Beef and Beer Stew with Pearl Onions and Carrots
Big pieces of chuck, smoked pork and small red onions give this beer-braised beef a deep, savoury sauce. Toasted flour brings the gravy together near the end, while the potatoes cook separately. Keep the simmer gentle: the beef should pull apart under a fork, and the carrots should still hold their shape.
Carbonade is a beef stew cooked with beer. This version uses brown veal stock, garlic and a restrained blend of juniper, sage and clove, with colourful carrots and little potatoes for a complete meal. It suits a cold weekend, but a pot of beef slowly simmering on the stove works just as well for a family dinner throughout the year.
This recipe is based on my YouTube video, with a few adjustments since publication: clearer ingredient quantities, less garlic and spice for a balanced starting point, carrots added later, and seasoning checked after the sauce reduces.
{VIDEO}
A stock-based carbonade with toasted flour
The sauce here is savoury rather than sweet. There is no gingerbread, mustard-coated bread or added sugar. For that other approach, see my Flemish carbonnade with Belgian fries. This recipe keeps the smoked pork, small onions and brown stock from the video, and uses toasted flour for the final thickening.
I brown the beef first because those golden pan juices belong in the sauce. The principle also matters in a braised chuck roast with vegetables. A grey surface gives a different result, even if the meat eventually becomes tender.
This is a hearty, protein-rich main dish with potatoes included. Smoked pork contributes both fat and salt, so the amount of added seasoning depends on the pork and stock you use.
Ingredients and the choices that matter
Use 2 lb 10 oz boneless beef chuck, cut into roughly 1½-inch chunks; 9 oz thick smoked bacon, diced; 10½ oz peeled small red pearl onions; 14 oz carrots, peeled and cut into thick pieces; and 6 large garlic cloves, chopped. Baby rainbow carrots can remain whole if they are substantial enough to survive simmering.
For the liquid, measure 2½ cups Belgian-style beer and 4¼ cups unsalted brown veal stock. My neutral brown veal stock is especially useful here. The broader method in how to make brown stock explains why browned bones and a neutral seasoning give a flexible cooking base.
Choose an amber or brown beer with modest bitterness. Very hoppy beer can become harsh as it reduces. Have the full measured stock ready, but add it according to the pot: the liquid should come nearly to the top of the meat, not leave everything floating in a deep soup.
The remaining ingredients are 1 tablespoon neutral oil, 1 teaspoon ground juniper berries, ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage, a small pinch of ground cloves, ½ teaspoon black pepper, salt to taste, and 3 tablespoons toasted all-purpose flour mixed with ¼ cup cold water. Serve with 1¾ lb small potatoes, boiled separately in salted water. Keep a little extra toasted flour and cold water available if the reduced sauce needs more body.
Cooking the stew
1. Brown the beef in batches
Pat the beef dry. Heat the oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the meat in two or three batches, allowing space between the pieces. Give each side time to colour before turning. Transfer the browned beef and its juices to a large heavy pot or Dutch oven.
What I look for is a brown crust and a golden film on the pan. Black, burnt residue will make the sauce bitter. Lower the heat if the pan darkens faster than the beef browns.
2. Cook the smoked pork and onions
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced smoked pork and cook until some fat renders and the edges begin to colour, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the peeled onions and cook another 5 minutes, turning them so several sides take on a little colour. Stir in the garlic for the final minute.
The garlic should smell fragrant without turning dark. Unlike the video, the carrots wait until later so their cooking time can follow their size rather than the beef’s tenderness.
3. Deglaze and simmer gently
Pour a ladleful of the measured stock into the skillet and scrape up the browned juices. Transfer everything to the beef pot. Add the beer, juniper, sage, cloves and pepper. Pour in enough remaining stock to reach nearly the meat’s level, reserving any surplus for topping up.
Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Cook gently for about 1½ hours, checking the liquid occasionally. Add the carrots and continue for 45 to 60 minutes, or until they are tender and the beef is nearly ready. Depending on the chuck and chunk size, the beef may need 2½ to 3 hours altogether. Remove tender vegetables temporarily if the meat needs longer.
A fork should enter the beef easily and twist the fibres apart. This is the same useful cue in slow-braised beef cheeks, although their cooking time differs. Do not raise the heat to hurry tough meat.
4. Thicken with toasted flour
Whisk the toasted flour and cold water until completely smooth. Stir the slurry into the gently simmering stew in a thin stream. Scrape the bottom regularly and cook gently for about 30 minutes, until the sauce coats a spoon and the beef is tender.
Toasted flour thickens less strongly than raw flour, so assess the sauce before adding more. If it is watery, reduce it uncovered first. If needed, mix another tablespoon of toasted flour with 2 tablespoons cold water, add gradually, and simmer another 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with reserved stock or water. Skim excess surface fat and taste for salt only now.
5. Boil the potatoes and serve
While the sauce finishes, place the small potatoes in a separate saucepan, cover with cold water and salt lightly. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, until a knife slips into the centre. Drain well. Keeping them separate prevents their starch from changing the gravy.
Serve the beef, onions and carrots with the potatoes and a ladle of sauce. If you prefer another potato preparation, Parisian potatoes give browned edges, while homemade mashed potatoes catch every spoonful of gravy.
Substitutions
Unsalted beef stock can replace the veal stock. Its flavour will change the sauce slightly, but the cooking method stays the same. Regular carrots and quartered red onions can replace the smaller vegetables; cut them generously and check their tenderness. Ordinary thick bacon works if you cannot find a slab of smoked pork belly.
The video uses considerably more garlic. Start with the amount in the card for a gentler result; increase it if you want garlic to be a leading flavour. Keep the cloves to a small pinch, since their intensity varies and they can overwhelm the meat. If you replace the beer with additional stock, the result becomes a stock-based beef stew rather than a carbonade. My hearty beef stew is another option in that direction.
Questions before you start
Why is the beef still tough after two hours?
Chuck varies. Continue at a gentle simmer, with enough liquid, until a fork twists through the meat easily. Remove cooked carrots and onions if necessary, then return them once the beef is tender. A timer is a guide, not the final test.
How do I toast the flour?
Heat all-purpose flour in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until evenly pale golden and nutty-smelling. Transfer to a cool bowl immediately. Do not let it scorch, and let it cool before mixing with cold water.
Can this be cooked ahead?
Yes. Divide leftovers promptly into shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently to 165°F throughout, stirring and adding a splash of water if the sauce has tightened. Freeze portions for up to 3 months for best quality; potatoes may become softer after thawing.
What to serve alongside and cook next
A romaine and endive salad adds crunch beside the rich sauce. A slice of homemade white bread is useful for the last of the gravy, without needing a second starch-heavy side.
For another slow-cooked beef dinner, try beef bourguignon cooked my way, which uses wine instead of beer, or beef short ribs with white beans. Both stay in the same braised-beef family while giving a noticeably different plate.
Beef and Beer Stew with Pearl Onions and Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 lb 10 oz boneless beef chuck cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 9 oz thick smoked bacon or smoked pork belly diced
- 10½ oz small red pearl onions peeled
- 14 oz carrots peeled and cut into thick pieces
- 6 large garlic cloves chopped
- 2½ cups Belgian-style amber or brown beer moderately hopped
- 4¼ cups unsalted brown veal stock divided and added as needed
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon ground juniper berries
- ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 small pinch ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons toasted all-purpose flour plus more if needed
- ¼ cup cold water plus more for any extra slurry
- 1¾ lb baby potatoes
- Water and salt for boiling the potatoes
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry. Heat the oil in a wide skillet and brown the beef in batches over medium-high heat. Transfer to a large Dutch oven.
- Lower the heat. Cook smoked pork 5 to 7 minutes, add onions and cook 5 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute. Reserve carrots for later.
- Deglaze the skillet with a ladle of the measured stock. Transfer its contents to the beef. Add beer, spices and pepper, then enough remaining stock to reach nearly the meat's level. Reserve surplus stock.
- Simmer gently with the lid slightly ajar for about 1½ hours. Add carrots and cook 45 to 60 minutes more. Continue until beef is nearly tender, removing cooked vegetables temporarily if needed. Top up liquid as necessary.
- Whisk toasted flour with cold water until smooth. Stir gradually into the stew and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring the bottom regularly, until beef is fork-tender and sauce coats a spoon. Reduce uncovered or add a little more smooth slurry if needed; cook any additional slurry 15 to 20 minutes. Thin with stock or water if necessary. Skim excess fat and adjust salt.
- Meanwhile, cover potatoes with cold lightly salted water in a separate pan. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 to 25 minutes until tender, then drain. Return any reserved vegetables to the stew and heat through. Serve with potatoes.
