Beer is more than just for chugging. Just like wine, a brewski can lend its wonderful flavors to virtually any dish. I’m talking stews, briskets, pulled pork, onion rings, you name it. It’s not just limited to main courses and side dishes, either. Beer is so versatile you can use it to flavor bread and dessert. If you’re not yet convinced of the power of beer in cooking, it’s fine. I’ll just let these dishes speak for themselves. These recipes prove that a little bit of beer goes a long way. Cheers!
1. Beer Cheese Dip
Having some people over for an impromptu get-together? Open a bag of chips or pretzels and make this super easy beer cheese dip. Packed with melted cheese and spices, this dip has the best combination of hot and creamy. You can choose any kind of beer to use here, but consider what you plan to serve with the dip, as well. Darker beers taste great with pretzels and tortilla chips, while light beers work well with vegetable sticks.
2. Honey Beer Bread
This honey beer bread has a crisp exterior and a soft and chewy crumb. The honey imparts a mildly sweet flavor. The beer isn’t only added for flavor. The yeast in it works as an additional leavening agent that makes the bread rise. Believe it or not, this recipe only requires four ingredients. With just self-rising flour, sugar, honey, and beer, you’ll have delicious homemade bread.
3. Beer Braised Chicken and Onions
Warm up your body on a wintery day with this comforting stew! It bursts with rich and cozy flavors you’ll crave again and again. The butter and chicken stock contribute greatly to the stew. But it’s the beer that makes it top-notch. The malt in the beer provides the broth with richness and body, as well as subtle sweet undertones.
4. Wisconsin Beer Brats
Barbecues and tailgate parties in the Midwest aren’t complete without these Wisconsin beer brats. And I completely get it. The bratwursts are cooked in beer before they go to the grill. This step makes the beer extra moist and flavorful. Topped with caramelized onions (which are also cooked in beer), the savory and smoky brats get a nice, sweet contrast.
5. Soft Beer Pretzel with Mustard
Beer and pretzel are a classic combination. So why not combine the two and make one super pretzel? Spiking soft pretzel with beer gives it a significantly bolder flavor. You can test this out by eating it side by side with a traditional pretzel. You’ll definitely taste the difference. This recipe calls for making dough from scratch and forming it into that iconic pretzel knot. So it requires a little bit of time and practice. When trying this recipe, it’d be wise to plan ahead.
6. Beer Braised Beef Stew
Beef and beer are a perfect match. Case in point: beer-braised beef stew. This stew has an incredibly rich broth filled with tender pieces of beef and vegetables. Serve this stew with rice for a hearty meal. Or, if you want a prettier presentation and an even better-tasting meal, ladle the stew into a bread bowl.
7. Bacon Beer Cheese Broccoli Cheddar Soup
A crossover between beer cheese soup and broccoli cheese soup, this soup is the epitome of comfort food. Just think about all the things you can look forward to in this dish. You have bacon, cheddar cheese, broccoli, and beer. I mean, sure, broccoli may not be at the top of anybody’s favorite food list, but it does give the soup a nice texture.
8. Beer Chili
Traditional chili, while undeniably delicious, takes so long to make. But with this beer chili? You only need 30 minutes. In case you haven’t tried boozy chili, consider this a sign. Today’s the day! Just like chocolate, beer immensely boosts the flavor of chili. Any kind of beer works, but it does affect the overall flavor of the chili, so choose well. I recommend full-bodied beers as they lend a bolder and more complex flavor.
9. Pan-Seared Pork Chops With Beer
Tender and juicy pork chops and sweet caramelized onions are bathed in a rich gravy made of beer, brown sugar, and ketchup. While most gravies are predominantly savory, this one also has some sweetness, smokiness, and tanginess to it. There are not enough words to describe how phenomenal brown sugar, ketchup, and beer are together. It’s amazing how three simple ingredients can create such an explosive flavor.
10. Chipotle Beer Braised Beef Tacos
Braised in a rich broth of beer, chipotles, and brown sugar, these beef tacos are simply to die for. These tacos are so scrumptious, you won’t need to garnish them with way too many toppings. Just a spoonful of salsa, guacamole, and sour cream is more than enough. With this, you really get to savor the immense flavor of the beef.
11. Beer Cheese Fondue
In case you haven’t realized it yet, beer and cheese go well together. The hoppiness of beer pairs wonderfully with the creaminess and saltiness of cheese. So while wine is typically used to make cheese fondue, beer works beautifully, as well. Beer puts the fun in fundue! And since beer is cheaper than wine, this recipe is more budget-friendly. It’s a win-win.
12. Braised Brisket
Looking for a beer-spiked dish perfect for a special occasion? Look no further than this braised brisket. First of all, just look at that beauty. Even just from the outside, with its dark crusty bark, you can tell this brisket is a bomb. Once you slice into it, expect your mouth to water as you see those gorgeous pieces of juicy, fork-tender, pinkish meat.
13. Autumn Apple Fritters
Let’s take a quick break from the savories and move on to a sweet treat! These apple fritters are crispy on the outside and light on the inside. Loaded with apples and garnished with cinnamon powder and sugar, their autumn flavors are absolutely on point. Compared to the usual apple fritters, these guys have an even deeper and more complex flavor. And it’s all thanks to, you guessed it, beer.
14. Beer Can Chicken
This next recipe is my very own, so I’m 200% sure it’s awesome. Arrogance aside, this dish truly is a must-try. In this recipe, you grill an entire chicken as it sits upright. To do this, you’ll place a half-filled can of beer inside the cavity of the chicken. If the idea seems weird, just know that this process has the power to turn a simple dish extra moist and flavorful.
15. Beer Pretzel Caramels
These caramels are for you if you’re not too fond of overly sweet desserts. I know what you’re thinking, and I agree. Caramels are one of the sweetest sweets there are. But it turns out, magic happens if you add beer to sugar, butter, and cream. It’s how these caramels are so rich and tasty, but not cloyingly sweet. The crushed pretzels give the caramels a nice textural contrast. Each bite gives you a nice combination of soft, chewy, and crunchy.
16. Beer-Braised Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Chuck roast is braised in a mixture of beer, tomatoes, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and a ton of spices. Once ready, the beef is shredded into threads, slapped onto one-half a potato bun, and covered with the other. What do you get when you combine a BBQ sandwich and a Sloppy Joe? This heavenly sandwich, that’s what. It’s the ultimate of ultimate sandwiches!
17. Guinness Float
This ice cream float is for adults only. It’s perfect, because believe me, it’s the kind of drink you don’t want to share. So here’s what’s up. A scoop of ice cream is plopped into a glass of Guinness. It’s then topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup for the perfect finish. This is the best way to drink beer, if you ask me.
18. German Pork and Beef Beer Goulash
So we’ve already established that beer goes well with beef. But so does pork. It’s why this pork and beef beer goulash is phenomenal. From the tender beef and pork to the rich and malty paprika-and-beer stew, this goulash is the epitome of German comfort food. As a bonus, this recipe has instructions for cooking goulash three ways: in a saucepan, Crockpot, and pressure cooker.
19. Fall-off-the-bone Baby Back Ribs in Oven
These baby back ribs are so succulent and tender, they fall off the bone and melt into your mouth. Taste-wise, it’s beyond superb. You’ll love how the beer intensifies the flavor of the beef with its earthy richness. Plus, the beer not only imparts flavor, but helps tenderize the meat as well.
20. Shrimp Beer Boil
Cajun seasoning and beer unite to flavor shrimp, corn, and potatoes to make the most sensational seafood boil. With an epic flavor combination of sweet, salty, savory, smoky, and spicy, it’ll definitely send your taste buds into overdrive! It’s so good, it’s almost impossible to believe that the dish comes together in just 30 minutes.
21. Seafood Gumbo
Here’s another scrumptious soup that features shrimp. This time, crab and andouille sausages are also thrown into the mix for a spectacular surf and turf. It’s flavored with beer, Worcestershire sauce, cajun seasoning, and spices. The gumbo gets a heavenly combo of savory and smoky with a little bit of a kick.
22. Simple Slow-Roasted Leg Of Lamb With Beer
It’s just a simple recipe made of lamb, garlic, rosemary, and beer. But somehow, it manages to create an elegant dish perfect for any special occasion. Tip: If you like the gamey flavor of lamb, stick to fatty cuts such as the shoulder, shank, and leg.
23. Bacon Crusted Beer Mac and Cheese
You’d think mac and cheese couldn’t get any better. But thanks to beer (and bacon), it can! Here, the cheese and milk are cooked with beer to give the sauce the best balance of flavors. The hoppiness of beer cuts through the richness of the cheese. Its slightly sweet caramelized flavor also complements the cheese’s nuttiness. And it gets better. This mac and cheese is encrusted with a mix of breadcrumbs and bacon.
24. Pumpkin Beer Cheese Soup
It’s the classic beer cheese soup with a sweet autumn twist. Cheese soup already has a pretty vibrant yellow hue. Adding pumpkin makes it even brighter, and therefore more appetizing. More importantly, it’s crazy good. The sweetness of the pumpkin plus the richness of beer and cheese equals a delicious, cozy dish.
25. Beer-Braised Carnitas
Tender pulled pork is enriched with the sweet, smoky, and savory flavors of oranges, lemon, beer, and spices. Beer-braised carnitas are the perfect meat for tacos, burritos, nachos, salads, and more. Or, just eat it on its own with a fork.
26. Instant Pot Beef & Beer Belgian Stew (Carbonnade a la Flamande)
This beef Belgian stew is pressure-cooked in dark ale and fresh herbs. Enjoy this luscious dish with fries and mustard on the side for a full Belgian meal. Or, serve it with rice for a fun European and Asian fusion.
27. Steamed Mussels in Beer
Mussels are already pretty special on their own, so you don’t want to overpower their flavor with overly rich ingredients. Just cook it with a simple combination of beer, butter, and garlic, and voila.
28. Asparagus Tempura
Asparagus isn’t the most exciting food out there. But turn it into tempura, and it might just be your newest favorite dish. If you want the crispiest and crunchiest tempura coating, you only need 5 things. And yes, one of them is beer.
29. Beer-Battered Onion Rings
Here’s another deep-fried battered snack the whole family will enjoy. These onion rings get extra light and crunchy coating, and it’s all beer’s doing. While it does contain beer, this snack is still kid-friendly. Don’t worry about the alcohol since it evaporates during cooking.
30. Beer Brownies with Stout and Walnuts
To cap off this list is a decadent dessert you’ll want to end all your meals with. These brownies are infused with stout to give you the most intense chocolate experience. The brownies are studded with walnuts for a wonderful crunch and smeared with cream cheese frosting for extra flavor.
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