Northern Beef Stew with Dark Beer

Ingredients

• 1 kg Beef (chuck or shoulder) (cut into large cubes of 3‑4 cm)
• 100 g Smoked pork belly (cut into lardons)
• 2 Yellow onions (coarsely sliced)
• 2 Shallots (diced)
• 75 g Unsalted butter (divided 50 g for cooking, 25 g for finishing)
• 500 ml Dark beer (pre‑boiled to remove alcohol)
• 50 g Rapadura sugar (or unrefined brown sugar) (unrefined brown sugar)
• 20 g Strong mustard (Dijon type) (about 1 tablespoon)
• 100 g Gingerbread (2 slices, cut into pieces and brushed with mustard)
• 300 g Water (or beef broth)
• 1 Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley) (tie the herbs)
• Salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients

   Cut the beef into 3‑4 cm cubes, slice the smoked pork belly into lardons, thinly slice the onions and shallots, then cut the gingerbread into small pieces and brush them with mustard.

   Time: PT15M

2. Sear the meat

   In the pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium‑high heat, then add the beef cubes. Brown each side for 8‑10 minutes to achieve a nice coloration.

   Time: PT10M

3. Set aside the meat and sauté the aromatics

   Remove the meat and, in the same pot, sauté the lardons, onions and shallots until lightly browned.

   Time: PT5M

4. Prepare the gingerbread

   Place the mustard‑brushed gingerbread pieces at the bottom of the pot.

   Time: PT5M

5. Bring the beer to a boil

   In a small saucepan, bring the dark beer to a boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.

   Time: PT5M

6. Assemble and deglaze

   Pour the boiling beer into the pot, add the rapadura sugar, 50 g butter, the reserved meat, the lardons, onions, shallots, bouquet garni and water. Bring to a boil, then stir quickly.

   Time: PT5M

7. Oven cooking

   Cover the pot and bake at 160 °C for 1 h 30. Check the cooking every 20 minutes and add a little water if the liquid evaporates too much.

   Time: PT1H30M

   Temperature: 160°C

8. Finish the sauce

   Remove the meat, skim off the fat, then add the remaining 25 g butter, 20 g mustard and the remaining gingerbread pieces. Stir for 10 minutes over low heat until you obtain a glossy sauce.

   Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

750

Protein

45 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

45 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Beef (chuck or shoulder): braising beef, knuckle beef
• Instead of Smoked pork belly: smoked bacon, bacon
• Instead of Yellow onions: shallots
• Instead of Shallots: onions
• Instead of Unsalted butter: margarine
• Instead of Dark beer: blond beer, dry cider
• Instead of Rapadura sugar (or unrefined brown sugar): brown sugar, dark brown sugar
• Instead of Strong mustard (Dijon type): whole grain mustard
• Instead of Gingerbread: spiced bread, rye bread
• Instead of Water: homemade broth
• Instead of Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley): Herbes de Provence

Equipment Needed

• Cast‑iron pot (or Dutch oven)
• Oven
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle or skimmer (optional)
• Small saucepan for the beer (optional)
• Oven thermometer (optional)
• Kitchen gloves (optional)
• Immersion blender (optional) (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sear the meat to obtain a deep coloration
• Boil the beer before adding it
• Slow oven cooking at 160 °C
• Thicken the sauce with gingerbread and butter

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use an enameled cast‑iron pot to prevent the sugar from sticking.
• A splash of apple cider vinegar at the end adds a slight acidity that balances the sweetness.
• For an authentic touch, add a pinch of ground cloves to the gingerbread.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Can be frozen for 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• You can sear the meat and prepare the vegetables the day before, then keep them refrigerated.
• The sauce can be prepared ahead and gently reheated before serving.
• The carbonade freezes very well; reheat gently over low heat with a little liquid.