Beef carbonnade or carbonnade à la flamande is a rich and comforting Belgian stew with beef and caramelized onions braised in beer and aromatics. In basic terms, it is similar to pot roast, but the beautifully complex flavors in this beef carbonnade make it feel much more elevated.
You may be concerned when you read that the only liquid in this recipe is beer, but those concerns will be immediately forgotten as soon as you take your first taste.
The beef is incredibly tender and the caramelized onion gravy is rich, complex and truly delicious. This is the kind of meal that you will crave on cool evenings or want to make for special occasions. It is rustic and cozy and you are going to fall in love with it.
Let’s get started…
Begin by slicing 3-4 pounds of beef into large chunks and seasoning generously with salt and black pepper.
Today, I am using beef chuck, but beef shank, blade steak, brisket or sirloin tip will work great in this dish. Any collagen rich cut meant for stewing is what you are looking for.
Place a large braiser or dutch oven over medium to medium high heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and begin searing the beef on all sides.
This is the color you are looking for. A deeply golden crust that will do wonders for the flavor in this dish.
Once the beef has been seared on all sides, transfer it onto a plate and set aside for now.
Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of butter and 4 large thinly sliced yellow onions.
Cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions have lightly caramelized.
Once the onions are caramelized, stir in 6 cloves of minced garlic and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper.
Add 24 ounces of beer and use a wooden spatula to work up any browned bits off of the bottom of the braiser.
What kind of beer should I use in carbonnade?
Traditionally, a brown Belgian ale such as Flanders Brown Ale or a Belgian Tripel is used, but I have created delicious results using Guinness, Stella Artois or an English Brown Ale.
Today, I went with Modelo Especial and the carbonnade turned out fantastic! Instead of choosing by brand or description, I would suggest going with a malty beer that you would enjoy drinking, because the beer really does heavily impact the overall flavor of the dish.
I do feel it super important to say that even if you aren’t a beer drinker, I am confident that you will still love this beef carbonnade. While the beer is a large flavor element, if you didn’t tell someone that it was beer, they would not be able to instantly call it out. It adds more depth, complexity and subtle sweetness to the gravy and works to tenderize the beef during the braising process. Even if you don’t love sitting down with a cold beer, you will love this dish!
Bring the beer up to a simmer, stir in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and add your fresh herbs. I am adding some fresh parsley and thyme sprigs and a few bay leaves.
The final element to add is 4 slices of crusty bread smeared with dijon mustard. Place them mustard side down and press them down a bit into the beer.
The bread will slowly melt down into the braising liquid acting as both a flavor element and thickener to the gravy. Traditionally, pain d’épices – a French spiced bread is used, but I am using ciabatta today and have had success with several different crusty breads. This is a great place to use stale bread! The only bread you want to avoid is something super spongy like wonder bread or brioche. Anything crusty and hearty will work well.
Cover the braiser and place it onto the center rack of a 325 degree oven. Let it cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the beef is super tender.
Now the bread you laid on top will slowly dissolve as everything cooks away, but there may still be some sitting on top as you get towards the end of the cook time. When you have about 20 minutes or so left, carefully remove the lid and use a fork to push the bread down into the gravy and work it around in those juices a bit.
When the beef is falling apart tender, take the braiser out of the oven and use 2 forks or tongs to shred the pieces of beef up into bite sized shreds.
Discard the herbs and grab some plates because dinner is ready…
The beer and the low/slow braising has done a wonderful job of making this beef super tender. It should shred up real easily leaving no knives required on the table. I like to shred the beef right into the caramelized onion gravy that it cooked in, but if you prefer to serve things separately, that works too!
Traditionally, beef carbonnade is served with french fries, mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles. Something starchy that can help make all of that glorious gravy have a good place to go.
Today, I am serving it with some roasted potatoes and carrots and some crusty bread. I think whatever you end up serving with your beef carbonnade with, you are going to absolutely love this rustic, comforting dish.
Buon appetito!
Beef Carbonnade
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds of beef chuck or a similar collagen rich cut
- olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 6 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 24 ounces of your favorite malty beer
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- fresh herbs (about 3 parsley sprigs, 3 thyme sprigs and 2 bay leaves)
- 4 slices of crusty bread
- 4 teaspoons of dijon or stone grain mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees
- Place a large braiser or dutch oven over medium heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil
- While the braiser is warming up, slice your beef into large chunks and dry all sides with paper towels
- Season the beef generously with salt and black pepper on all sides
- Brown the beef on all sides in batches transferring them onto a plate when finished
- Once all of the beef has been browned, add 2 tablespoons of butter and the thinly sliced yellow onions into the braiser
- Cook stirring occasional for about 10 minutes or until the onions are beginning to caramelize a bit
- Stir in 6 finely minced garlic cloves into the caramelized onions and season the onions with salt and black pepper
- Add the beer and use a wooden spoon to stiff spatula to work the browned bits up from the bottom of the braiser
- Bring the beer up to a simmer and stir in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- Transfer the browned beef back into the braiser
- Add the fresh herbs
- Spread dijon mustard over 4 slices of crusty bread and place the bread over the beef mustard side down
- Cover the braiser and bake in a 325 degree oven for 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until the beef is very tender
- About 20 minutes before you remove the beef from the oven, gently stir the bread down into the braising liquid
- Serve with fries, buttered noodles, mashed potatoes to roasted vegetables
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