Flemish Beef In Beer Food

CARBONNADE FLAMANDE (BEEF AND BEER STEW)

Steps:

• Marinate the beef with the beer, the garlic, the bay leaves and a pinch of salt for at least two hours, or overnight.
• Drain the beef and reserve the marinade. Pat dry the beef with paper towels.
• In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil until pipping hot. Fry the beef in batches, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the beef cubes and reserve.
• In the same dutch oven, fry the bacon until golden and crisp. Reserve with the beef.
• Add the onions, a pinch of salt and fry in the bacon grease, until caramelized (around 10 minutes).
• Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until the flour is cooked and the onions are coated.
• Add the beef broth and scrape the bits stuck in the bottom. Add the reserved marinade, the beef, the bacon and the thyme.
• Cook for 1.5 hours.
• Add the brown sugar, the parsley, some fresh pepper and the mustard. Cook for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle some fresh parsley on top and serve with fries.

CARBONNADE FLAMANDE (FLEMISH BEEF AND BEER STEW)

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat. Cook until brown. Crumble and set it aside.
• Remove excess bacon fat, leaving behind 2-3 tablespoons in the pot. Season beef with salt and pepper. Add beef to the pot and brown on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pot, work in batches if necessary. Set it aside.
• In the same pot, sauté onions till caramelized to a nice golden brown color. Add in garlic and sauté for a minute.
• Add in flour and sauté till it gets a little brown.
• Add in beef chunks along with beer, beef broth, rosemary, thyme and sugar. Stir well.
• Spread mustard on the ginger bread slices and place them over the stew.
• Close the lid and cook for 15- 20 minutes. Stir the bread into the stew and again cover and cook for one and half to two hours, or until the beef is melt in your mouth tender. Make sure to stir it every now and then. During the last half hour, cook with the lid off to allow the stew to thicken.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning like salt and pepper.
• Serve it with French fries or mashed or boiled potatoes.

FLEMISH BEEF AND BEER STEW (CARBONNADE FLAMANDE)

Steps:

• Step 1 - Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towel and season them well with salt and black pepper. Let rest to near room temperature for about 30-45 minutes prior to starting cooking.
• Step 2 - On the stove top over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch-oven. Working in batches, add the beef cubes and brown them, about 3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcrowd or overlap any meat cubes or they won't brown properly. It should take about 3 to 4 batches to brown 2 ½ lbs of beef. Transfer the browned beef to a separate bowl.
• Pre-heat your oven to 325F (163C) with a rack in the middle.
• Step 3 - Lower the heat to medium, add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the Dutch-oven to melt, and add the sliced onions and garlic. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized.
• Step 4 - Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes until the onions are evenly coated and the flour starts to brown. This cooks the "rawness" out of the flour.
• Step 5 - Pour in the brown ale and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, brown sugar, browned beef cubes and stir to combine. The liquid should almost cover all the beef cubes.
• Cover with the lid and place in the oven. Let cook for 2 hours, until the beef is fork tender.
• Before serving, adjust seasoning if needed and discard of the thyme and bay leaves.

FLEMISH BEEF STEW COOKED IN BEER

Steps:

• Season the beef cubes with the salt and pepper and dredge with the flour. Shake off any excess.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the beef cubes and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Work in batches so as not to crowed the beef cubes, or they will steam instead of sauté. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, if necessary. Transfer the beef cubes to a heavy Dutch oven.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 15 minutes. If necessary, raise the heat toward the end of the cooking time. It is important to brown the meat and onions evenly to give the stew its deep brown color. The trick is to stir the onions just enough to avoid burning them but not so often as to interrupt the browning process. Combine the onions with the meat in the Dutch oven.
• Deglaze the skillet with the beer, scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits, and bring to a boil. Pour the beer over the meat. Add the thyme and bay leaves.
• Simmer, covered, over low heat until the meat is very tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Before serving, stir in the red currant jelly and vinegar; simmer for 5 minutes. This sweet-and-sour combination will give this hearty stew its authentic Flemish flavor. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.

FLEMISH BEEF STEW (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• Heat 2 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add half the beef and brown on all sides, turning frequently (about 5 minutes).
• Transfer to a 6 quart crock pot.
• Drain any fat from pan.
• Add the remaining 2 tsp oil and brown the remaining beef.
• Transfer to the crock pot.
• Return the skillet to medium heat, add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they give off their liquid and it evaporates to a glaze (5-7 minutes).
• Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms; cook undisturbed for 10 seconds, then stir and cook for 30 seconds more.
• Pour in ale (or beer); bring to a boil, whisking constantly to reduce foaming, until thickened and bubbling (about 3 minutes).
• Transfer the mushroom mixture to the crock pot.
• Add carrots, onion, garlic, mustard, caraway seeds, salt, pepper and bay leaf to the crock pot.
• Stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on low until the beef is very tender, about 8 hours.
• Discard bay leaf before serving.
• ***To make ahead: Prepare though step 12 ; cover and refrigerate for up to one day before cooking in crock pot.
• Serves 8.

FLEMISH BEEF AND BEER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325*F.
• Heat half of the oil in an 11-inch saute pan. Add the onion and the garlic and saute over medium heat until transparent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Transfer the sauteed vegetables to a small bowl with a slotted spoot.
• Trim any fat from the meat and cut the meat into cubes; Dredge the meat in the flour mixed with the salt and pepper. Add the remaining oil to the pan (you may need to add a bit more) and brown the meat well on all sides.
• Place the meat on the bottom of an 11x7-inch glass baking dish and spread the sauteed vegetables over the top.
• Sprinkle with the parsley, nutmey, thyme, and bay leaf.
• Pour in the beer and sprinkle brown sugar over all.
• Cover and bake for 2-1/2 - 3 hours or until the meat is tender.

FLEMISH BEEF AND BEER STEW

Steps:

• Cut beef into 1/2-inch slices; cut slices into 2-inch strips.
• Cut bacon into 1/4-inch pieces; fry in Dutch oven until crisp.
• Remove bacon with slotted spoon; drain.
• Pour off fat and reserve.
• Cook and stir onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat until onion is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Remove onions.
• Cook and stir beef in remaining bacon fat until brown, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in flour to coat beef; gradually stir in water.
• Add onions, beer, bay leaf, brown sugar, salt, thyme and pepper.
• Add just enough water to cover beef if necessary.
• Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer until beef is tender-1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove bay leaf.
• Stir in vinegar; sprinkle with bacon and parsley.
• If you prefer, you can brown the beef and cook the bacon first, then put everything in the crockpot for 6-8 hours on low and it turns out just about as well!

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.

FLEMISH BEEF SIRLOIN IN BEER SAUCE WITH SAVORY VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the roast on all sides for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until well browned.
• Transfer roast to a roasting pan (with a lid) just large enough to hold the beef and the vegetables.
• Return skillet to heat and cook the onions, garlic, carrots, cloves and orange zest for about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked veggies to the roaster, surrounding the meat.
• Place the roaster over medium heat on the stove top. Pour in the brandy.
• Using a long match or special lighter, carefully set the brandy alight and allow the flames to die down.
• Add the beer, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme and porcini mushrooms. Bring to a boil.
• Cover the roaster with foil, then add lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until roast is done.
• Transfer the beef and vegetables to a platter and keep them warm in the oven (you can turn off the heat). Reserve the juices left in the roaster.
• For the sauce, mix the vinegar, cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Add 2 TB of the meat juices and mix well. Pour this mixture into the roaster and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Carve the roast and serve with Braised Fennel (Zaar recipe #100458) and boiled new potatoes.