Beef Carbonnade aka Beef Braised in Beer

Carbonnade a la Flamande

This is a favorite comfort food: hearty and rich Belgian beef stew with sweet caramelized onions and dark beer!

3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed & cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 slices bacon, finely diced
2 teaspoons thyme

1 clove minced garlic

1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 bottle (12 oz) ale or lager beer
1/2 cup beef  broth

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 small French baguette, sliced into rounds

Dijon mustard to smear on baguette slices

Mix the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture. Reserve any remaining flour. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Brown the meat on all sides & place in slow cooker.  Reduce heat to medium low, add the onions and cook until tender (about 10 minutes) & place in slow cooker.
Add the bacon to the skillet and cook over medium heat until cooked, but not crisp. Add the herbs and reserved flour mixture. Cook until the flour browns, about 3 minutes. Add bacon mixture, brown sugar, beer, broth and tomato paste to the slow cooker & give a stir.  Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.

When ready to serve, slice the baguette intro rounds and smear each with mustard. Place the bread rounds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until the bread is lightly browned.

Serve with cooked egg noodles in large shallow bowls with bread rounds on top.  A great side dish to accompany this is sauteed sweet & sour red cabbage.