Beef Carbonnade Recipes

BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Dredge beef in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of beef to skillet and cook until beef is brown on all sides, turning beef occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer to heavy large Dutch oven. Repeat process in 2 more batches, adding 1 tablespoon oil to skillet per batch.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over low heat. Stir in onions and garlic. Cook until onions are golden brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to Dutch over. Add broth, beer and thyme to beef mixture. Cover and simmer until beef is very tender when pierced with fork, approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Remove cover. Boil stew as necessary until liquids are reduced to sauce consistency. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead; refrigerate. Return stew to simmer before continuing.) Serve stew with egg noodles and garnish with parsley.

BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• 1. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes.
• 2. Transfer the beef to a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Add the onions to the skillet; reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the broth; bring to a boil, stirring constantly to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the potatoes, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, thyme, and bay leaves. Pour 1/3 cup of the beer into a small bowl and refrigerate. Pour the remaining beer over the beef and vegetables. Press the potatoes into the liquid to cover. Top with an even layer of the carrots. Cover and cook until the beef and vegetables are fork-tender, 4-5 hours on high or low 8-10 hours on low.
• 3. About 20 minutes before the cooking time is up, whisk the flour and reserved 1/3 cup of beer until smooth. Stir in about 1/4 hot liquid from the slow cooker until blended. Stir the flour mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until the mixture simmers and thickens, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

BEEF CARBONNADE WITH VEGETABLES: BELGIAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• 1. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and smoked paprika in a large bowl; add the beef chunks. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat evenly. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the oil. Brown the meat, in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan, turning to sear all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to a plate.
• 3. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until just soft, 5 to 7 minutes, adding a few tablespoons water if the pot gets too dark or begins to burn. Add the beer, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the broth, molasses and thyme.
• 4. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the beef is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add the potatoes, carrots, and parsnips; continue to simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender but not mushy, about 40 minutes more.
• 5. Stir together the remaining 1 teaspoon flour and melted butter to make a paste. Stir the flour mixture into the stew and simmer until the broth is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard the thyme sprigs and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. If desired, sprinkle with parsley. Transfer stew to a serving bowl and serve.

CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Gather the marjoram, parsley, bay leaf and thyme in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a bundle with kitchen string (alternatively, tie the herbs together with a leek leaf).
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon, garlic and onions and cook until the garlic is soft and the onions translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the pot.
• Increase the heat under the pot to medium-high and add 2 tablespoons of the butter.
• Sprinkle the beef with 2 tablespoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Working in batches if necessary, add the beef to the pot and sear until browned on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium and return the bacon, onions and garlic to the pot.
• Add the apple cider vinegar and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon until reduced. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and let melt. Add the flour and cook until everything is coated and there is a nutty aroma.
• Add the beer, mustard and sirop de Liege; stir to combine. Add the bouquet garni. Bring the carbonnade to a simmer and cook until tender, 45 minutes.
• Remove the carbonnade from the heat and let rest for 45 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni, reheat and serve.

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.

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.

BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Coarsely dice the bacon and saute it in a large skillet until crisp and brown. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Add the onions to the skillet and cook them in the rendered bacon fat until tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover the skillet, raise the heat, and sprinkle the onions with the sugar. Toss and stir them until they are well browned. Transfer onions to a strainer set over a bowl and let stand while you prepare the beef.
• Stir together on a plate the flour, thyme, salt and pepper, and roll the cubes of meat around in the mixture until well coated. Shake off the excess and set the cubes on another plate.
• Add vegetable oil to the kettle for browning the beef. 1/2 tablespoon or less for each batch. Be sparing with the oil, or the carbonnade will be greasy. Set the kettle over high heat; when the kettle is very hot, add 6 to 8 beef cubes. Do not crowd them in the kettle or they will not brown properly. Turn the heat down slightly and continue to cook cubes until browned on all sides. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a clean plate and proceed with the browning until all the meat is done. After browning the first two batches, press the onions gently with the back of a spoon to extract as much of the cooking fat as possible. Transfer fat to a kettle, and brown the last of the beef. (If you use the fat with the sugar at the beginning the bits on the bottom will burn.)
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Pour the beer into the kettle and use a spoon to stir up all the browned bits on the bottom. Return beef cubes to the kettle along with the bacon and sauteed onions. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover and set on the middle rack of the oven.
• Cook for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, or until stew is reduced and thickened and meat is tender. Regulate the oven temperature as needed to maintain a moderate simmer.
• During the last 20 minutes, cook the egg noodles.
• Taste the stew and correct seasoning. Turn stew out into a heated serving dish, serve with buttered egg noodles, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

MAINLY MUSHROOM BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In an ovenproof Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper; brown in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon., Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to drippings; cook, stirring frequently, until dark golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in remaining oil; add mushrooms and garlic. Saute until mushrooms begin to brown and release their liquid. Stir in tomato paste., Add carrots, bread, bay leaves, thyme and bouillon. Add beer and water, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil; return beef to pan., Bake, covered, until meat is tender, 2 to 2-1/4 hours. Remove from oven; discard bay leaves. Stir in chocolate until melted.

BELGIAN BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Mix flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Roll beef cubes in this until well coated.
• Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onions; saute until soft and tender. Remove.
• In same pan over high heat, sear beef cubes, a few at a time.
• Return onions and meat to pan. Set on low heat.
• Add garlic, bay leaf, thyme and celery. Sprinkle on parsley; add sugar and beer.
• Bring to simmer while stirring. Cover and poach on low heat, 1 1/2 hours.
• Add vinegar. Simmer 5 minutes. .