Carbonade Flamande

Pat the beef cubes completely dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the beef in batches without crowding, searing each piece for two minutes per side until a dark crust forms.

Remove all the browned beef to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sliced onions to the pot, and cook for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are deeply caramelised and sweet, scraping up all the fond from the beef.

Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the Belgian ale, scraping the bottom to deglaze completely. Add the brown sugar, cider vinegar, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. The vinegar and sugar create the dish's signature sweet-sour balance.

Spread the Dijon mustard thickly on both sides of the bread slices and lay them directly on top of the stew. The mustard-soaked bread will dissolve during cooking, naturally thickening the sauce and adding a subtle mustard warmth throughout.

Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to an oven preheated to 160C (320F). Cook undisturbed for two and a half to three hours until the beef is meltingly tender and falls apart with a fork.

Remove the pot from the oven, discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir the stew gently — the bread will have completely dissolved into the gravy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more vinegar for sharpness or sugar for sweetness.

Serve the carbonade in deep warmed bowls alongside a generous pile of double-fried Belgian frites and a pot of mayonnaise. This stew tastes even better reheated the next day, as the flavours deepen and meld overnight in the refrigerator.