Carbonade Flamande
Carbonade Flamande is a traditional Belgian dish consisting of beef short ribs simmered in Belgian ale and then served over fries or roasted potatoes. It's the perfect comfort food for cold weather!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 626kcal
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon diced
- 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs cut into 2” cubes (see note)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 medium yellow onions cut into ¼” slices
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 12 oz. Belgian style ale such as Leffe Brune, Chimay or Ommegang
- 1½ cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- roasted potatoes
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add diced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crispy. Transfer bacon into a large bowl, but leave ~2 Tbsp of bacon fat in pot. Transfer bacon into a large bowl; set aside.
- Meanwhile, pat beef dry with a paper towel.
- Add butter to pot. Once butter has melted, add beef and brown on all sides, turning as necessary. Once browned, transfer beef into bowl with cooked bacon. (Note: I did this in 2 rounds to avoid overcrowding the pot.)
- Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper; toss until well coated. Set beef aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add sugar and minced garlic; stir until well combined. Continue cooking for 8-10 more minutes, stirring often, or until onions have turned golden brown.
- Add flour; stir until well combined.
- Add ale; stir until well combined, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Transfer beef and bacon into pot. Add broth, mustard, brown sugar, thyme and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours. (Note: This is a good time to roast the potatoes.)
- Remove lid and continue simmering for 40-45 minutes or until beef is fork tender.
- Discard bay leaves. Spoon mixture over roasted potatoes and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
Any cut of beef that is good for stews will work here. Chuck roast is popular, but I opted for beef short ribs in this recipe.
The type of beer used in this recipe is important. Make sure to select a Belgian ale. I used Ommegang's Abbey Ale, but if that beer isn't available in your area, look for another Belgian dubbel or Flanders red ale instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 644mg | Potassium: 1072mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 5.6mg
