Carbonade flamande is a Belgian beef stew flavored with beer, onions, and other ingredients. It is slow-cooked for tenderness and served with frites. The use of beer as a flavoring element is a signature of the dish and Belgian cuisine.
Carbonade flamande is a type of beef stew originating in Belgium. It has a distinct “sweet and sour” flavor that makes it an attractive part of a worldwide menu. This beef and onion blend is usually flavored with beer and several other additional ingredients.
A traditional carbonade flamande or “carbonade a la flamande” uses a specific type of Belgian-style beer. A bitter or hoppy tasting beer is often preferred. Some recommend using a flavorful brown ale if a truly Belgian variety isn’t available. Experts of this type of cuisine recommend an “old ale” or thick ale for a rich, thick gravy.
While some cooks do the entire technique of carbonating flamande on the stovetop, others like to finish the dish in the oven. It takes a long time to make flamande carbonade; the concept of the dish is to allow slow cooking for the meat to be tender, the onions to cook through completely, and the beer sauce to condense into a thicker, more flavorful element.
Besides using the flavors of Belgian beer to season the dish, cooks also inject a few other specific ingredients into the sauce. These include condiments such as tomato sauce or mustard and vinegar. Sometimes, cider or another sweet item may be used. Brown sugar is also not an uncommon addition.
Flamande carbonade is often served with some specific side dishes. The main one concerns various uses of the potato or “French fries”. The potato dish known as “frites” (fried potatoes) is a traditional favourite.
While the term “carbonade flamande” is particularly associated with the dish described above, a French version of a similar design may be more closely related to the traditional “beef bourguignon,” which also features a cut of beef and a reduction sauce. For carbonade flamande, the cut of meat is a flexible part of the dish. Many cooks use the chuck, but they will also serve a London broil, flank steak, or other cut, especially since the dish is slow cooked.
The use of beer as a flavoring element is a signature of the flamande carbonade. It is also a large part of the region’s overall contribution to modern global cuisine. Many chefs around the world pay attention to these traditional flavoring techniques as they strive to create “fusion” dishes, revamp a high-class menu or recreate an authentic old-fashioned style.
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