Belgian Beef stew {stoofvlees}

beef chuck

🥗Healthier: lean beef

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Lean beef reduces fat content while pork shoulder is often less expensive.

beer

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic beer

💰Cheaper: beef broth

Non-alcoholic beer maintains flavor without alcohol, and broth is a cost-effective substitute.

brown sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: white sugar

Honey provides a natural sweetness, while white sugar is a budget-friendly alternative.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil offers heart-healthy fats, and margarine is often less expensive.

Cut 1.5 pounds (750 grams) of chuck roast into cubes of about 1 x 1 inch (2 x 2 centimeters).

Melt half a stick of butter (about 50 grams) in a pan.

Add the finely sliced onions and bake them for three minutes.

Fry the meat until it's brown on all sides.

Remove the meat with a slotted spoon from the pan.

Pour the beer into the pan and use a wooden spatula to loosen the baked-on ingredients.

Put the onions and then the meat into the slow cooker or oven dish.

Add the beer into the slow cooker.

Also add the cloves, vinegar, and apple butter.

Place the bay leaves and thyme leaves on the stew.

Smear two slices of bread with mustard and place them upside down on the stew.

Put a lid on the slow cooker and cook on a low setting for about 6 to 8 hours.

After a couple of hours, taste the meat to check tenderness.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: