Beef stew fries
If you’re spending the whole Sunday curled up on the couch during a cold winter weekend, then honestly — what could be better than putting on a pot of slow-cooked beef? Your house will smell amazing, and you can hang out in your sweats all day, secretly grinning about the ultimate dinner that's coming your way. Pure joy!
Prepping the Stew
Take the meat out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Pat it dry on both sides with some kitchen paper. Heat up a generous knob of butter in a Dutch oven and brown the meat over high heat for about 3 minutes, turning halfway through. Add a bit of freshly ground pepper to start building that flavor.
Braising the Meat
Lower the heat and spread the meat evenly in the pan. Peel and finely chop the shallots, then add them along with the cloves, bay leaves, and mustard. Crumble the ontbijtkoek (spiced rye cake) over the meat — yes, really — and then pour in the beer and beef stock until the meat is just covered. Put the lid on and let it simmer on low heat for at least three hours. Four is better. Five? Even better. Just give it a stir now and then to prevent any sticking.
Stew & Fries
If your meat’s been bubbling away all afternoon and your entire house smells like Belgian beer, you’re right on track. Time for the finishing touch: fries. Just cook them according to the package instructions. Simple as that. We’re big fans of the air fryer ourselves — because fries from the air fryer are divine. Just like drumsticks. But that’s another story.
Finish the fries, spoon over that rich stew (be generous with the sauce!), and dig in. Oh — and if you’ve got sauce left over? Strain it through a sieve and boom: epic gravy.
ENJOY!
