Beef Carbonnade

My husband loves this recipe! It makes the whole house smell delicious. Honestly how could you possibly go wrong with such basic ingredients everyone likes. I love making in on a cold winter day... it's like a big bowl of comfort food. It is great for dinner guests because all the work is done early in the day. When your friends arrive you can enjoy your time with them and not in the kitchen.

So simple, but so wonderful. I made just half the recipe but otherwise followed directions exactly and had no need to thicken the end product--it was perfect as is. Now the admission: I added about one-two tablespoons of roast beef drippings (fat removed) that I had in the freezer, which may have accounted for part of the flavor. Served with noodles, steamed green beans, and some sauteed cremni mushroom halves.

This is a great tasting meat dish. A perfect dish for a chilly evening, served with some horseradish mashed potatoes and a glass of wine.

Honestly, I'm not really sure how this recipe got such a high rating from everyone else! I mean, it was OK, but definitely not worthy of an "outstanding." I followed the directions to a "T," but the sauce that the beef is cooked in was really runny and without a lot of flavor. The recipe for Carbonnade à la Flamande, on the other hand, IS OUTSTANDING (though it isn't rated as such) and has a lot more flavor and better texture to the sauce. I recommend that one WAY more than this one. Don't get me wrong, we still ate this after it was cooked, but I would have just as easily popped a lean cuisine in the microwave and been just as satisfied. :)

I was looking forward to making this recipe based on all the reviews but when it came time to eat supper it was just ok for me and my family. I will say that they next day when I warmed it up for lunch it was much better. So I would suggest this for those who cook ahead.

This is one of my and my husband's favorite dishes. It is so delicious that it does not even taste healthy! It is a little high in calories, but so worth it - and even better with a glass of red wine. Perfect for a cold evening. I have served it to company with rave reviews.