Carbonnade à la Flamande
- Total Time
- 3 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3pounds rump or chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 3tablespoons bacon fat, or a mixture of butter and olive oil, or more if necessary
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 6cups sliced yellow onions (about 1½ pounds)
- 4cloves garlic, pressed
- 1cup beef stock
- 2 to 3cups beer
- 2tablespoons brown sugar
- 1herb bouquet (6 parsley sprigs, 4 thyme branches, 1 bay leaf tied together)
- 1½tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
- 2tablespoons red-wine vinegar, plus more to taste
- Buttered noodles for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
606 calories; 21 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 56 grams protein; 1242 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Dry the beef and heat the fat in a 9- to 10-inch ovenproof casserole or pot until almost smoking. Brown the beef quickly on all sides, a few pieces at a time, removing them as they brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat and set aside.
- Step 2
Reduce heat. Stir in onions, adding more fat if necessary. Brown lightly about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic. Set aside. Add stock to the pan and scrape up the brown bits and coagulated juices.
- Step 3
Arrange half the beef in the pan and spread with half the onions. Repeat with the remaining beef and onions. Add enough beer to cover the meat. Stir in the brown sugar and bury the herb bouquet in the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Cook at a slow simmer (check occasionally) for 2½ hours, until meat is tender.
- Step 4
Remove from the oven and discard the herb bouquet. Remove beef and skim off the fat. Blend the arrowroot with 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir into the liquid. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until thickened. Adjust seasonings. Return meat to the pan, stir and heat through. Serve with noodles.
Private Notes
Comments
Definitely my old Julia Child recipe I've made for nearly 50 years. Difference: sprinkle 2 TB flour over beef when adding back into the onions, stir and brown slightly; use a bottle of Newcastle Brown or other ale; cut thick bacon into lardons, cook them, remove, add them back into the stew before braising in oven. This gives the Carbonnade another layer of flavor. Served with parsley new potatoes and salad, it's an unctuously wonderful meal. PS: always use my Creuset Dutch Oven.
I ate and learned to make carbonnade from my long-ago work at Gambrinus, a Belgian restaurant in Austin, TX, closed now for many years. The true Belgian version includes a good beer (Belgium has more breweries per capita than any other country!), a flour/herb mixture to coat the beef cubes before browning, and absolutely crucial is the Dijon mustard mixed into the sauce (mustardy flavor plus the vinegar already in mustard! Changes everything!)
This is Julia Child's recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Delicious, satisfying... wonderful.
Combined this with a similar recipe, adding a star anise and cinnamon stick to the herb bouquet. Also followed some suggestions below, starting with thick bacon into lardons which got tossed back into the stew with the beef. Also coated beef cubes with flour. Didn't use the brown sugar but might throw in a bit next time. Used a Belgium trippel for the recipe and paired with fingerling potatoes and a California Pinot. Delicious winter meal :)
This is a dish my father in law makes often and one ingredient I see missing from here that he always includes is pain d’épices (or ginger bread). I think with that added, you could forego the cornstarch. Another option to really bring out the Flemish aspect of the dish would be to add spéculos instead of gingerbread. The spices in either really balance out the dish and add a warming complexity. Also, beef cheeks work wonderfully for a long braise like this, and we use it often.
This is simply the best stew recipe I have tried, period. So simple, so easy, and the flavor is out of this world. But PLEASE use a robust Belgian brew. Makes all the difference.
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