3 lbs cubed beef, venison, or elk
1/2 lb smoked beef bacon
1 lb button mushrooms
1 lb pearl onions
1 head garlic, minced
2 12-oz bottles stout or other dark beer
1/4 c barbeque sauce, ketchup, or tomato paste
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 c cornstarch
Chop bacon into pieces and fry until crisp. (If avoiding pork, turkey bacon can also be used). Transfer bacon to crock pot. Brown beef in bacon drippings over high heat; transfer to crock pot. While bacon and beef are cooking, peel onions, quarter mushrooms, and mince garlic. In the pan drippings, saute onions, mushrooms, and garlic until golden. Reserve 1/2 c of beer and set aside. Stir remaining beer, barbeque sauce, thyme, pepper, and allspice into the onions, deglazing the pan and scraping up all the browned bits. Pour over meat in the crock pot and cook on low all day until the beef is tender. Before serving, stir the cornstarch into the reserved beer, and stir into the carbonnade to thicken. Serve with crusty bread and green salad.
Gluten restrictions: Use Redbridge gluten- free beer, and serve with mashed or roasted potatoes instead of the bread.
