Carbonade

Cooking Tips for the recipe

Carbonade is a traditional dish from the border region of France and Belgium. Typically, it is prepared by simmering meat with pain d'épices (spiced bread) spread with mustard. However, this recipe takes a simplified approach while maintaining a well-balanced flavor.

The key to its deliciousness lies in patiently sautéing the onions until they turn a rich golden brown. For the best results, it is recommended to braise the dish with a light beer to enhance its depth of flavor.

Ingredients (serves 3-4 people | Cooking Time:  Approx. 75 minutes) Onions - 2 medium-sized (cut into wedges) Butter - 10g Cassonade - 2 teaspoons Beef cheek - 200g (cut into 4 pieces) Black peppercorns - 5–6 pieces　 Juniper berries - 5 pieces Bay leaf - 1 piece Thyme - 2–3 sprigs Belgian beer - 350ml Red wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste - 1–2 tablespoons Salt - to taste 　Substitutes: Red Wine Vinegar → Can be replaced with your preferred vinegar. Adjust the amount to taste. Cassonade → Can be substituted with kibi sugar (raw cane sugar).

Instructions

1. Sautéing the Onions

• Heat butter in a kakugama.

• Add the onions and sauté until they become soft.

• Stir in the cassonade and continue cooking until the onions turn a deep golden brown.

• Remove from the kakugama and set aside.
  
  

2. Sear the Beef & Simmer

• In the same kakugama, sear the surface of the beef cheek pieces until browned.

• Add the sautéed onions from step 1, the Belgian beer, black peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaf, thyme, red wine vinegar, and a light amount of salt.

• Bring to a boil, then cover with an outer lid and let it simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.
  
  
  
  

3. Adjust the Flavor & Finish

• Taste the broth and gradually add tomato paste to balance the acidity to your liking.

• Adjust the seasoning with salt before serving.

  
  Key Point

  It’s essential to taste the dish several times throughout the cooking process and adjust the seasoning as needed. This ensures the flavors develop perfectly and the dish reaches its ideal balance.
  

4. Plate the dish   

• it's ready to serve!
  
  

★Key Points of Cooking with kakugama Kakugama excels at slow-cooked dishes, making it perfect for this recipe. Thanks to its excellent heat retention and even heat distribution, the meat becomes incredibly tender while absorbing flavors in a short amount of time. The result is a rich, well-balanced dish with deep flavors.

Pairing: Red Wine

For this dish, we selected a rich French Syrah. Since the stew is braised in beer, it develops a deep, hearty flavor, but the beef cheek is relatively lean.

Credit：
Recipe created by Miyuki Shigemura (@miyu_25)
Photo by Hayato Noge (@hayato_noge)