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INSTANT POT BEEF & BEER BELGIAN STEW (Carbonnade a la Flamande)

Manila Spoon
Beef chunks are cooked in beer and flavored with fresh herbs for a deliciously addictive beef stew that comes out melt-in-your-mouth-tender in no time because it’s all done in the instant pot! This is the best INSTANT POT BEEF & BEER BELGIAN STEW!
4.97 from 31 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Belgian
Servings 6

Ingredients
 

  • 1 kilo stewing beef pref. chuck steak or roast, cubed
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 12 oz bottle of dark Belgian beer or ale
  • 1 bunch bouquet garni (see note)
  • 2 tbsp vinegar pref. wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Liberally season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. You can also roll it in flour if you wish. I wanted a thinner stew with lots of sauce and also a gluten-free version so I didn’t bother with adding the flour.
  • Choose the saute setting in your instant pot. Melt the butter with the oil. Brown the cubed beef in batches to sear. Place the beef cubes in a large platter as you cook.
  • Saute the onions in the remaining fat in the pot until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or 2. Pour a little of the ale to deglaze the pot.
  • Return the meat to the instant pot and mix well with the onions and garlic. Pour in the entire content of the beer bottle. Add the bouquet garni, vinegar and brown sugar. Stir everything.
  • Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes or until the beef is fork-tender. Allow a natural release.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little salt and pepper, if desired. Remove the bouquet garni. Add a little flour or cornstarch diluted with a little water to thicken the sauce. Alternatively, simply continue cooking the stew on saute setting until it thickens to your liking. Garnish with some fresh chopped parsley before serving, if desired.
  • Serve with fries, bread or rice! Pour all that yummy sauce on top!

Notes

Use a good quality beer here preferably the Belgian variety for perfect results. 
In Belgium, they add a slice or two of bread with a spread of mustard to thicken the stew. You may add that at the end of cooking instead of using flour or cornstarch.
Bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs usually tied together with a string or placed inside a small sachet and is cooked with the other ingredients but is removed before the food is served. The herbs may vary but the usual ones are thyme, bay leaves, and parsley. You can use fresh like the photo below or buy the dried ones in a sachet. The dried bouquet garni in sachets may be found in the spice and herb section of your grocery store.
 
Keyword beef stewed in beer, easy instant pot beef stew, instant pot beef and beer belgian stew, instant pot belgian stew, instant pot Carbonnade a la Flamande, pressure cooker beef stew
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