Belgian Beef Stew recipe made with Belgian Ale. Hearty beef stew becomes a rock star with full flavored ale. Using beer as the braising agent, this is comfort food at it’s best. This beef and ale stew is one you need to have on your dinner table.
Beef stews are usually very forthcoming in nature. Chunks of beef and hearty vegetables served broth or in a thick gravy.
This Belgian Beef Stew becomes rock star special with the addition of a bottle of Belgian Golden Ale and then finished with mustard and red wine vinegar. Sorry Mom, this version may have just replaced your recipe for my go-to. :::: gasp 🙂
This recipe comes from Chef Andrew Zimmern. The quote that goes along with it reads “Resist the temptation to fussy up this dish until you’ve made it a few times.”
I followed his advice, I’m not even sure I know what I would have done different, or how I would have “fussy’d” because this dish is absolutely delicious.
Big chunks of potatoes and carrots in the flavorful and rich ale’d broth with the tang of mustard and vinegar…we savored every bite. This beef and ale stew rocks.
Duvel Golden Ale enters into this assignment as the libation and unique flavor for this wonderful and hearty stew. I have to admit, it wasn’t all that easy to find, and when we did find it, it came with a price tag of $18 for four bottles.
Related Recipes
And speaking of libations, you should take a look at this beef stew recipe using lots of rich red wine. Jacques Pepin’s Beef Stew In Red Wine Sauce.
Beef and Ale Stew
Ingredients
- 3 pounds trimmed beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 medium onions thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- One 12-ounce bottle Duvel or other Belgian golden ale
- 4 cups beef stock or low-sodium broth
- 3 thyme sprigs 3 parsley sprigs and 1 bay leaf, tied in cheesecloth
- 10 new potatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Season the beef with salt and white pepper. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the beef and flour and shake well. Remove the beef from the bag, shaking off the excess flour.
- In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add one-third of the beef and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes; reduce the heat if the meat browns too quickly. Transfer the meat to a plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the casserole. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the beer and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the casserole. Add the beef back to the casserole along with the stock and herb bundle. Bring the stew to a boil, cover and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender.
- Gently stir the potatoes and carrots into the stew, cover and bake for about 25 minutes longer, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the herb bundle. Stir in the Dijon and vinegar, season the stew with salt and white pepper and serve.
Nutrition
Beef and Ale Stew … It’s What’s For Dinner
Looks delicious Lea Ann, especially with the good beer – it makes me want beef stew.
I always want beef stew.
This looks delicious. I love a similar recipe that is prepared kind of like this but it is put in a baking dish and topped with puff pastry. Voila! My husband’s favorite meal. I applaud your dedication at buying that $18.00 ale. Now that is good blogger research.
I somewhat gasp’d over that $18.00, but with first bite, it was worth every penny. Love that puff pastry idea. Thanks Karen.
Hi Lea Ann, now this is a fabulous beef stew, perfect for this time of year.
Thanks Cheri. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Oh my goodness, Lea Ann. Your description of the tang of mustard and vinegar accenting the potatoes, carrots and beefs makes me want to make the stew right now! I can see how your Belgian Ae Beef Stew would be perfection on a blustery night on the ranch =)
And yay for blustery nights on the ranch. We love to cozy up. So good to hear from you and Merry Christmas.
Gorgeous photo of this delicious sounding stew. Can’t wait to try this one for my favorite taste tester. 😉
Thanks Vickie. And Merry Christmas to you and that taste tester. hugs.
This would be SO good this cold winter!
Yes!
I simply cannot imagine life without a hearty, comforting beef stew. Christmas Eve would be void without it served on creamy polenta very year! And with a Belgian twist, it must be rib-sticking delicious, Lea Ann!
Buon Natale e’ tu, mia amica e’ tua familigia,
Roz
I love that polenta idea Roz. As always, so good to hear from you. Happy Holiday.
LOL, I have to agree, – stew is not a fussy dish anyways but glad you enjoyed this one! Ale makes any stew better, dont you think? 🙂
I definitely think so Alice. 🙂 This was delis
Perfect! It has just now cooled down enough that a stew sounds just right. I am pinning this for our dinner next week….. I am a firm believer in dinner together every night…..the girls are gone now but many evenings we seemed to collect many friends whose moms didn’t cook…. Those were such fun times…
Thanks Kate. We’re home bodies and not fans of eating out, unless it’s a special restaurant and occasion.
I’m a confessed beer snob, and golden ale is about the only style I’ll quaff from Belgium — the land of beer. I’ve never thought of using it in a stew, which is one (of many reasons) that I’m no Andrew Zimmern. What a beautiful dish of goodness, Lea Ann! Bookmarked! 🙂
Thanks Adam! This really is good and the special part about it is the mustard and vinegar. Love that tang along with the ale flavor.
I know more than one family member who would LOVE to have this served up at the dinner table soon! Great share!
Let me know if you make it and how you like it. Thanks Ala.
What a wonderful dish to have on a cold winter night!
Thanks Susan.
This will definitely warm one of our winter nights, thanks Lee Ann!
Thanks Cindy
What a beautiful looking stew, perfect for our theme for today!!
Thank you Tara.
What a delicious, comforting stew! Perfect for this dreary Sunday!
We’ve got dreary in Colorado today also. Cold and snow and we’re inside.
Beef stew is one of my favorite winter meals. I usually make mine with red wine, but I love this Belgian beer variation!
You should give the beer version a try. We really liked it. Thanks for stopping in and the comment.
This the best kind of stew! I love this!
I used to make a beef stew that had beer in it but lost the recipe, I’m so glad I have a new one!
We really liked this recipe. The red wine vinegar and the mustard is a nice touch.
Beef and beer is a real classic and he’s right. Why mess with success. Hope you’re having a lovely weekend Lea Ann.
Sam
Snow and cold here, we’re cooped up and having a very cozy quiet Sunday. Just like I like ’em.
I just love a good beef stew and trying new ones. This is definitely going on my to-cook list.
Thanks Renee.