches of meat, using the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Add the onions to the casserole, cover and cook over low heat, stirring, until browned, 8 minutes. Stir in the flour until the onions are well-coated, then slowly add the beer. Return the meat to the casserole along with any accumulated juices. Add the thyme and bay leaves, cover and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the beef is tender, 2 hours.
• Uncover and transfer the meat to a bowl. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat until thickened slightly. Discard the bay leaves. Return the meat to the casserole and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with boiled carrots and potatoes.

CARBONADE FLAMANDE - FLEMISH BEEF AND BEER STEW/CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C, 340F, gas mark 3.
• Make sure the pieces of beef are thoroughly dry, using paper towels.
• In a flame-proof casserole, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the bacon cubes and fry them until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve.
• Make sure your flame-proof casserole is thoroughly heated. Place the pieces of beef and brown them on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon. Keep warm.
• Place the onions and garlic on the bottom of the casserole dish and cook until transparent (lightly golden). Season well with salt and pepper.
• Add the sugar and mix thoroughly. Cook until a light caramelisation appears then add the red wine vinegar. Mix thoroughly then cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the cooked beef and bacon to the dish. Mix carefully to make sure there is a full marriage of the flavours of the meat with the onions.
• Pour the beer then the beef stock until the meat is entirely covered with liquid. Add the bouquet garni.
• Cut the slices of bread then spread Dijon mustard on the bread. Cover the meat with the bread.
• Place in the oven. The carbonade should cook slowly between 2 and 3 hours, or in a crockpot for up to 5 hours on high.
• When cooked mix the bread thoroughly by breaking it up in the dish, the bread works as a thickener for the sauce. Taste then adjust the seasoning. Serve hot.
• In Belgium the carbonade will be served with chips/fries/frites. In Northern France, it will be served with either braised chicory in butter or red cabbage.