Thank you Decoy for sponsoring this post!
The idea for this carbonnade flamande, or Flemish braised short rib stew, came because the bae and I haven’t been on a date at a restaurant since March. This is a BIG DEAL because he used to take me out once a week! When we met, I was new to D.C., didn’t have many friends and had an awful work schedule that prevented me from really exploring the city. Getting dressed up every week and walking around with him after a good meal made this city feel like home.
One of our favorite restaurants to go to was near our local movie theater in Georgetown. Every time we saw a movie, we’d head there and I’d order the most delicious braised short rib dish called carbonnade flamande. The restaurant is currently closed, and the two of us don’t feel safe dining indoors yet, so we decided to recreate the dish for a fancy date at home, elevated by Decoy Wine.
Pin Carbonnade Flamande (Flemish Braised Short Rib Stew) To Try Later!
Decoy Limited Wines
The first Decoy wine was made at Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa Valley, California in 1985. and We paired our short ribs, mashed potatoes and haricot verts with a delicious cabernet sauvignon from their Decoy Limited line. The wines in this line represent the best the brand has to offer! The bae has brought over wine from Duckhorn Vineyards before, so we are familiar with its quality, and I can confidently say this cabernet sauvignon ranks among one of our favorites. In addition to the cabernet sauvignon, the line also includes a pinot noir and a red blend. You can find the availability of these wines in stores near you using the Decoy Wine Finder.
The bae and I had a lovely time pretending we were having one of our fancy, pre-quarantine dates. We even dressed up for it! Sitting down at the dinner table in real clothes really put us in a better mood after months of eating in front of the tv in our pajamas. We did sneak in a bit of TV time afterwards though, wine glasses in hand.
The carbonnade flamande I made was the perfect accompaniment to the wine, and I highly recommend making it for a luxurious dinner. The jus has the perfect balance of savory beef flavor, mellowed out by sweet apple cider and brightened by apple cider vinegar. It takes a bit of time, but most of it is passive, and it can be made ahead of time. Try this recipe out for your next at home date night!
🥩 Ingredients
You will need:
- 2-3 lbs short ribs
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into roughly 1 inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
- 1 stalk celery, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup dark beer (Belgian preferred)
- salt and pepper to taste
🔪 Instructions
First, preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
Trim the fat and silver skin off of your short ribs if necessary. Then, season all sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
Sear the short rib pieces on all sides in a hot dutch oven, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Work in batches if needed (I should have probably worked in batches here in this photo).
Remove the short ribs after a nice crust has formed on all sides of the meat. Then, add the sliced onions and cook until soft and brown, about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to scrape up all of the caramelized beefy bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
After the onions have caramelized, add the carrots, garlic cloves and celery and warm the vegetables through. Then, add all of your liquids (beef broth, beer, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce). Nestle the short rib pieces back into the liquid (it’s ok if some of the pieces are sticking out)
Bake the whole pot, covered, for 3-4 hours. The beef is ready if a paring knife can easily pierce it.
When the meat is cooked, carefully take the short ribs out with a pair of tongs. Try to keep the bones in place for presentation. It’s likely they will fall out at this point because the beef will be very tender.
Strain the vegetables and herbs out of the braising and skim away all of the fat.
Reduce the braising liquid on medium-high heat in a shallow saucepan until it has turned into a sticky sauce. It should easily coat the back of a spoon. This will take 1-2 hours.
Once the sauce is ready, add your short ribs back to the sauce and carefully coat them in the jus. Heat the short ribs through, covered so the sauce doesn’t reduce further.
💭 Tips and substitutions
If you plan on serving this the day you make it, you can easily and quickly skim the fat from the braising liquid by swirling several ice cubes into it. The fat will solidify around the ice cubes and will break away as the cubes melt, turning into pieces that can easily be picked out.
Short rib can be expensive. For a more affordable version, a blade steak or flatiron steak is an acceptable substitution. These will become tender faster than short ribs, so check on the meat and adjust the braising time accordingly.
🍚 Serving suggestions
As with most stews, carbonnade flamande tastes amazing with potatoes. I recommend a smooth mashed potato that you can lay the tender meat over. Haricot verts, or green beans, are a great vegetable to serve with them. A nice green salad would do well too. Use a hearty, bitter green.
And of course, pair your stew with some Decoy Limited Wine!
🥡 How to store or make in advance
To make this in advance, refrigerate the short ribs and strained braising liquid after the meat has cooked through. The next day, the fat will have solidified in a layer and will be easy to remove before reducing the liquid down to a sauce. The carbonnade flamande will last three days in the fridge, and should be warmed through gently to prevent the sauce from reducing further.
👪 Serving size
Two pounds of short ribs made four comfortable meals for us. I had to trim a lot of fat from my batch of short ribs, so it could feed even more if you find some meaty pieces.
📋 Recipe
Carbonnade Flamande (Flemish Braised Short Rib Stew)
Ingredients
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- 2-3 lbs short ribs
- 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
- 1 carrot peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 stalk celery, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup dark beer (Belgian preferred, on the drier side)
- ½ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Trim the fat and silver skin off of your short ribs if necessary. Then, season all sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil on high heat and sear the short rib pieces on all sides in a hot dutch oven, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Work in batches if needed.
- Remove the short ribs after a nice crust has formed on all sides of the meat. Then, add the sliced onions and cook until soft and brown, about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to scrape up all of the caramelized beefy bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- After the onions have caramelized, add the carrots, garlic cloves and celery and warm the vegetables through. Then, add broth, beer, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Nestle the short rib pieces back into the liquid (it's ok if some of the pieces are sticking out).
- Bake the whole pot, covered, for 3-4 hours. The beef is ready if a paring knife can easily pierce it.
- When the meat is cooked, carefully take the short ribs out with a pair of tongs. Try to keep the bones in place for presentation. It's likely they will fall out at this point because the beef will be very tender.
- Strain the vegetables and herbs out of the braising and skim away all of the fat.
- Reduce the braising liquid on medium-high heat in a shallow saucepan until it has turned into a sticky sauce. It should easily coat the back of a spoon. This will take 1-2 hours.
- Once the sauce is ready, add your short ribs back to the sauce and carefully coat them in the jus. Heat the short ribs through, covered so the sauce doesn't reduce further.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables or salad.
Notes
- If you plan on serving this the day you make it, you can easily and quickly skim the fat from the braising liquid by swirling several ice cubes into it. The fat will solidify around the ice cubes and will break away as the cubes melt, turning into pieces that can easily be picked out.
- To make this in advance, refrigerate the short ribs and strained braising liquid after the meat has cooked through. The next day, the fat will have solidified in a layer and will be easy to remove before reducing the liquid down to a sauce. The carbonnade flamande will last three days in the fridge, and should be warmed through gently to prevent the sauce from reducing further.
Nutrition
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