Carbonnade A La Flamande Aka Beef And Beer Stew

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 1/2 lbs chuck steaks, cut into bite size pieces
• salt & fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• 3 tablespoons lard or 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lbs sweet onions, medium dice (about 3 medium sized)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 garlic cloves (minced or pressed through a garlic press, about 2 tsp)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 12 ounces dark beer or 12 ounces stout beer
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Recipe

• 1 adjust oven rack to lower middle potion; preheat oven to 300°f
• 2 a dutch oven or similar pot is best.
• 3 brown the beef in 3 batches with ¼ of the lard or oil for each.
• 4 remove the meat to a bowl.
• 5 add the onions to the pot with the remaining fat and cook until they begin to caramelize.
• 6 add a 2 teaspoons of salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and the tomato paste;.
• 7 stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 8 add the flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• 9 stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, and browned beef with any of the accumulated juices.
• 10 increase heat to medium-high and bring to a full simmer; cover then place pot in oven. cook about 2 hours.
• 11 discard thyme and bay.
• 12 adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
• 13 this dish can serve plain or over spatzle.