Carbonnade À La Flamande (Belgian Beef, Beer, And Onion Stew)

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about 1⁄2 cup of chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken and beef broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay leaves, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork slips easily in and out of beef, about 2 hours.
3. Discard thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

TRIMMING BLADE STEAKS
1. Halve each steak lengthwise, leaving gristle on one half.
2. Cut away gristle from half to which it is still attached, then cut trimmed meat into pieces.