Today we’re cooking two dishes that sound like pages torn from ancient cookbooks—but remain timeless and incredibly delicious. Belgian beef simmered in dark beer and British hare braised in port—classics that never deserved to be forgotten.
🍺 Carbonnade Flamande (Carbonnade à la Flamande)
History: A staple of Flemish cuisine from Belgium, where beef is slow-cooked in dark beer with onions and mustard. It emerged in the Middle Ages, when beer was more accessible than wine. The name comes from carbon (coal)—originally, the meat was seared over charcoal.
Ingredients:
• Beef chuck or neck — 1 kg
• Yellow onions — 4 large
• Dark Belgian beer (dubbel or brune) — 500 ml
• Beef stock — 200 ml
• Dijon mustard — 2 tbsp
• Dark brown sugar — 1 tbsp
• Red wine vinegar — 1 tbsp
• Fresh thyme — 3 sprigs
• Bay leaves — 2
• Flour — 2 tbsp
• Butter — 50 g
• Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
• Salt, freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Cut the beef into 4×4 cm cubes, pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, lightly coat in flour. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the meat in batches for 3–4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms on all sides. Don’t overcrowd the pan—it should sizzle, not steam. Transfer seared meat to a separate bowl.
In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Thinly slice the onions into half-rings (3–4 mm thick). Add to the pot and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft, golden-brown, and caramelized. The onions should reduce by half and develop a sweet aroma.
Return the beef to the pot. Add brown sugar and stir. Pour in the beer and stock—liquid should nearly cover the meat. Add thyme, bay leaves, and wine vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2–2.5 hours. The beef is done when it shreds easily with a fork, and the sauce thickens into a glossy, dark-brown glaze.
Ten minutes before serving, stir in the Dijon mustard. Taste for salt—adjust if needed. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves. If the sauce is too thin, uncover and simmer for 5–7 minutes to reduce. It should coat the back of a spoon but not turn pasty.
Serve the carbonnade piping hot with boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, or traditional Belgian frites. Garnish with fresh parsley. Pair with the same dark beer used in cooking.
💡 Fact: In Belgium, carbonnade is traditionally cooked and served in clay pots. It’s a winter dish—eaten after long walks through the chilly Flemish streets.
🐇 Jugged Hare
History: An old English dish, popular since the 18th century. The name comes from the cooking method—meat was braised in a clay jug (jug) submerged in boiling water. The classic recipe includes hare’s blood to thicken the sauce, giving it a signature dark color and rich depth.
Ingredients:
• Hare (jointed into serving pieces) — 1 (about 1.5 kg)
• Hare’s blood — 100 ml (can substitute beef blood)
• Smoked bacon (diced) — 150 g
• Yellow onions — 2 medium
• Carrots — 2
• Celery stalks — 2
• Dry red wine — 400 ml
• Port — 150 ml
• Beef stock — 300 ml
• Redcurrant jelly — 2 tbsp
• Fresh thyme — 4 sprigs
• Bay leaves — 2
• Juniper berries — 6
• Flour — 3 tbsp
• Butter — 40 g
• Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
• Salt, freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Joint the hare into 8–10 serving pieces: separate the hind and front legs, cut the saddle into 4–5 pieces. Pat dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, coat in flour. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the hare in batches for 4–5 minutes per side until golden-brown. Transfer to a separate bowl.
In the same pot, fry the bacon over medium heat for 5–6 minutes until crisp and rendered. Dice the onions (5×5 mm), carrots, and celery (1×1 cm). Add to the pot and sauté for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly caramelized. The vegetables should absorb the bacon’s smoky flavor.
Return the hare to the pot. Pour in the red wine and port, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3–4 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add stock, thyme, bay leaves, and crushed juniper berries. The liquid should cover two-thirds of the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2–2.5 hours. The hare is done when the meat falls off the bone.
Carefully remove the hare pieces and keep warm under foil. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a separate pot, pressing the vegetables to extract all liquid. Return the sauce to medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk the hare’s blood with 3 tbsp of hot sauce (to prevent curdling). Slowly pour the blood mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly. Add redcurrant jelly and butter. Simmer for 5–7 minutes over low heat—do not boil—until the sauce thickens to a silky, liquid-sour-cream consistency and turns a deep, almost black burgundy.
Return the hare to the sauce and warm through for 2–3 minutes. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, or traditional English vegetables. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.
💡 Fact: In Victorian England, Jugged Hare was a high-society feast. Mrs. Beeton, in her famous 1861 cookbook, wrote that the dish "requires the patience of the cook and the gratitude of the diner." It was traditionally served at hunting suppers after autumn hare shoots.