Cooking
with Beer
Many seasons have different flavors that come to mind,
but few seasons say “beer” more than fall. Octoberfest,
football, county fairs and just the cool, crisp fall air cause many to
hoist a mug of lager.
There are many, many kinds of beer. From pale and dark to blueberry
and light, micro breweries are touting all kinds of custom concoctions. With
all the new types, beer tastings are becoming a popular and casual way to gather
and enjoy the many flavors. And, instead of expensive cheeses and crackers
found at wine tastings, one can serve pretzels and peanuts at a beer fest!
Beer is brewed from malted barley and other cereals mixed with
cultured yeast for fermentation and then often flavored with hops and unique
ingredients. But most makers, just like with bagels, claim the true flavor
comes from the quality of the water, which makes up 90 percent of the volume
of the brew.
Cooking with beer adds wonderful character to many recipes. I
like dark, rich flavored beer for most recipes. And many beers are fat free,
which makes them a terrifically low calorie liquid with which to cook. And
cooking the brew gets rid of the alcohol making it safe to serve to any age.
So pop a flip top, pry off a cap or twist off a lid and
get cooking with beer. You might just discover that it’s just as good
for cooking as it is for drinking!
Beer Glazed Mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
12 to 15 ounces dark beer
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound oyster mushrooms, cleaned
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
In a sauté pan over medium high heat, place the oil and the onions
and sauté until the onions begin to toast. Reduce the heat to
medium and pour in the beer. Bring to a simmer, add the garlic to the
pan and cook until the liquid reduces in volume by 2/3. Add the mushrooms
to the pan and sauté a couple of minutes. Season with salt, herbs
and pepper and sauté until mushrooms are tender and liquid has
reduced to a glaze, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with crisp flatbreads
as an appetizer or atop chow mein noodles as a side dish.Beer Three Onion Soup
4 large leeks
3 onions
2 bunches scallions
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
36 to 45 ounces beer
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Slices of French bread, toasted
1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Trim about two thirds of the greens from the leeks. Trim the roots off
from the white ends. Now, split them down the middle. Rise from the white
ends with the water flowing down to the green ends until all the dirt
and sand is gone. Cut them into thin slices. Peel the onions and slice
them into thin slices. Trim the scallions and rinse. Cut them into small
pieces. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium high heat and in it sauté the
leeks, onions and scallions until they begin to brown around the edges
and toast. Reduce the heat to medium and add the soy sauce. Sauté another
minute and add the herbs and beer. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5
minutes. Add the broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently
for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into warm soup bowls, float
a French bread toast on top and sprinkle the cheese over the toast. Serves
4 to 6.Beer Brisket of Beef
2 onions, peeled and thick sliced
- 4 to 6 pound beef brisket
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
6 fresh basil leaves
Prepared horse radish as desired
Arrange the onion slices on the bottom of a deep roasting pan. Rinse the brisket and place it, fat side up, on top of the onions. Pour the beer over the meat. Float the bay leaves in the beer. Sprinkle the salt, herbs, pepper and paprika over the brisket. Place the basil leaves on top. Seal the pan with aluminum foil such that it is virtually airtight. Place in a 285-degree oven on a low shelf and roast for 8 hours or over night. Remove from the oven and cool Refrigerate for 8 hours. When chilled, the fat will float to the top and harden. Remove all fat and discard. Chop the brisket. Reheat the juices and strain. Reheat the brisket in the strained juices and serve with lots of prepared horseradish and boiled potatoes or the beer whipped turnips below. Serves 8 or more.Beer Whipped Turnips
2 pound turnips
14.9 ounces Guinness Draught
salt and pepper to taste
Peel the turnips, cut into chunks and place in a pot with a lid. Pour the beer over the turnip chunks. Cover tightly and poach until the turnips are very tender, about 45 minutes. Drain, reserve the liquid, and whip the turnips with an electric mixer adding just enough of the liquid to create a light and fluffy texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 6 to 8.Beer Marinade for Fowl or Pork
12 to 16 ounces beer
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
cracked pepper to taste
Mix together all ingredients. Marinate fowl of any kind or pork chops 2 hours or overnight. Grill to perfection! Makes enough for 8 to 10 servings.Beer Barbecue Sauce
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, minced
2 or 3 jalapeno peppers, minced (optional)
30 to 36 ounces beer
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil n a saucepan over medium high heat and in it sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper ( and jalapeno, if used) until toasted. Reduce heat to medium and add the beer and vinegar to the pan. Stir in the brown sugar, tomato paste and maple syrup to the pan. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 5 cups of sauce. Serve warm or cold. This sauce is also the perfect baster for anything on the grill or even that Thanksgiving turkey!Chicken and Sausage Beer Stew
2 onions, chopped
2 Bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound skinless boneless white meat of chicken, cut into small pieces
1 pound smoked sausage links, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend
15 to 24 ounces beer
salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the onions, peppers and garlic in the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, sausage, herbs and beer to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked and very tender, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rice. Serves 6 to 8.
