Recipe for cooking flemish beef and beer stew

Recipes from England :: English Soups and Stews

Carbonnades are made with bacon and dark-colored beer. This is delicious over hot, buttered egg noodles.

1 (1 1/2 pound) boneless beef chuck
    or round steak, 1 in. thick
1/4 pound bacon
4 med. onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
1 c. water
1 (12 or 16 ounce) can light or dark beer
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. vinegar
Minced parsley
Hot cooked noodles

Cut beef into 1/2-in. slices; cut slices into 2-in. strips. Cut bacon into 1/4-in. pieces; fry in Dutch oven until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon; drain. Pour off fat and reserve. Cook and stir onions and garlic in 2 Tbsp. of the reserved bacon fat until onion is tender, about 10 mins. Remove onions. Cook and stir beef in remaining bacon fat until brown, about 15 mins.

Stir in flour to coat beef; gradually stir in water. Add onions, beer, bay leaf, brown sugar, salt, thyme and pepper. Add just enough water to cover beef if necessary. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beef is tender 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove bay leaf. Stir in vinegar; sprinkle and distribute with bacon and parsley.

Yields 6 servings.