A French onion beef stew, this hearty and delicious dish offers tender chunks of beef with caramelized onions cooked in seasoned beef broth and dark beer. Serve over buttered egg noodles.

Beef Carbonnade

3 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 2-inch pieces

All purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 large onions, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, finely minced

2 cups beef broth

12 ounces dark beer

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

Cooked buttered egg noodles

1. Dredge beef in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of beef to skillet and cook until beef is brown on all sides, turning beef occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer to heavy large Dutch oven. Repeat process in 2 more batches, adding 1 tablespoon oil to skillet per batch.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over low heat. Stir in onions and garlic. Cook until onions are golden brown (caramelized), stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to Dutch oven. Add broth, beer and thyme to beef/onion mixture. Cover and simmer until beef is fork-tender, approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.
3. Remove cover. Boil stew as necessary until liquid is reduced to sauce consistency.
4. Serve stew over cooked buttered egg noodles.

Makes 6 servings.