Beer-Braised Beef (Carbonnade à la Flamande)

This is Belgium's answer to boeuf bourguignon and, like most beef stews, it's even better the next day. It's delicious with noodles or boiled potatoes that have been tossed with butter and parsley.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Thinly slice onions. Cut beef into 1½-inch cubes and pat dry. Put flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Chop bacon and in a 12-inch heavy skillet cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden.

While bacon is cooking, dredge beef in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a 6-quart heavy ovenproof kettle. Add 1 tablespoon oil to fat remaining in skillet and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Without crowding, brown beef in batches on all sides, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more oil as necessary and transferring beef as browned to kettle.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and cook onions over moderate heat, stirring occasionally and adding water a few tablespoons at a time as onions begin to stick, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add ale and broth and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits. Stir in brown sugar, vinegar, bay leaf, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste and pour mixture over beef.

Bring beef mixture to a boil and cover kettle. Transfer kettle to oven and braise beef until tender, about 2½ hours. Discard bay leaf. Stew may be made 3 days ahead. Cool stew, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Serves 4.