“As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon,” begins Julia Child as she enumerates the recipe for the classic beef stew, and one that is perhaps most evocative of her repertoire.

So too, it seems, is it the case with Beef Carbonnade, a stew of lesser world-renown, but one with many devotees and variations nonetheless. Dark abbey-style beer takes the place of wine in this Belgian beef stew which, in this version, relies solely on the aromatic stylings of caramelized onions.

In The Silver Palate’s Beef Carbonnade, the meat is rolled in a seasoned flour mixture prior to browning though in other recipes the flour is added once the meat has already been browned. The effect is the same, to thicken the liquid so it resembles a gravy more than a broth, but I worried, especially given the excessive amount of flour called for, that the meat could not be properly seasoned this way.

Other variations called for beef stock in addition to the beer, which I think would have added a certain sauciness I thought this dish lacked; even piled high with braised bits of beef, my noodles remained a little naked.

Evidently this dish is quite common in Belgium, commonly served at frietkots, or “fast-food” quick-service joints named for their staple item: fries.

Though The Silver Palate’s Beef Carbonnade was still quite tasty, next time I try this stew I am going to take a pass at the following recipe from Saveur for those reasons mentioned above.

Beef Carbonnade
6 portions

1/4 pound bacon
2 very large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 pounds stew meat (chuck is best), cubed
vegetable oil (optional)
2 cups imported dark beer
chopped parsley (garnish)

1. Coarsely dice the bacon and sauté in a large skillet until crisp and brown. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.

2. Add the onions to the skillet and cook them in the rendered bacon fat until tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover the skillet, raise the heat, and sprinkle the onions with the sugar. Toss and stir them until they are well browned. Transfer onions to a strainer set over a bowl and let stand while you prepare the beef.

3. Stir together on a plate the flour, thyme, salt and pepper, and roll the cubes of meat around in the mixture until well coated. Shake off the excess and set the cubes on another plate.

4. Press the onions gently with the back of a spoon to extract as much of the cooking fat as possible. Transfer fat to a kettle (a Dutch oven or something of the like). Add additional fat in the form of vegetable oil if it appears you will not have enough for proper browning of the beef. Be sparing, however, or the carbonnade will be greasy.

5. Set the kettle over high heat; when the kettle is very hot, add 6 to 8 beef cubes. Do not crowd them in the kettle or they will not brown properly. Turn the heat down slightly and continue to cook cubes until browned on all sides. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a clean plate and proceed with the browning until all of the meat is done.

6. Preheat oven to 325°F.

7. Pour the beer into the kettle and use a spoon to stir up all the browned bits on the bottom. Return beef cubes to the kettle along with the bacon and sautéed onions. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover and set in the middle rack of the oven.

8. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until stew is reduced and thickened and meat is tender. Regulate the oven temperature as needed to maintain a moderate simmer.

9. Taste a correct seasoning. Turn stew out into a heated serving dish, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.