How to Cook With Beer
Know your beer., Select a beer that complements and enhances the food., Evaluate the malt and hop levels., Determine the role that the beer will play in your cooking., Choose a reputable brand., Follow the directions in the recipe., Bring the beer...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Know your beer.
There are three main types: these are ales, stouts and lagers.
Ales and lagers tend to be best for using in cooking, although stout has its place too, such as in some versions of Christmas pudding. -
Step 2: Select a beer that complements and enhances the food.
The right type of beer should be considered before you cook.
One rule of thumb to follow is like wine––use dark beer for robust dishes and light beer for lighter fare.
Generally, pale ale beer complements nearly all recipes.
Beer intensifies during cooking, so a lighter tasting beer may lend more of a blended flavor than a darker beer.
Nut brown beer is ideal for rich dishes such as stews or cheese dishes.
Strong Belgian ales can complement meat dishes.
Most meat, especially red meat, dishes will require the use of dark brown ale rather than the lighter version.
Fruity beers work well with desserts.
Wheat ales can enhance seafood and poultry dishes.
Lager beer is works well for baking breads because it adds levity to the dough.
Beer can be used instead of yeast in pancakes and some breads.
Adding beer to batters produces a light and crispy texture. , Malt and hops are the flavoring agents in beer.
If the levels are higher, more beer flavor will come out in your dish. , Enhancing the flavor of the food is not the only role beer can have in cooking.
It is also a natural meat tenderizer, yeast enhancer that complements bread and pancakes.
It is also a deglazing agent that can re-infuse a dish with cooked ingredients. , Never cook or use beer that you wouldn’t enjoy drinking.
Remember that price doesn’t always dictate flavor, so if you're not already sure, sample the beer before adding it to your dish.
Don't be afraid of using stale beer though.
Last night's unfinished beer, provided it was refrigerated, can be used to cook with.
After all, it's probably flat and no good for drinking now! , Beer is meant to enhance and enliven the flavors of your food, so add this ingredient specifically according to directions.
Overdoing the addition of beer could overwhelm the flavor of the food and cause it to be unpalatable. , Beer that is too cold or hot may compromise other ingredients in your dish.
If your brew has been in the refrigerator, make sure you take it out and give it time to get to room temperature before adding it to your dish.
Only do otherwise if a recipe overrides this specifically. , Some measuring cups are actually made for dry ingredients such as flour or sugar.
Purchase a measuring cup system from the local home store that is designed specifically for liquids to obtain an accurate reading. , Below are some typical dishes made using beer.
Experiment with a few to see what your favorites will be. -
Step 3: Evaluate the malt and hop levels.
-
Step 4: Determine the role that the beer will play in your cooking.
-
Step 5: Choose a reputable brand.
-
Step 6: Follow the directions in the recipe.
-
Step 7: Bring the beer to room temperature before cooking.
-
Step 8: Remember to use a measuring device created for liquids.
-
Step 9: Start cooking.
Detailed Guide
There are three main types: these are ales, stouts and lagers.
Ales and lagers tend to be best for using in cooking, although stout has its place too, such as in some versions of Christmas pudding.
The right type of beer should be considered before you cook.
One rule of thumb to follow is like wine––use dark beer for robust dishes and light beer for lighter fare.
Generally, pale ale beer complements nearly all recipes.
Beer intensifies during cooking, so a lighter tasting beer may lend more of a blended flavor than a darker beer.
Nut brown beer is ideal for rich dishes such as stews or cheese dishes.
Strong Belgian ales can complement meat dishes.
Most meat, especially red meat, dishes will require the use of dark brown ale rather than the lighter version.
Fruity beers work well with desserts.
Wheat ales can enhance seafood and poultry dishes.
Lager beer is works well for baking breads because it adds levity to the dough.
Beer can be used instead of yeast in pancakes and some breads.
Adding beer to batters produces a light and crispy texture. , Malt and hops are the flavoring agents in beer.
If the levels are higher, more beer flavor will come out in your dish. , Enhancing the flavor of the food is not the only role beer can have in cooking.
It is also a natural meat tenderizer, yeast enhancer that complements bread and pancakes.
It is also a deglazing agent that can re-infuse a dish with cooked ingredients. , Never cook or use beer that you wouldn’t enjoy drinking.
Remember that price doesn’t always dictate flavor, so if you're not already sure, sample the beer before adding it to your dish.
Don't be afraid of using stale beer though.
Last night's unfinished beer, provided it was refrigerated, can be used to cook with.
After all, it's probably flat and no good for drinking now! , Beer is meant to enhance and enliven the flavors of your food, so add this ingredient specifically according to directions.
Overdoing the addition of beer could overwhelm the flavor of the food and cause it to be unpalatable. , Beer that is too cold or hot may compromise other ingredients in your dish.
If your brew has been in the refrigerator, make sure you take it out and give it time to get to room temperature before adding it to your dish.
Only do otherwise if a recipe overrides this specifically. , Some measuring cups are actually made for dry ingredients such as flour or sugar.
Purchase a measuring cup system from the local home store that is designed specifically for liquids to obtain an accurate reading. , Below are some typical dishes made using beer.
Experiment with a few to see what your favorites will be.
About the Author
Christina Jones
Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: