This Belgian Beef Stew, from Cook’s Illustrated, has proved unusually popular. It’s basically caramelized onions and beef in a rich sauce that’s both bitter and sweet from the ale. Feel free to alter or simplify the ingredients. I use either chicken broth or beef broth, not both. I use about three tablespoons of tomato paste. Blade or flatiron steaks are expensive and hard to find; chuck roast is fine. The strong favorite for ale is Chimay Peres Trappistes Premiere. It’s expensive and more than 12 ounces per bottle, but it’s okay to use all or nearly all (save a slug for yourself). Alternatives are Newcastle Brown Ale and O’Doul’s Amber non-alcoholic. Do all of the preparation and two hours of the cooking in advance. Re-heat it, add the ale and vinegar and cook in the dutch oven in camp for an hour or so. It is great over egg noodles, which have to be prepared separately just before serving.
Serves 4-6.
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 lbs blade steaks (or any boneless roast from the chuck)
- Table salt and ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup beef broth (Note: for simplicity, I use one type of broth or the other)
- 12-ounce ale.
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions:
- Trim away any gristle or excess fat. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes. Adjust your oven rack to the lower-middle position, and pre-heat the oven to 300-degrees.
- Use paper towels to dry the beef cubes, and season lightly with salt and pepper. In a dutch oven, heat up 2 teaspoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- When the oil just begins to smoke; add one-third of beef to pot in a single layer. Do not move the pieces for 3 minutes, then use tongs to flip each piece. Cooking the second side for another 5 minutes. Transfer browned beef to a bowl, and repeat with 2 remaining batches of beef. If at any point the bottom of dutch oven becomes too dark then you can add 1/2 cup of chicken or beef broth and scrape up the bottom of the pan. Pour the loosened fond and liquid into the bowl together with the browned beef.
- While the meat cooks, cut the onions in half and then slice about 1/4-inch thick. You should end up with about 8 cups of sliced onions.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the empty Dutch oven. The oil will heat quickly, then add onion slices, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of pot to loosen the fond using the moisture release by the onion slices.
- After the onions have been cooking for 5 minutes, increase your burner to medium heat and continue to cook for another 12 to 14 minutes; stirring occasionally. The onions will become lightly browned.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes until the onions are nicely covered with the lightly browned flour. Add broths, and continue to de-glaze the pan. Add bottle of ale, 4 thyme sprigs tied together with kitchen twine, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon vinegar, the browned beef along with accumulated juices. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper; according to your taste.
- Increase heat on your stovetop to medium-high and bring to full simmer.
- Partially cover the dutch oven and place in a 300-degree oven for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. It will be done when you poke the beef with a fork inserted and there is little resistance.
- Finally, discard the bundle of thyme and the two bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper, if necessary.
Photo credit to Chowhound.