Amazing Beer Stew

Today I chose to prepare a beautiful dish, inspired by the Flemish and the Czech, both wonderful cuisines – “Bier Stoofvlees” or Pivní guláš – Amazing Beer Stew.

My brother is coming over to visit and let me tell you, this dish represents everything he loves. Sweetness and tenderness of delicious beef cut, quality crispy bacon and bitterness of his favourite Bernard beer.

The only thing you need to prepare is the time to let it cook. Beer Stew will do its magic itself. Eet smakelijk or Dobrou chuť!

Total Time: 3 hours

Shopping list

1kg of Chuck Roast Tender Beef, cleaned and cut in cubes
3 tablespoons of plain flour
sea salt and ground black pepper

100g of good quality baked bacon, diced
3 large onions, cleaned and sliced
2 tablespoons of cane sugar
2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
200 + 300ml of dark lager beer (I used quality Czech lager Bernard)
2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 4 cloves, few branches of fresh thyme, 2 whole black peppers)
3 knobs butter
sea salt
1 handful of fresh parsley to finish, hardly chopped

Instructions Beer Stew

Heat up a knob of butter in a deep frying pan or wok on high heat.

Beef in, season with good amount of salt, pepper and dust with flour. Mix it well and roast for about 5 minutes until nicely juicy and darkened from all sides. Take it all out and set aside together with juice.

Bacon in, bake it for about 2 minutes on high heat until nicely golden. Take it out and let it rest.

Lower the heat on medium and add two knobs of butter into the pan. Onions in. Mix well with all meat bits and put the lid on.

Braise it for about 10 minutes, then remove the lid. Lower the heat on low and continue cooking for another 20 minutes until the onions are beautifully soft.

Next, increase the heat on high and sprinkle with cane sugar. Vinegar in. Pour 200ml of beer into the pan and mix well. Cook for about 3 minutes until it thickens and becomes nicely sticky. Season with salt.

Then, return the meat (beef and bacon) with its juice back into the pan. Add Dijon Mustard and mix well, so it is all rubbed all over.

Pour 300ml of beer into the pan and reduce, so the meat is nicely soaked and staring at you a bit. Lower the heat on low and add bouquet garni. Braise it for at least 2 hours until the meat is nicely tender. Mix from time to time and taste.

Finish with fresh parsley and serve with fresh bread or fries and a cold glass of beer. Awesome!

Makes 4 serves.

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