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Beef Carbonnade Stew

Beef carbonnade stew made with oven-braised beef in Belgian brown ale, slow-cooked until the meat is very tender and the onions turn deeply caramelized. Seasoned with thyme and bay leaves, then baked until the beer-braised sauce thickens as the mustard bread dissolves.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Belgian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck
  • 3 lb beef chuck cut into 2-inch pieces
Seasoning
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter divided
Onions
  • 4 onions large, thinly sliced
Brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
All-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
Beer and broth
  • 12 oz Belgian brown ale 1 bottle
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Herbs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
Mustard bread
  • 2 slices rustic bread spread with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Season the beef chuck with salt and black pepper, then brown in batches in 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven.
  2. Brown until the beef is well-seared on multiple sides, adjusting heat as needed to keep browning consistent, 5 to 8 minutes total per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate while you brown the rest.
Caramelize onions and build the base
  1. Add the remaining butter and the thinly sliced onions to the Dutch oven. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden.
  2. Stir in the brown sugar and all-purpose flour, coating the onions evenly. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste, keeping the mixture bubbling but not burning.
Braise in beer and bake
  1. Pour in the Belgian brown ale, beef broth, and apple cider vinegar, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, then add fresh thyme, bay leaves, and the browned beef.
  2. Lay the mustard-spread rustic bread on top of the stew, mustard side down. Cover with the lid and bake at 325F for 2 1/2 hours.
  3. Stir once the bread begins to dissolve (about halfway through), 1 to 2 times during baking depending on how quickly it breaks down. Continue baking until the beef is very tender, with a glossy, thickened beer-braised sauce.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then serve hot with fries or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the onions thin so they truly caramelize in the 20-minute sauté, which creates the stew’s deep, glossy sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop. Freeze up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat slowly. Dietary swap: for gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free bread.