Cooking with Beer: Carbonnade Flammande

Carbonnade Flammade (or Flemmish Beer and Beef Stew) is a favorite cooking tradition in our house hold.  Not too difficult to make and sure to get raves from family and guests (and so good that our snobby French friends asked for the recipe).  You may use any dark, rich beer but let me assure you that Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue) is perfect.

Ingredients

2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2" squares
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 slices bacon, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cups Belgian Quadrupedal Ale (Chiimay Grande Reserve)
1 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 sprigs Thyme
1/4 cup Parsley
2 sprigs Tarragon
2 bay leaves
Bread and roasted fingerling potatoes for serving

Instructions
Season beef with salt and pepper in a bowl; add flour and toss to coat.  Heat 2 tbsp. butter in a 6-qt. Dutch Oven over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add beef; cook, turning, until browned (about 8 minutes).  Add remaining butter, garlic and onions and cook until caramelized (about 30 minutes).  Add half of the beer, cook (scraping the bottom of the pot) until slightly reduced (about 4 minutes).  Return the beef to the pot with the remaining beer, stock, sugar, vinegar, thyme, parsley, tarragon, bay leaves, and salt and pepper.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until beef is tender (about 1 1/2 hours).  Serve with freshly baked bread and roasted fingerling potatoes (or steak fries).  Enjoy/