As much as you like to drink beer on its own, it is not actually just for washing down chips, pretzels, and hotdogs on game day. It can actually be used for cooking, similar to how you would cook with wine. Cooking with beer gives your food a deeper and earthier flavor.
It is perfect for dishes like soup, stew, chili, and even baked goods. You can use it in just about any cooking technique like braising, deglazing, marinating, simmering, baking, and more. Beer has many health benefits, so you would benefit from adding it to your food.
Using Beer as an Ingredient
Beer contains hops which gives the bitter nature. It also contains malt which gives it the natural sweetness which balances the bitter flavor perfectly. The bitterness balances the creaminess of cheese and the sugars in vegetables like onions, carrots, and corn.
Fried Foods
Dump the fizzy seltzer water in favor of light beer when frying onion rings or shrimp. Lager, for instance, will make the batter light and airy. Do not use stout beer as it can result in gray-colored food.
A light lager will result in crispier and lighter fry. Beer works like sparkling water, and it makes the food crisp, light and airy. It’s perfect for fish, onion rings, calamari, and tempura.
Soups and Stews
When making stews or soups, make sure to replace the stock with stout or ale. If you’re making a seafood soup or chicken soup, you can use wheat beer instead.
Baking with Beer
If you are planning to bake a classic quick bread, make sure to use beer along with baking powder to get the loaf to rise. If you’re planning to bake a dark bitter bread, you may want to use light lager. If you’re going to bake with chocolate, use a dark stout to bring out the flavors of the chocolate.
Marinades and Sauces
Beer tenderizes meat and caramelizes seared meat. It also helps create an earthy, smoky flavor to sauces. Throw a lager with ketchup and mustard will create a delicious marinade for beef cut.
Soups
Beers go well with onion soup. Let the onions cook for a long period and give it a boost by adding beer. This will bring out a richer and darker sweetness.
Which Beer Should You Use for Cooking?
Light and dark beers have distinctive flavors. But how do you know which beers go with which food? How do you cook with beer?
It’s simple really. Wheat beers are great for chicken and seafood. If you’re cooking pork, beef, and lamb, you will need ales, porters, and stouts. Hearty meat goes well with belgian ales. Stews pair well with ale. Cheese goes well with ale as well. If you’re cooking desserts, you need light fruity beers.
If you are unsure about what beer to use, go for pale ale. It’s fruity, rich, and hoppy, but it’s not overpowering.
You do not need to break the bank just to get a nice bottle of beer for cooking. Make sure to use beers that you would enjoy drinking. Remember that as you cook, the flavors of the beer will either intensify or diminish. So, it’s always best to bet on beers that you like.
If you want to learn more about beers so you would know how to choose the right ones for cooking, contact us and sign up for our brewery tours, and you’d be a beer expert in no time!
FAQs
Do not use stout beer as it can result in gray-colored food. A light lager will result in crispier and lighter fry. Beer works like sparkling water, and it makes the food crisp, light and airy. It's perfect for fish, onion rings, calamari, and tempura.
How to use beer when cooking? ›
Use beer as a cooking liquid for braising, steaming, and more. The next time you're making a marinade, try adding some beer! Similar to other liquids used to marinate, soaking in beer will help ensure your food stays moist as it cooks — and it contains enzymes that can help tenderize meat.
What is the point of cooking with beer? ›
The Basics
Why cook with beer? Beer adds a rich, earthy flavor to soups and stews that makes them taste like they've been simmering for hours. Beers with a sweet or nutty taste can add depth to desserts. And don't worry about getting drunk – virtually all of the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process.
Is cooking with beer healthy? ›
Surprising but true: Cooking with beer can actually be a healthy way to flavor food—here's why. A 12-ounce bottle of regular beer has about 150 calories and is free of fat and cholesterol. It also has very little sodium-only 1% of the recommended daily allowance.
Can I use old beer for cooking? ›
Yes, expired beer can be used for cooking.
What kind of beer is best for cooking? ›
Wheat beers are great for chicken and seafood. If you're cooking pork, beef, and lamb, you will need ales, porters, and stouts. Hearty meat goes well with belgian ales. Stews pair well with ale.
Does cooking with beer cook out the alcohol? ›
Alcohol does partially evaporate during cooking, but not as much as you might think. Depending on the cooking method and how much alcohol is used, anywhere from 4 to 85 percent of the alcohol may remain. After 15 minutes of cooking, about 40 percent of the alcohol remains.
Does it matter what kind of beer you cook with? ›
Beer is a natural tenderizer because of the enzymes that will help break down tough fibers in meat. But there's not a single type of beer that works across all meats. You'll need to think about pairings here too. Dark beers complement robust meats like beef, while lighter beers go with seafood, poultry and pork.
Does beer add flavor to chicken? ›
Enhancing Chicken with Beer
The alcohol is able to penetrate deep into the meat, carrying the flavors of the brine solution with it. Beer can also break down fat, something that water cannot. You can also baste the chicken with beer.
Why do people pour beer on the grill? ›
Beer can be used to impart flavor while you are roasting, using the rotisserie, and even smoking. It's as simple as adding beer to your drip pan or the water basin in your smoker. Drip pans collect the delicious drippings from whatever you're cooking so that you can use them to make sauces and gravies.
You can use any local wheat beer or Hefewizen style beer. I find this style of beer works very well in this marinade. One of the best things about using a beer in a marinade is that it pretty much guarantees that you will end up with a food that pairs well with the beer that you used.
What kind of beer is best for beer can chicken? ›
Quick Answer: The ideal beer for making beer can chicken is undoubtedly a lager. Its light and refreshing profile complements the chicken without overwhelming its natural flavors. Lagers are celebrated for being light, crisp and having wide appeal, making them the top pick for this cooking method.
Does cooking with beer tenderize meat? ›
Beers can add rich, caramel-like flavor to the meat with minimal cooking time. One of the most effective ways to tenderize your meat is by using beer. Beer contains alpha acids and tannins that help break down fibers in meat, making it more tender and flavorful. Marinate using beer for an hour or more before grilling.
Can I freeze beer for cooking? ›
When freezing your beer, don't leave it in the bottle or can, as the liquid can expand and explode all over your freezer. Instead, pour your beer into an ice cube tray. Then, the next time you're cooking a dish that could benefit from a few hops, all you have to do is pop out a pre-portioned cube of frozen beer.
Can beer go rancid? ›
Can Beer Go Bad if Stored Properly? Beer can still “go bad” in the sense that its flavor profile is off, even when stored properly. That being said, taking steps to carefully store your brews can help them retain as much of their intended taste and aroma for as long as possible.
What can I make with leftover beer? ›
Beer in Breads and Batters
- Fried fish: The beer lightens and flavors the batter in this beer battered fish recipe.
- Onion rings: Beer and seltzer bring double the bubble to this recipe for super light onion rings.
- Beer bread: This super easy “starter loaf” relies on the yeast in the beer for leavening.
One of the most effective ways to cook with beer, however, is to use it as a tenderizing marinade. Beer contains enzymes that help break down tough fibers in meat, making it more tender and flavorful at the same time.
How do you use beer instead of yeast? ›
Combine the flour, sugar, and can of beer in a mixing bowl. The alcohol from the beer will evaporate during baking, so the bread will be edible for all ages. Watch it bubble as you mix it up and then place the large ball of dough in the center of a greased cookie sheet.
Can you taste beer when you cook with it? ›
Beer can be bitter, which can quickly overpower a dish. It's much harder to reduce a beer's flavor once you've over-poured than to add some more later on. Plus, the longer you cook beer, the stronger the flavor becomes. This is all the more reason to start light and not underestimate a beer's potency.
When a recipe calls for beer? ›
Easy Substitutions
Use beef broth, chicken broth, mushroom stock, apple juice, apple cider, root beer, or co*ke instead of dark beer. With all of these ingredients, you want to be sure to replace the beer measure for measure to keep the liquid volume the same in your recipe.
