Boeuf Flamande Recipes

CARBONNADE FLAMANDE (BEEF AND BEER STEW)

Steps:

• Marinate the beef with the beer, the garlic, the bay leaves and a pinch of salt for at least two hours, or overnight.
• Drain the beef and reserve the marinade. Pat dry the beef with paper towels.
• In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil until pipping hot. Fry the beef in batches, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the beef cubes and reserve.
• In the same dutch oven, fry the bacon until golden and crisp. Reserve with the beef.
• Add the onions, a pinch of salt and fry in the bacon grease, until caramelized (around 10 minutes).
• Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until the flour is cooked and the onions are coated.
• Add the beef broth and scrape the bits stuck in the bottom. Add the reserved marinade, the beef, the bacon and the thyme.
• Cook for 1.5 hours.
• Add the brown sugar, the parsley, some fresh pepper and the mustard. Cook for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle some fresh parsley on top and serve with fries.

CARBONNADE FLAMANDE (FLEMISH STEW)

Steps:

• Place the beef into a large bowl and cover with the flour, salt, and pepper. Toss/combine until the beef is well-covered on all sides.
• Place a large cast iron frying pan or Dutch oven on the stove top over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Brown the beef in the pan, taking care not to crowd the pieces together (you'll most likely want to work in batches). Once the beef has been well-browned (~3-4 minutes per batch), remove it from the pan and set it aside.
• Add the bacon to the now-empty pan and cook until the fat is fully rendered and the bacon is a little bit crisp.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the onions, garlic, and remaining butter to the pan. Cook slowly, until the onions are well-caramelized - on average 35-45 minutes. Ensure that your heat is truly low enough; a large coil on a gas stove may still be too hot when set on low, especially as the caramelization stage nears.
• Add the beer to the pan and scrape it gently to deglaze any stuck-on bits. Bring the heat back up to medium-high and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about ¼.
• Transfer the contents of the frying pan and the beef to an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, or large Dutch Oven (see next step for cooking variations). Add the beef stock, sugar, vinegar, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. You may wish to lightly salt the dish at this point, but adjust the final taste closer to the completion point.
• Pressure Cooker: Seal and cook at high pressure (manual) for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to reduce naturally for at least 15 minutes before venting.Slow Cooker: Cover and slow cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until the beef is very tender.Stovetop: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
• Remove finished stew from heat and adjust the final taste with salt and, if necessary, a little brown sugar and/or vinegar. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with bread, potatoes, or (my favourite) fries.

CARBONNADE FLAMANDE

Steps:

• Marinate the beef overnight in the ale with the garlic and bay leaves. The next day, drain the beef from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper and toss it in the seasoned flour until evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole until hot. Fry the beef in 3-4 batches for about 5 minutes per batch, stirring occasionally, until it is a rich golden brown all over. You may need to add a little more oil between batches but make sure it is hot again before adding the next batch. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside. Don't worry if the bottom of the casserole is starting to brown, this all adds to the flavour of the finished dish.
• Lower the heat to medium and fry the pancetta in the casserole for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden. Scoop the pancetta out with a slotted spoon and set aside with the beef.
• Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/gas 3. Tip the carrots, onions and leek into the casserole and fry, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown - this takes about 12 minutes. Spoon in the tomato purée and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the beef and pour in the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan, then add all the beef stock and bouquet garni to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and bring everything to the boil. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through. (The carbonnade may now be left to cool and frozen for up to 1 month. Add 100ml/31⁄2 fl oz more stock to the sauce when reheating.) When the beef is ready, taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top and serve straight from the casserole, with creamy mash or jacket potatoes and buttered greens or cabbage.

CARBONNADE à LA FLAMANDE

Steps:

• Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Dry the beef and heat the fat in a 9- to 10-inch ovenproof casserole or pot until almost smoking. Brown the beef quickly on all sides, a few pieces at a time, removing them as they brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat and set aside.
• Reduce heat. Stir in onions, adding more fat if necessary. Brown lightly about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic. Set aside. Add stock to the pan and scrape up the brown bits and coagulated juices.
• Arrange half the beef in the pan and spread with half the onions. Repeat with the remaining beef and onions. Add enough beer to cover the meat. Stir in the brown sugar and bury the herb bouquet in the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Cook at a slow simmer (check occasionally) for 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender.
• Remove from the oven and discard the herb bouquet. Remove beef and skim off the fat. Blend the arrowroot with 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir into the liquid. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until thickened. Adjust seasonings. Return meat to the pan, stir and heat through. Serve with noodles.

BOEUF FLAMANDE

Steps:

• Pick over the stewing beef and cut it into smallish cubes.
• Sear in the oil, browning it well.
• Chop the onion and smash the garlic.
• Turn down the heat and cook the onion and garlic gently with the meat.
• Check the oil (there should still be some).
• Stir in the flour and mix to a paste, then add the beer, stir rapidly as it thickens and adjust the liquid with water so that the meat is covered.
• Season with salt and grounf black pepper and add the bouquet garni.
• Cover with the lid and simmer gently for at least one hour (more for tougher cuts of beef), stirring and checking the liquid level occasionally so that it does not dry out and stick.
• Serve with filling vegetables such as potatoes.