Carbonnade Flamande – Flemish Beef and Beer Stew

Carbonnade is a Belgium / Flemish iconic stew which features fork-tender chunks of beef and plenty of caramelized onions bathed in a hearty beer broth. French fries are considered a classic accompaniment to Carbonnade Flamande, but mashed potatoes, crusty bread, pasta or simple roasted vegetables are also excellent. The classic choice of beer for Carbonnade is usually brown ale, but it can also be made a dark or golden ale, depends on what you prefer. Try not to add too many different types of vegetables to the stew, just keep it simple with onions. Tomatoes, leeks or carrots have no place in Carbonnade Flamande, which is best the traditional way. This recipe can be adapted for your instant pot (about 45 minutes) or slow cooker (4-5 hours at slow), but the browning and caramelizing steps are still required.


150 g Pancetta, chopped (or bacon) 1.5 kg Chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks Salt and freshly milled black pepper 3 Onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced 3 Garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed 3 tbsp Plain flour 375 ml Brown ale (Belgian Dubbel if possible) 250 ml Beef stock 4 Fresh thyme sprigs (or ½ tsp dried thyme) 2-3 Bay leaves 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp Dark brown sugar

Cook chopped pancetta or bacon in an oven safe pot over medium high heat. Cook until brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towel and season them well with salt and black pepper. Working in 3-4 batches, add beef to the pot and brown on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pot or they won’t brown properly. Transfer the browned beef to a separate bowl.
Pre-heat your oven to 160C/320F.
In the same pot, add in sliced onions and cook the onion on medium-low heat until caramelised. This would take 25-30 minutes. Don’t try to rush the process.Add in crushed garlic and sauté for a minute. Sprinkle in flour and sauté until it gets a little brown.
Pour in the beer and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, pancetta, browned beef chunks and stir to combine.
Cover with the lid and place in the oven. Let cook for 2-2.5 hours, until the beef is fork tender. Remove the lid and bake for a further 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve with crusty bread and sprinkled with extra parsley.