Carbonnade
Carbonnade is a dish that comes from Belgium and the north of France. Large pieces of beef are slowly simmered in beer with carrots and onions. Here's a personal version.
2 hours 45 min.
Easy
12.05 €
6 people
8 IngredientsLast modified on: November 13th 2011
1 kg beef
2 
2 
5 tablespoons 
2 tablespoons 
1 litre beer
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 35 min.
Cooking: 2 hours 15 min.
All in all: 2 hours 45 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 10 min.
Cut 1 kg beef into large cubes.
Stage 4 - ⌛ 10 min.
Pour 5 tablespoons olive oil into a large heavy-based pan on high heat.
When hot, add the pieces of meat and fry until browned on each side (do not salt, as this will bring out the juices, which will stop them browning).
When browned, remove the meat from the pan and transfer to a plate to wait.
When hot, add the pieces of meat and fry until browned on each side (do not salt, as this will bring out the juices, which will stop them browning).
When browned, remove the meat from the pan and transfer to a plate to wait.
Stage 5 - ⌛ 2 min.
Use the same pan, which should now contain just a little fat, and fry the chopped onions with salt and pepper for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Stage 7 - ⌛ 1 min.
Add the diced carrots.
Stage 8 - ⌛ 3 min.
Add 1 litre beer, then salt and pepper.
Stage 9 - ⌛ 2 hours
Turn the heat down to minimum and leave to simmer for about 2 hours...
Stage 10
...until the beer has reduced to make a thick and tasty sauce. At the same time the meat will have become very well cooked tender.
Remarks
For the beer, I advise you to use a dark beer which will give stronger flavour.
In the so-called "Flemish" carbonnade, a little brown sugar or a slice of gingerbread spread with mustard is added to the dish. But, I don't feel that either is necessary.
For more flavour, you can add a beef stock cube.
Carbonnade is one of those dishes, like boeuf bourguignon for example, which is even better when it is reheated.
In the so-called "Flemish" carbonnade, a little brown sugar or a slice of gingerbread spread with mustard is added to the dish. But, I don't feel that either is necessary.
For more flavour, you can add a beef stock cube.
Carbonnade is one of those dishes, like boeuf bourguignon for example, which is even better when it is reheated.
And to drink?
The same beer as you add to the dish - a Belgian beer, of course!
I prefer "Mort-Subite" Geuze ("sudden death"!), but you can use a dark beer like Chimay, or a British-style mild or strong ale.
I prefer "Mort-Subite" Geuze ("sudden death"!), but you can use a dark beer like Chimay, or a British-style mild or strong ale.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge in a sealed container.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 190 RDI=70 % | 200 RDI=20 % | 280 RDI=40 % | 4,020 RDI=200 % | 16,840 RDI: 200 % |
| Per 100 g | 6 RDI=3 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 150 RDI=7 % | 620 RDI: 7 % |
| Per person | 30 RDI=10 % | 30 RDI=3 % | 50 RDI=7 % | 670 RDI=30 % | 2,810 RDI: 30 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 6 people : 12.05 €
- Per person : 2.05 €
Change currency:
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Beef
Like these other recipes: How to slow cook meat, Beef braised in reduced red wine, Home-made doner kebab, Two-stage beef chuck , Upside-down Parmentier, ... See them all 10
Beer
Like these other recipes: Ch'ti mussel tarts, Endive and beer soup, Welsh (French Welsh Rarebit), Gratin du Nord, ... See them all 4
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Gratin of chicken with rice and sautéed mushrooms, Cauliflower coconut curry, Roast potatoes "à la provençale", Cauliflower and avocado rémoulade, Tagliatelle New Zealand style, ... See them all 554
Flour
Like these other recipes: Cornmeal baps for Anne, Prune Far, Meatballs, Chestnut cake, Elsa's Comtoise galette, ... See them all 211
Other recipes you may also like
Potted meat (rillettes)
Potted meat (rillettes) is cooked long and slow in fat. Rillettes can be of pork or duck. Here is the pork version. October 3rd 2019465 K 24.5 6 hours 50 min.
Pear tart with almond cream
This is a very quick and easy tart to make, as everything (or almost) can be done in advance. A piece of sweetcrust pastry, some almond cream and pears? You have "everything you need". March 17th 2011381 K4.3 1 hour 15 min.
Brioche dough
It's a soft and rich dough, with butter and eggs which give a smooth and incredibly tasty brioche. This is the basic recipe for brioche dough, used for all other brioche-based recipes on the site. September 16th 2020550 K 44.2 14 hours 30 min.
Vanilla sugar
Almost essential in patisserie, you can find it in expensive little sachets of about 10g. It's necessary to distinguish between the vanilla sugar which really contains vanilla, and vanillin sugar, purely chemical which has never seen a vanilla pod. Here is how to quickly make a whole jar full of your own vanilla sugar. August 12th 2018444 K 15 30 min.
Fruit coulis (fruit purée)
Contrary to what people usually think, coulis is not just a simple fruit purée with sugar. Of course, this is the general principle, but it's possible to make something much better and more refined. This recipe is for a strawberry coulis (see below for other fruits): how to make it, but also how freeze it. October 20th 2012799 K 43 25 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-02-22)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this recipe