Slow cooker beef carbonnade flamande
Belgian beef and beer stew, with a mountain of sweet onions and a splash of vinegar to lift the richness. Even better the next day.
- Time8 hrs 30
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.20 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 580kcal
- 14.2gcarbs
- 6.8gof which sugars
- 33gfat
- 13.4gsaturates
- 41.6gprotein
- 2.1gfibre
- 1.6gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toss the beef with the flour, salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and brown the beef in two batches, 3 to 4 minutes each, until dark. Move it to the slow cooker.
8 min - 2
Add the rest of the oil to the pan and fry the onions over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden. Add the garlic for the last minute. Tip them over the beef.
11 min - 3
Pour the beer into the hot pan and let it bubble for 1 minute, scraping up the sticky bits. Stir in the water, purée, sugar, vinegar and mustard, then pour it all over the beef.
- 4
Tuck in the thyme and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 5 hours, until the beef is meltingly tender.
480 min - 5
Remove the herb stalks and bay leaves. Taste and adjust. It should be savoury with a gentle sweet and sour edge. Add a little more vinegar if it needs it.
- 6
Serve with chips, mash or crusty bread.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
