Stew meat as it should be
Ask ten Flemings how to make stew meat and you’ll get eleven answers. One swears by Rodenbach, another by dark beer, and every family has its own secret ingredient in the pot. What always comes back: a good broth, a slow cooking time, and patience. Because stew meat is not a dish you rush — it’s a dish you let become. (read more below the video)
At home, we make it halal, with our own bone broth and non-alcoholic brown beer. The result is tender, dark, and full of flavor — perfect with fries, croquettes, or simple mashed potatoes.
Why use HANT bone broth and marrow fat?
Our bone broth is slow-cooked for 32 hours from halal beef bones. For stew meat, that’s priceless: the natural gelatin gives your sauce that typical glossy, velvety texture you otherwise only get by simmering for hours. No thickeners, no cubes — just pure flavor.
The marrow fat (tallow) enhances the meaty base and ensures your sauce clings around the meat instead of falling apart.
Ingredients (4 people)
- 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 knob of butter (to sauté the onions)
- 1 kg stew meat in cubes
- Pepper and a pinch of salt
- 2 bottles of non-alcoholic brown beer
- 4 to 6 tbsp HANT bone broth
- 1 tsp HANT marrow fat
- 2 slices of bread
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (for one sandwich)
- 2 tbsp Liège syrup (for the other sandwich)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 clove
Preparation
- Sauté the onions in a knob of butter until translucent — do not brown.
- Sear the stew meat briefly and hot in a separate pan, season with pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Deglaze the pan you browned the meat in with the two bottles of alcohol-free brown beer — loosen the browned bits with a wooden spoon and pour everything over the onions.
- Add the bone broth and marrow fat.
- Spread one slice of bread with Dijon mustard, a second slice with Liège syrup. Place them side by side in the pot, spread side down.
- Add bay leaf, thyme, and clove.
- Waiting for warmth — everything on low heat, lid half open. Let it simmer for 3 to 5 hours until the meat almost falls apart.
- Thicker sauce? Let it simmer uncovered for the last half hour.
- More liquid? Leave the lid on and optionally add an extra splash of broth.
Tips & variations
- With bacon — add some finely chopped halal beef bacon with the onions in step 1 for extra depth.
- Wine version — replace the beer with alcohol-free red wine for a rounder, fruitier sauce.
- For the next day — stew tastes even better after a night in the fridge. Feel free to make it a day ahead.
- For children — leave out the mustard and use some extra Liège syrup for a sweeter version.
Serve with
Classic with fries and mayonnaise. Equally delicious with a creamy mashed potato, croquettes, or just a thick slice of dark bread to soak up the sauce.
Storage
Stew stays good for 3 to 4 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Freezing is no problem — divide into portions so you always have a ready meal when you get home.
Did you make it?
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