VLAAMSE STOOFKARBONADEN

VLAAMSE STOOFKARBONADEN image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 kg of lean unsalted cooking meat ( this is sold in Belgium mostly precut in cubes and made from the brisket or neck : it's a tough but very nutritious and lean meat, that needs long slow cooking to get tender )
3 medium sized onions
1 heaped tablespoon of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of plain flour
1 large bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
100 grams of unsalted butter
1/2 liter of good brown beer
1 good slice of bread
1 tablespoon of mustard (Dijon or another hearty one)
pepper
salt

Steps:

1) Cut the beef in medium sized cubes (about 3 - 4 cm ). Melt the butter in the large pot on a medium fire ( electric setting 6-7 out of 12) 2) Add the beef cubes and brown them lightly on all sides ( moisture comes out from the cubes : keep stirring to let most of it evaporate ). Use a large pot 3) Tip the browned meat in a dish and sprinkle the flour over them ( you could also do this after they go back into the pot later) Turn the heat down a bit and put the onions in the pot. Keep stirring them till nearly glazed in the fat left behind by the meat. Add a little butter or oil if needed. 4) Sprinkle the brown sugar over them and stir for a minute to color the onions. 5) Put the beef back in the pot and add your beer. It will foam a lot when you pour it in but that's OK. 6) Season with five to six turns on your pepper mill and a few pinches of salt. Put in the thyme and the bay leaf. The beer should cover most of the meat. 7) Turn down the heat ( electric setting 3 out of 12) , put the lid on and let simmer quietly for an hour. 8) Don't worry that the meat is still very tough at this point : you're only halfway. Spread the tablespoon of mustard ( use Dijon or another hearty mustard ) on your slice of bread and put it on top of the meat with the mustard side down. 9) Keep heat low and add slightly more beer if its getting dry. Use water if its too much or the beer taste will remain too strong.