Description
Beef Carbonnade is a rich and hearty Belgian stew made with tender beef short ribs slowly cooked in beer, beef stock, and aromatic herbs. This comforting dish features caramelized vegetables, mustard, and speck, delivering layers of robust flavor perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Coating
- 1.5 kg beef short ribs - trimmed
- ¼ cup plain/all purpose flour
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large carrot diced
- 2 brown onions sliced
- 300 g button mushrooms (if small, leave whole, or thickly sliced)
- 2 fresh garlic cloves crushed
- 150 g speck diced
Liquids and Flavorings
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 350 ml beer (lager or any beer you enjoy)
- 500 ml beef stock
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit) to prepare for slow cooking the beef.
- Prepare Beef: Cut the beef short ribs into individual portions and dust each piece evenly with plain/all purpose flour to assist in browning and thickening the sauce later.
- Brown Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the floured ribs in batches, adding more oil if necessary, until all sides are well browned for maximum flavor. Remove browned ribs to a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add the diced carrot, sliced brown onions, button mushrooms, and diced speck. Fry the mixture until the vegetables soften, absorbing the browned bits left from the ribs.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in the tomato paste and crushed garlic cloves, cooking for about 30 seconds to release their aroma and deepen the sauce's taste.
- Deglaze with Beer: Pour in the beer and bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping the bottom to loosen any stuck flavorful bits.
- Incorporate Herbs and Mustard: Add the wholegrain mustard, fresh thyme leaves, and chopped rosemary. Stir well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Add Stock and Beef: Pour in the beef stock and return the browned beef ribs along with any resting juices to the pot. Bring everything back to a gentle simmer.
- Bake Slowly: Cover the casserole and bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours or until the beef is tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Notes
- Proper browning of the beef ribs is essential for developing flavor; don’t rush this step.
- The beef short ribs weight includes bones, which contributes to the overall quantity.
- Speck can be substituted with bacon if you prefer.
- Lager beer is recommended but feel free to use any beer you enjoy to vary the flavor.
- If the beef is not tender after 2 hours, continue cooking in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- To thicken the sauce, remove the ribs and simmer the sauce uncovered on the stove until desired consistency is reached.
- The calorie and nutrition information is an estimate as actual values may vary depending on ingredient brands and exact measurements.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
