Description
Beef Carbonnade is a rich and hearty Belgian stew featuring tender beef short ribs slowly braised in beer, beef stock, and aromatic herbs. This comforting main course is enhanced with mushrooms, speck, and a flavorful blend of mustard and tomato paste, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 1.5 kg beef short ribs - trimmed
- ¼ cup plain/all purpose flour
- salt & pepper to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large carrot diced
- 2 brown onions sliced
- 300 g button mushrooms, whole or thickly sliced
- 150 g speck diced
- 2 fresh garlic cloves crushed
Liquids and Flavorings
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 350 ml beer (lager or any beer you enjoy)
- 500 ml beef stock
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit) to prepare for slow baking the stew.
- Prepare Beef: Cut the beef short ribs into individual ribs and dust them thoroughly with the flour, coating all sides evenly.
- Browning Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Fry the ribs in batches until they are well browned on all sides, adding more oil if necessary. Remove browned ribs to a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add the diced carrot, sliced onions, mushrooms, and diced speck. Fry until the vegetables start to soften and release their aromas.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in the tomato paste and crushed garlic cloves, cooking for about 30 seconds to deepen the flavors.
- Add Beer and Herbs: Pour in the beer and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add wholegrain mustard, fresh thyme leaves, and finely chopped rosemary. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits for added flavor.
- Add Stock and Beef: Pour in the beef stock, return the browned beef ribs along with any resting juices to the pot, and bring to a simmer again.
- Bake: Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 2 hours or until the beef is tender and juicy. If the beef is not tender after 2 hours, continue baking for an additional 30 minutes.
- Season and Serve: Remove the ribs and season the stew with salt and pepper to taste. For a thicker sauce, simmer the liquid on the stovetop after removing the ribs until desired consistency is reached. Serve hot.
Notes
- Browning the ribs well is essential as the caramelized bits add deep flavor to the stew.
- The weight of ribs includes bones so expect some of the weight to be bone, not just meat.
- Bacon can be used as a substitute for speck if desired.
- Lager is suggested for beer, but feel free to use any beer that suits your taste preferences.
- If after the initial baking time beef remains tough, simply continue cooking in the oven for another 30 minutes.
- To thicken the sauce, remove the ribs and simmer the sauce on the stove until it reduces to your liking.
- Calorie counts are approximate and may vary depending on ingredients and cooking variations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
