Cooking with Beer Tips and Hints
Belgium is famous for its
Carbonnade à la Flamande, a thick
stew of beer,
bacon,
onions, and brown sugar. Many home cooks prefer their
shellfish and
hot dogs steamed in beer.
Beer also has wonderful tenderizing properties, making it an excellent choice for a
marinade for tougher cuts of meat. Baked goods using beer have a more moist texture and a longer shelf life.
Used in a glaze or baste, beer adds wonderful flavor to
poultry and
ham. In batter coatings for fried foods, the
yeast in the beer acts as a mild
leavening agent, causing the batter to puff up, as well as adding a distinctive enhancing flavor.
The hops,
barley,
and/or malt flavor imparted by the addition of beer to foods will
naturally depend on the amount and strength of the beer. Dark beer, such
as stout and porter, have a much stronger flavor than a light Pilsener.
A good recipe using beer will have a distinctively light, not
dominating flavor in the finished dish.
Non-alcoholic (alcohol removed) or light/lite (low-calorie, less than
.5% alcohol) beers can usually be substituted (except in baking), but
keep in mind that the flavor may not be as desirable and the texture may
have less body.
Reference: About.com
Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist
Bones Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
