Flemish Beef Stew Recipes

Steps:

• Peel and roughly dice the onions.
• Melt a knob of butter and about 1 tbsp of oil in a large (preferably cast-iron) casserole over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft and just starting to brown. Remove from the casserole and put into a large container.
• Add 1 to 2 more tbsp of oil to the casserole. Season the beef and add the meat to the casserole. Brown the beef cubes over medium heat in batches. (About 7 to 8 pieces of meat per batch should do the trick.) Once browned, add each batch to the onions.
• Add the Loonse stroop/syrup and beer to the casserole and turn up the heat. Bring to a boil and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the casserole.
• Once the stewing liquid comes to a boil, add the onion and beef cubes back to the casserole, along with the cloves and bouquet garni. Give the stew-to-be a good stir and bring to a simmer.
• Next, spread 1 tbsp of mustard on each slice of bread and place both slices (mustard side down) on top of the stew. (They'll disintegrate completely, adding flavour to the stew and thickening the sauce.)
• Let the stew simmer (uncovered!) for 1.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Then pop a lid on and simmer for another 15 minutes. This adds a touch more moisture back to the casserole, which the dish will need. Remove from the heat.
• Remove the bouquet garni (and cloves, if you can find them). Add the tablespoon of vinegar, and give your stoofvlees a good stir.
• Now comes the most difficult part. Leave it alone for at least 12 hours (with the lid on). The flavours will build up even more. It can be eaten straight away as well, but it will always taste better the day after.

Steps:

• In medium saucepan over moderate heat, melt butter. Add beef cubes and sauté, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned on most sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl (do not clean saucepan) and add flour, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine, then transfer to slow cooker.
• In same saucepan over high heat, bring 1 cup ale to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Pour over beef in slow cooker. Stir in remaining 2 cups ale, onions, garlic, brown sugar, mustard, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves. Cover and cook on low 6 hours. Add bread and continue cooking until meat is tender and sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 hours more.
• Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with basil or parsley and serve hot.

Steps:

• Blanch salt pork in boiling water 5 minutes.
• Drain and rinse well; pat dry.
• Transfer to heavy large skillet and cook over medium flame until lightly browned.
• Remove from skillet using slotted spoon and reserve for use in salads or other dished.
• Increase heat to medium high.
• Add beef to skillet in batches (do not crowd) and cook until well browned on all sides, turning with spatula.
• Transfer meat to heavy 2 to 3 quart saucepan.
• Add onions to skillet reduce heat slightly and cook until deep golden brown about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Blend in flour and cook about 30 seconds, watching carefully so flour does not burn.
• Add stout and stir, scraping up any browned bits.
• Bring mixture to boil.
• Pour over beef.
• Blend in vinegar, sugar, parsley, bay leaf and thyme.
• Cover saucepan and simmer mixture for 30 minutes.
• Spread mustard over bread.
• Press bread into stew.
• Cover and cook until meat is tender, about 1 hour.
• Remove bay leaf and discard.
• Serve immediately.
• Serve with boiled potatoes, green salad and beer.

Steps:

• Brown beef cubes in oil.
• Add onions and garlic and saute until limp.
• Stir in flour.
• Transfer to an oven-proof casserole dish.
• Add parsley, thyme, marjoram, brown sugar, and bay leaf Deglaze the pan with beer and boullion.
• Pour over beef mixture.
• Bake in 350 degree oven 1 1/2- 2 hours.
• Serve over hot cooked noodles or mashed potatoes.

Steps:

• Pat beef dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Heat oil and butter in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef in 2 to 3 batches (without crowding), turning over once, until dark brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add onions and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pot and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits from bottom of pot, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately low and cover pot, then cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, about 10 minutes more.
• Add beef along with any juices on plate, bay leaves, and beer and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each side of bread slices, then place bread on top of stew. Simmer stew, covered, until beef is very tender, about 2 hours.
• Just before serving, stir bread into stew, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is incorporated and stew is thickened. Season with salt.

Steps:

• 1. I'm entering these directions exactly as they're written in the cookbook, as they are translated from Flemish to English. I thought it would add an interesting flair. ha!
• 2. Heat the butter in a large saucepan. Chop the onions into medium large pieces en let them fry in butter until golden brown. Remove the onions from the saucepan. Fry the pieces of meat in the same pan until they are brown all over. Turn them occasionally so they will not burn. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
• 3. Add the onions together with the parsley, thyme, bay mustard and sugar. Stir well and add the beer. Replace the lid and leave to cook gently for 180 minutes. Stir the content of the saucepan once in awhile. The meat is ready when it is very tender an it almost melts in your mouth. If you prefer the sauce a bit more consistent, you can always use some flour to bind it.
• 4. Serve with fries and fresh applemousse.
• 5. TIP: If you don't see yourself staying home for the three hours till the meat is well done, you can always place the saucepan during 240 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 160°C. [My note: a Dutch Oven would work well for this!]