Belgian Beef Stew

25-Oct-2025

The best Belgian beef stew ever… recipe from a snackbar in Kalmthout.

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• A knob of butter (for onions and meat)
• 1,000 g beef (for stewing)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bottle of brown beer
• A few bay leaves
• Sprigs of thyme and parsley (for bouquet garni)
• 1 clove
• 2 tablespoons apple-pear syrup
• 1 slice of brown bread
• Strong mustard

Preparation

1. Prepare the onions
   Peel and coarsely chop the onions.
   Heat a large stew pot and melt a knob of butter.
   Sauté the onions over medium heat without browning them.
2. Brown the meat
   Heat a frying pan over medium to high heat and melt a knob of butter.
   Sear the beef pieces until they have a golden-brown crust.
   Season with freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt while frying.
   Tip: Brown large quantities of meat in batches. If the pan is overcrowded, the meat may release too much moisture and start boiling instead of frying.
3. Combine meat and onions
   Add the browned meat to the stew pot with the onions.
   Keep the frying pan with the meat residues and pour in the brown beer.
   Scrape the browned bits loose while bringing the beer to a boil (this is called deglazing).
   Once boiling, pour the contents into the stew pot.
   (Never pour cold beer directly onto the meat.)
4. Add herbs and flavorings
   Tie together the bay leaves, thyme, and parsley with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni.
   Add it to the pot.
   Add the clove and apple-pear syrup.
5. Add the bread
   Generously spread strong mustard on a slice of brown bread.
   Place the bread on top of the meat, mustard side down.
6. Simmer
   Let the stew simmer for about 3 hours over low heat.
   The lid does not need to be on the pot.
   Cooking time may vary depending on the quality of the meat.
   Stir occasionally and check if the meat is tender.