Beer warms up to cool-weather foods
As the weather cools and the leaves turn to rich russets and burly browns, the beer in our glasses matches those hues.
We say so long to the pale wheat beers and effervescent ales that quenched our thirst at pool parties and baseball games and look forward to porters and malty lagers that will refresh us during hayrides and football games; beers that will transition our palates from the summer's fruit-infused flavors to the spiced beers of winter.
"In the fall, we want more robust beers: porters, brown ales, nut brown ales," says Ryan McClooney, brewmaster at Emmett's Ale House (Palatine, West Dundee, Downers Grove and Oswego). "Even a dunkel weizen fits the mood. It's earthy; it's what you want when you're wearing a sweatshirt sitting by the campfire."
Those autumnal flavors that we enjoy in our glass can be used on our plates as well, as quick-fired fish gives way to slow-roasted briskets and sweet berry desserts step aside for rich dark treats.
Chef Rob Kwiatek of Emmetts says the heartier fall beers work well in a number of recipes, his favorite being a barbecue sauce made with the brewery's Scottish Ale or McCarthy Red Ale.
"The Scottish beer, because of its light smokiness, absorbs the flavors of the sauce," he says.
Kwiatek says you should select beers for cooking as you would select wines for cooking.
"I think wine has been broadcast in our minds as the perfect complement to food, but beer has been around as long as wine, maybe even longer," Kwiatek says. "Beer has more flavor characteristics that you can find for matching."
While the growth in the craft beer industry has renewed interest in cooking with beer and pairing beer with food, Bob Skilnik reminds us that everything old is new again. In his 2007 book, "Beer & Food: An American History" (Jefferson Press), the Plainfield resident shares recipes dating back to the early 1800s that incorporated ales in soups and cookies.
So go ahead and make a gravy with red lager instead of Pinot Noir, or add a Pilsener to a marinade instead of a chardonnay. But don't get too carried away, experts warn.
"I'm a contrarian when it comes to cooking with beer," Skilnik says."I get nervous when it comes to cooking with darker, hoppier beers. Cooking can change the flavor of beer; a hops gets too concentrated. And if you pick a beer with a maltier, sweeter finish, if you reduce it, it can get too sweet."
Skilnik's advice: "Know the beer. If you like it, give it a try in a recipe."
"If you don't like it in a glass, you won't like it in the finished dish," adds Lucy Saunders, author of "Grilling with Beer" and founder of the award-winning Web site beercooks.com.
If you like hoppy beers, like India pale ales, Saunders suggests using them in recipes with shallots or onions to help offset the bitterness. Add it to a recipe, such as stew or chili, near the end of cooking so the flavors don't concentrate as much.
Bob's best
Plainfield author Bob Skilnik maintains a blog, beerinfood.wordpress.com, where he regularly posts recipes. Here are some of his favorite places to further explore the connections between beer and food:
Emmett's beer tour
Explore the Czech Republic's centuries-old breweries and learn about the country's rich brewing history with Emmett's Ale House founder Tim Burns.
Burns will lead guests as they tour and taste their way through 11 breweries, including the renowned Plzen brewery, home to Pilsener Urquell, and Staropramen Brewery, the country's second largest brewery.
The nine-day tour runs June 13 to 21, 2009, costs $3,579 (based on double occupancy) and includes round-trip airfare from Chicago, motor coach travel and most meals.
Call Burns at (847) 428-4500, ext. 21, or write tburns@emmettstavern.com for details.
Emmetts's Baby Back Ribs With Scottish Ale BBQ Sauce
Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 cup water
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
¼ cup canned chipotle peppers
1 cups Scottish ale (see note)
Ribs
4 pounds baby back ribs
2 gallons water
cup diced carrots
cup diced onion
cup diced celery
1 tablespoons pickling spice
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons barbecue spice
For the sauce: In a 2-quart pot, heat butter and sauté onions until they're soft. Add the remaining ingredients except for the beer and simmer 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and return to pot. Add the beer and simmer for 10 more minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed and set aside.
For the ribs: In a large pot, bring the water to a boil and add the carrots, onions, celery, pickling spice, salt and ribs. Reduce to a slow boil and let the ribs cook for about 45 minutes or until fork tender. Remove ribs from water and place on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Rub the ribs with the spice rub until well coated. Bake for about 30 minutes to give the spices a chance to soak into the ribs. Remove ribs and baste with sauce. Increase oven to 400 degrees and return ribs to oven lightly caramelize the sauce on the ribs. Serve immediately.
Serves four to six.
Cook's note: Red ale can be substituted.
Chef Rob Kwiatek, Emmett's Ale House
Spicy brown ale brined wings
cup brown sugar
½ cup kosher salt
24 ounces brown ale
5 pounds chicken wings, cut into three sections, small tips removed
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup minced fresh jalapeños (or mix habañeros and jalapeños)
½ cup hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
½ cup Sriracha or Asian sweet hot chile sauce
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
24 bamboo skewers, at least 10 inches long, soaked in water
2 tablespoons black or toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Mix brown sugar, salt and brown ale in large gallon bowl and whisk until dissolved to make a brine. Place wings in bowl and stir to coat. Cover and chill 4-8 hours.
Melt butter in large skillet and add garlic and jalapeños. Sauté over low heat until jalapeños are tender. Add hot pepper sauce, Sriracha, cinnamon and pepper. Mix well and simmer 3 minutes. Place in blender and purée until smooth.
Prepare grill. Drain wings from brine and thread on skewers, 3 to 4 pieces per skewer. Keep pieces of similar sizes together so chicken will cook evenly. Place skewers on grill over indirect heat (or use a grill basket). Cook 25 minutes or until very brown and crispy, turning every 5 minutes. Arrange cooked wings on platter, spoon prepared chile sauce over evenly, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
Serves six.
"Grilling With Beer" by Lucy Saunders (2006 F&B Communications, $21.95)
Porter ginger salmon skewers
12 ounces porter
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons garlic
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1½ pounds salmon, skin and bones
removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium sweet onion, peeled
1 large red bell pepper
14 large mushrooms
8 bamboo skewers, 10 to 12 inches long, or thin metal skewers
Mix porter, ginger, garlic, pepper and soy sauce in bowl. Reserve cup for basting. Pour remaining marinade into resealable plastic bag. Add cubed salmon, seal and turn several times to coat well. Chill 1 hour or more.
Soak skewers in water. Prepare vegetables by washing and slicing into bite-sized chunks or thick slices, as desired. Thread alternating pieces of vegetables and salmon on skewers.
Prepare grill. Cook skewers over medium heat, basting often with reserved marinade. Skewers are ready when salmon is orange and flaky and vegetables are tender. Serve with rice or salad.
Serves four to six.
"Grilling with Beer" by Lucy Saunders (2006 F&B Communications, $21.95)
Warm Potato Salad with Beer Dressing
2 pounds red potatoes
cup finely chopped mild red or yellow onions
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Dressing
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ cup finely chopped onions
¾ cup lager
3 tablespoons malt or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
For the salad: Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until a knife point can be easily inserted, about 20-25 minutes. Remove, and as soon as you can handle them, slice them, unpeeled, into ¼-inch rounds.
For the dressing: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until just soft, about 5 minutes. Add the lager, vinegar and sugar and boil for 5 minutes. Put into a food processor with the mustard. With the motor running, slowly pour in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Taste for salt and pepper. While the potatoes are still warm, gently mix them with the onions, parsley and beer dressing. Do not overmix or the potatoes may break into pieces. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves six.
"Real Beer and Good Eats" by Bruce Aidells & Dennis Kelly (1992 Alfred A. Knopf)
Chocolate-Cream Cheese Stout Beer Brownies
Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
Brownies
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes and brought to room temperature
8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup white chocolate chips
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1¼ cup stout beer, room temperature
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, or grease and flour pan.
In medium mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, prepare cream cheese filling by beating cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in vanilla and one egg until just blended. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt until well-combined. Set aside. In top of double boiler over very low heat, melt butter, bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted. Remove chocolate from heat.
In large mixing bowl, beat 4 eggs and 1 cup sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in stout. (The batter will seem a bit thin.) Drop semisweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter, allowing some to sink into batter. Pour entire mixture into prepared pan.
Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan. Cut through mixture several times with knife to create a marbled design. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes on center rack until top is browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Remove brownies from oven and let cool, uncovered, until they reach room temperature. Cut into squares and serve.
Serves 24.
National Beer Wholesalers Association
Serves 24.
Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
Brownies
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes and brought to room temperature
8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup white chocolate chips
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1¼ cup stout beer, room temperature
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, or grease and flour pan.
In medium mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, prepare cream cheese filling by beating cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in vanilla and one egg until just blended. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt until well-combined. Set aside. In top of double boiler over very low heat, melt butter, bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted. Remove chocolate from heat.
In large mixing bowl, beat 4 eggs and 1 cup sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in stout. (The batter will seem a bit thin.) Drop semisweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter, allowing some to sink into batter. Pour entire mixture into prepared pan.
Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan. Cut through mixture several times with knife to create a marbled design. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes on center rack until top is browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Remove brownies from oven and let cool, uncovered, until they reach room temperature. Cut into squares and serve.
Serves 24.
National Beer Wholesalers Association