Flemish Beef Stew

• 4 lbs (1.8 Kg) boneless stew meat cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour
• 4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cups (760 ml) dark beer
• 1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
• 2 bay (laurel) leaves
• 2 Tbs (30 ml) red currant jelly
• 1 Tbs (15 ml) red wine vinegar

Season the beef generously with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour. Heat half the butter in a large, heavy skillet over high heat and brown the beef in small batches until browned on all sides, transferring them to a large, heavy pot as they are done. Add the remaining butter to the same skillet and saute the onions until nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to the pot with the beef. Deglaze the skillet with the beer, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, and add the beer to the pot. Stir in the thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer covered until the meat is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir in the currant jelly and vinegar immediately before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.