Carbonnade Flamande Express (Flemish Dark Abbey-Ale Beef & Mustard Bread Stew) – Authentic Belgium Recipe
Flanders’ most famous comfort stew: tender beef simmered in sweet-tart dark ale and thickened with mustard bread.
- Country of Origin
- 🇧🇪 Belgium (Western Europe, Europe)
- Dietary Profile
- omnivore
- Prep Time
- 15 min
- Cook Time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Signature Staples
- Seared beef chuck cubes, Mountains of caramelized onions, Slice of Dijon-spread rustic bread, Belgian dark abbey ale (or rich beef-balsamic broth), Thyme
Ingredients for Carbonnade Flamande Express (Flemish Dark Abbey-Ale Beef & Mustard Bread Stew) (4 Servings)
- 1.25 lbs (or 2.5 cups) seared beef chuck cubes, prepped into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 cups mountains of caramelized onions, washed and trimmed
- 1 cup slice of Dijon-spread rustic bread
- 1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced with Belgian dark abbey ale (or rich beef-balsamic broth)
- 1.5 tbsp traditional Belgium seasoning (thyme, bay leaf, brown sugar)
- 2.5 cups rich culinary stock or aromatic cooking liquid, plus 2 tbsp cooking oil
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat; brown seared beef chuck cubes for 5 minutes.
- Add minced onion, garlic, Belgian dark abbey ale (or rich beef-balsamic broth), and thyme, bay leaf, brown sugar, stirring for 2 minutes until deeply aromatic.
- Add mountains of caramelized onions and pour in the braising liquid; bring to a lively simmer.
- Cover and braise over medium-low heat for 20–22 minutes until meltingly tender and the sauce is rich and glossy.
- Stir in slice of Dijon-spread rustic bread right before serving warm.