Carbonnades à la Flamande: The Ultimate Belgian Beer Beef Stew Recipe for Hearty Comfort

Carbonnades à la Flamande (aka Belgian Beer Beef Stew) is a savory way to bring a little comfort back into yo’ life. In honor of Bastille Day, this French stew is made with beer instead of traditional red wine, giving it a rich and slightly bitter flavor to tickle your taste buds with. Vive la France!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sprouts. While I was compensated, as always, all opinions and the recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Cake ‘n Knife!

There’s something truly magical about a slow-cooked beef stew, especially one that carries the rich tapestry of European culinary tradition. This Carbonnades à la Flamande, often known as Belgian Beer Beef Stew, is precisely that – a deep, comforting embrace in a bowl, reimagined with the distinctive flavors of Belgian golden ale. It’s a dish that transcends mere sustenance, offering a taste of history and heartwarming satisfaction with every tender bite.

My journey to crafting this particular version began with a memorable trip across the Atlantic, where I had the immense pleasure of exploring the vibrant culinary landscape of Belgium. From the moment I first tasted their diverse range of beers, a new appreciation bloomed. Deep, complex Trappist ales, crisp pilsners, and luminous golden ales – each offered a unique experience, characterized by their exceptional flavor profiles and impeccable balance. It wasn’t long before my mind started buzzing with ideas, trying to figure out the best way to integrate these incredible brews into my home kitchen.

Embracing Belgian Beer in a French Classic

The perfect opportunity presented itself as Bastille Day approached. When Sprouts reached out, inviting me to create a celebratory meal, everything simply clicked. Why not honor the spirit of French cuisine with a delicious, comforting stew, but infuse it with my newfound love for Belgian beer? It was a stroke of culinary inspiration, drawing from the rich collection of French recipes my grandmother had lovingly passed down. This dish, with its unique Belgian twist, felt like the ideal way to commemorate the occasion with depth and character.

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You might be pondering why a classic French recipe like Carbonnades à la Flamande would incorporate Belgian beer. However, the explanation is quite simple and rooted in geography and history. Given the close proximity of Belgium and France, it’s natural for their cultures, including culinary traditions, to intertwine. Border regions often share flavors, techniques, and even dish names, adapting them to local ingredients and tastes. This stew, originally from the French-speaking region of Flanders (which spans parts of both countries), perfectly exemplifies this cross-cultural exchange. With Belgium boasting such an incredible brewing heritage, it’s not surprising that some French cooks in the region would choose beer over wine for their hearty stews. The result is a richer, slightly less acidic, and wonderfully complex flavor that stands proudly on its own.

Carbonnades à la Flamande vs. Boeuf Bourguignon: A Flavorful Distinction

If you’re already familiar with the beloved Boeuf Bourguignon, you’ll recognize the comforting essence of a slow-braised beef stew in Carbonnades à la Flamande. However, these two French classics diverge beautifully in their primary liquid and beef preparation. While Boeuf Bourguignon traditionally uses red wine and features thick, robust chunks of beef, Carbonnades à la Flamande opts for a golden ale from Belgium and often calls for thinly sliced meat. This subtle yet significant difference allows the beef to more thoroughly absorb the beer’s unique malty, slightly bitter, and often fruity notes, resulting in an exceptionally tender texture and a deeply nuanced flavor profile. The beer brings a different kind of warmth and depth, making this stew distinctly unique and equally comforting.

You might mistakenly believe that a stew of this caliber is inherently complicated to prepare. On the contrary, this recipe is genuinely straightforward and accessible for any home cook. It’s not one of those “simple” recipes that master chefs casually toss around on TV, implying you should just whip up your own rosemary foam from scratch! (I might be watching too many “Top Chef” reruns lately, admittedly.) This truly simple approach to a complex-tasting dish is part of its charm and appeal, making it a perfect weekend cooking project or a comforting weeknight meal.

The Secret to Unforgettable Flavor: Quality Ingredients

Back to this *actually* simple recipe: the extraordinary flavor of this stew stems from a powerful combination of quality ingredients. The star is, of course, the Belgian golden ale – I highly recommend a Duvel or similar robust golden ale for its ideal balance of sweetness and subtle bitterness, which beautifully complements the rich beef. But the supporting actor that truly elevates this dish is the perfect Italian Seasoning from Sprouts. This blend of herbs adds an aromatic complexity that ties all the flavors together harmoniously.

If you haven’t yet explored the bulk seasoning section at your local Sprouts, you absolutely *must*. It’s a true treasure trove for any home cook, my personal version of spice heaven. You’ll find all your essential herbs and spices, plus some truly amazing pre-mixed combinations, like the Italian Seasoning used in this recipe, perfect for elevating your cooking any time of year. Instead of meticulously measuring out five different spices, Sprouts thoughtfully takes care of that detail, providing a balanced, ready-to-use blend. This convenience saves time without compromising on flavor, ensuring consistent deliciousness every time.

The way these spices marry with the savory onions, sweet carrots, pungent garlic, and the robust Belgian beer in this stew is simply divine. The resulting flavor is rich and profound without being overly heavy, and aromatic without being overpowering. It creates a symphony of tastes that lingers pleasantly on the palate.

And let’s not forget the beef itself. The Sprouts beef chuck roast, slow-cooked to perfection, transforms into an unbelievably tender, melt-in-your-mouth mouthful of comfort. Each piece is so succulent, imbued with the rich flavors of the stew, that it’s akin to stepping into a cozy, authentic brasserie nestled on a charming street in Paris. This quality of meat is essential for achieving that deeply satisfying texture that defines a truly exceptional stew.

Serving Suggestions for the Perfect Comfort Meal

When it comes to serving this magnificent stew, personally, I find that a bed of buttered noodles is the ultimate accompaniment. The soft, buttery noodles soak up the rich, flavorful sauce beautifully, creating a harmonious and incredibly satisfying dish. However, the versatility of Carbonnades à la Flamande allows for other delightful pairings too. You could serve it simply with thick slices of toasted crusty bread, perfect for scooping up every last drop of the savory broth. Alternatively, a side of crispy roasted potatoes would add a wonderful textural contrast, or even creamy mashed potatoes for an extra layer of indulgence. No matter how you choose to serve it, this stew promises a hearty and memorable meal.

So raise a glass, or a fork, to the wonderful blend of French tradition and Belgian brewing artistry! Vive la France! Vive la Belgique! And vive allllll the beer that brings such deliciousness to our tables. This Carbonnades à la Flamande is more than just a recipe; it’s a celebration of cross-cultural flavors and the enduring power of comfort food.

Carbonnades à la Flamande (Belgian Beer Beef Stew)

Instead of braising the beef like a traditional bourguignon dish, this recipe for Carbonnades à la Flamande features rich Belgian beer. Tender beef, savory onions, sweet carrots, and aromatic spices come together in this comforting, slightly bitter dish that’s perfect for any time of year, delivering a unique French-Belgian flavor experience.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 3 hours hrs

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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ingredients

• 3 lb Sprouts beef chuck roast sliced into 2-inch by 4-inch pieces that are ½-inch thick
• 2 to 3 Tbsp bacon fat
• 2 large yellow onions sliced
• 4 cloves garlic mashed
• 1 tsp freshly diced shallot
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 1/2 cups Belgian beer I used Duvel Belgian Golden Ale
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 springs fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp Sprouts Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• Buttered noodles
• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 C).
• Add bacon fat to a large cast-iron skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Brown the beef slices on both sides, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove browned beef to a plate and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions and carrots to the same skillet. Brown vegetables for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently until softened and lightly caramelized. Remove from heat and season the vegetables with salt, pepper, garlic, and freshly diced shallot.
• Arrange half of the browned meat at the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Layer half of the seasoned onions and carrots over the beef. Add the remaining meat, followed by the remaining onions and carrots, creating alternating layers.
• Return the cast-iron skillet (used for beef and vegetables) to medium heat. Pour beef stock into the skillet, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze and incorporate all the flavorful browned bits into the broth.
• Pour the warmed, deglazed broth over the layered meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven. Carefully pour the Belgian beer over everything. Stir in the light brown sugar, bay leaf, fresh thyme sprigs, and Sprouts Italian seasoning.
• Bring the mixture to a gentle boil on the stovetop. Once boiling, cover the Dutch oven tightly and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 2 ½ hours, or until the beef is incredibly tender.
• Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place it back on the stovetop. Before proceeding, gently pick out and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and red wine vinegar until a smooth slurry forms. Gradually stir this mixture into the simmering stew. Bring the stew back to a medium-high heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
• Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately over buttered noodles or your chosen accompaniment, garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Category: Main Dish