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Beef Carbonnade Stew

Beef carbonnade stew with Belgian beer-braised beef and caramelized onions for a deep mahogany, malty broth. This Dutch oven method braises until the beef is very tender and thickens naturally with flour and tomato paste.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Belgian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and aromatics
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck Cut into 2-inch cubes.
  • 3 onions Thinly sliced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 3 fresh thyme 2 sprigs; leaves only is fine if you prefer.
  • 2 bay leaves
Stew base
  • 2 cup dark Belgian ale or stout beer
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Cooking and seasoning
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • salt and pepper To taste. Season the beef before searing.
  • 1 crusty bread For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear the beef
  1. Season beef chuck cubes with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and sear until deeply browned, about 6-8 minutes; remove beef to a plate.
Caramelize onions and build the sauce
  1. Cook thinly sliced onions in the Dutch oven over medium heat until very soft and golden, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally so they color but don’t scorch.
  2. Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute, then whisk in all-purpose flour and cook 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
  3. Pour in the dark Belgian ale or stout beer and deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven until the mixture looks smooth.
Braise
  1. Whisk in beef broth, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, bay leaves, and return the seared beef to the pot.
  2. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise for 2 hours until the beef is very tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove bay leaves and thyme, then season the stew with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Serve hot with crusty bread for scooping the rich, malty broth.

Notes

For the deepest flavor, brown the beef in batches so it gets true color instead of steaming, then deglaze aggressively to lift all the browned fond. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3-4 days. Freezing is yes for up to 3 months; reheat gently until hot throughout. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the roux step.