Carbonnade a La Flamande Aka Beef and Beer Stew

• 3 12 lbs chuck steaks, cut into bite size pieces
• salt & fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• 3 tablespoons lard or 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lbs sweet onions, medium dice (about 3 medium sized)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 garlic cloves (minced or pressed through a garlic press, about 2 tsp)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 12 cups beef stock
• 12 ounces dark beer or 12 ounces stout beer
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle potion; preheat oven to 300F
2. A Dutch oven or similar pot is best.
3. Brown the beef in 3 batches with 1/4 of the lard or oil for each.
4. Remove the meat to a bowl.
5. Add the onions to the pot with the remaining fat and cook until they begin to caramelize.
6. Add a 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the tomato paste;.
7. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
8. Add the flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
9. Stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, and browned beef with any of the accumulated juices.
10. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a full simmer; cover then place pot in oven.
11. Cook about 2 hours.
12. Discard thyme and bay.
13. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
14. This dish can serve plain or over spatzle.

chuck, salt, lard, sweet onions, tomato paste, garlic, allpurpose, beef stock, stout, thyme, bay leaves, cider vinegar

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/carbonnade-a-la-flamande-aka-beef-and-beer-stew-365133 (may not work)