Carbonnade Flamande

Method

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1. Toss the beef in the seasoned flour. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter with the oil and brown the meat in three batches, setting each aside.

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2. Add the remaining butter and the onions to the pot with a pinch of salt. Cook 20 minutes over medium-low heat until soft, sweet and lightly caramelised. This is a long step and it is where the sweetness comes from.

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3. Pour in the ale and vinegar, scraping the base clean, and let it bubble 3 minutes.

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4. Return the beef with the stock, sugar, bay, thyme, salt and pepper.

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5. Spread the bread thickly with the mustard and lay it mustard side down on the surface of the stew.

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6. Cover and cook at 150C fan for 2 1/2 hours.

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7. Stir the bread in — it will have dissolved into the sauce and thickened it.

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8. If the sauce is still loose, simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Taste for the balance of sweet, sour and bitter and adjust with a little more sugar or vinegar.

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9. Remove the bay and thyme, scatter with parsley, and serve with frites.

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Chef’s Tips

• Twenty minutes on the onions. Rushing them leaves the stew bitter.
• The mustard bread is the thickener. No flour slurry, no cornflour.
• Taste at the end and adjust sugar against vinegar. That balance is the dish.

Pairing Suggestions

• Belgian frites with mayonnaise
• The same brown ale
• Buttered noodles

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days, better on day two, and freeze 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.