Recipes

Serves 6

Ingredients

½ cup flour
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
6 pounds elk shank cut into 2-3 inch long pieces
5 tablespoon canola oil or grape seed oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium yellow onion, sliced in half and sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped small
3 medium carrots, chopped small
3 medium gold beets, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 dark amber beer
3 cups chicken or beef or vegetable stock
3 fresh bay leaves

Directions

In a small bowl mix the flour, pepper, cayebbe and salt until well combined. Toss the mixture over the elk shanks until they are evenly coated. Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven on high heat. Add the elk shanks and brown all over turning every few minutes. When brown remove from pan and add the garlic and onions, sauté until the onions are slightly brown or about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the carrots, celery and gold beets and continue to sauté for a few more minutes. Reduce heat to a medium low and add herbs and tomato paste and stir well. Add the tomatoes, beer and stock and the elk shanks back into the pot. Throw the bay leaves in cover, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 2½-3 hours or until elk shanks are falling off the bone completely. Serve over polenta or potato puree.

Makes a few drinks

This sweet and spicy cocktail is not for the meak and meager, bold flavors with a hint of sweetness showcases the hip comeback of ryes.  Unlike bourbon sweet disposition and scotch’s smoky temperament, rye is all about being bold and spicy, this drink is perfect for a crisp fall evening amongst friends, a bit extra special with a few steps, but well worth it!

Ingredients

½ cup fresh pumpkin or butternut squash, chopped fine
½  cup turbinado sugar
1 cup Newcastle brown ale or similar style beer
¼ cup sage leaves
Rittenhouse 100 Rye
Lemon juice
Angostura bitters
Ice
Maple Syrup
Sage leaves with about 2-3 inches of stem

Directions

In a sauce pan combine the pumpkin, sugar, beer and sage and bring to a boil, stirring well.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and let simmer for about 8 minutes.  Take off the heat and allow to cool completely.  Strain and set syrup aside.  In an old fashioned style glass filled with ice place about 1 ½ ounces of rye, 1 ounce of the pumpkin syrup and ¼ ounce of lemon juice and a dash of bitters, stir well.  Dip the stems of the sage leaves in maple syrup and place stem side down, in the glass for garnish.  The potent scent of the sage is the first magic to the drink!

Serves 12

Ingredients

Directions

If using dry beans, clean and soak the beans overnight submerged in water. For fresh beans or after dry beans have soaked, place the beans in fresh water with the sprig of thyme in a large pan and cook until tender for about 30 minutes. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven pot or heavy bottom pot, with a little olive oil sauté the garlic and yellow, red, and green onions until a little translucent, season with some salt. Strain the beans in a large mixing bowl, reserving the liquid, and mix together with the molasses, amber beer, maple syrup, mustard and tomatoes until well combined. Pour the bean mixture over the onions and mix together well. Pour about 2 cups of the water into the pan; the water should cover the beans by a few inches.

Preheat the oven to about 375 degrees F. Place the pot covered in the oven and bake for about 4-5 hours, making sure to place more water in the pot as it evaporates, mixing as you do this as well. The mixture will start to get thicker and darker. When the beans are very tender for the last hour uncover the beans and turn the heat up to 425 degrees F, stirring every 15 minutes. Taste the mixture at this stage making sure it’s sweet and spicy enough to your taste, then add the fresh herbs and mix well. The final product should be dark, the beans super tender and the juice thick!

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

2 cups Guinness
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1¹⁄₃ cups sour cream

For the icing

2 cups cream cheese, softened
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
¼ cup Irish Cream liqueur
4 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups Guinness and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and 1½ teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add Guinness-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using a rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For the icing

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter, and Irish Cream. Slowly add the powdered sugar while mixing.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread ²⁄₃ cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread ²⁄₃ cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 pounds beef chuck, cubed into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 medium yellow onion, chopped medium
3 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup brown mushrooms, sliced
2 cups beef stock
1 cup Guinness
Salt and pepper
1 package puff pastry

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, thyme, and flour. Rub the spice mixture onto the beef. Heat the oil in a pan over med-high heat. Sauté the beef for 5 minutes, then add garlic and yellow onion. When onions are translucent, add carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. Next, add parsley, tomato, and mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. Add stock, Guinness, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. In 8 (6 oz) ramekins or one large baking dish, fill with beef stew and cover with puff pastry. Bake 10 minutes or until browned.

Makes 2 cups mustard

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Smutty Nose Baltic Porter (New Hampshire) or any rich porter beer
1 cup malt vinegar
¾ cup brown mustard seeds
3 tablespoons dry mustard
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl whisk together beer, vinegar, and mustard seeds. Let soak at room temperature for about 4 hours or overnight. Place mixture in a blender and add, dry mustard, maple, rosemary, salt and pepper. Blend until a semi coarse yet creamy mustard consistency is formed. Transfer to a small bowl and season with more salt as needed. We want the mixture a little more on the “loose” side as we are using it for a dipping sauce for the pretzels. To make this into thicker mustard, add ¼ cup of mustard seeds additional.

INGREDIENTS

1 (4-pound) chicken
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 lime, halved
½ (12 fluid ounce) can beer
1 cup water
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the lime over the whole chicken, and then place the halves into the cavity of the chicken. Set the half full beer can in the center of a roasting pan or baking dish, and place the chicken over it in an upright position with the beer inserted into the cavity. Pour water into the bottom of the pan. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil, and place roasting pan and all into the oven.

Roast the chicken for about 1 ½ hours in the preheated oven, removing foil during the last 20 minutes. Baste occasionally with the drippings. When finished, the internal temperature of the chicken should be 180°F when taken in the meatiest part of the thigh. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Makes 3 cups

INGREDIENTS

½ cup fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fine yellow onion
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped fine
1 can (8 oz) plain tomato sauce
Juice and zest of 1 navel orange
Juice and zest of 1 lime
¼ cup fresh blackberries
1 bottle (16 oz) Blackberry wheat beer

PREPARATION

Mix all ingredients in a blender and pulsate until almost smooth. Use for BBQ slopping sauce on chicken. Also excellent on pulled pork or steaks!

Serves 4

Ingredients

2/3 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lavedder flowers
1 bottle (16 oz) Belgium white ale

Directions

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, soda, salt and beer (you may not use entire) till a pancake-like batter consistency.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. red snapper filets, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium red onion, chopped fine
1 red pepper, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped fine
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine
Juice of 5 to 6 limes
1 tablespoon salt (maybe more to taste)
1 can (12 oz) tecate beer

PREPARATION

Mix all ingredients gently together and let stand for 2 hours.  Serve Ice cold.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 bottle (16 oz) Kirin or Sapporo Japanese beer
½ cup seltzer water
1 tablespoon oil
1 egg white
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon wasabi powder
Oil, for frying  
2 to 3 red chilies, sliced
1 lb. snap peas

PREPARATION

Whisk together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Batter should rensemble pancake batter, add more water or flour for the texture to be correct. In a medium sauté pan over high heat, add oil and sauté chilies.  Meanwhile, dip the snap peas in batter and fry turning over a few times until golden brown.  Drain on a papertowel.  Serve with Mint Wasabi Aioli (½ cup chopped fresh mint, 1 teaspoon wasabi powder and ½ cup mayo).

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 bottle (16 oz) Hefeweizen beer
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
3 pounds mussels, beards removed and scrubbed

PREPARATION

Whisk together all the ingredients except the mussels in a medium mixing bowl.  Place the mussels in a large heavy bottom pan with a lid.  Pour liquid over the mussels and boil until all are open.  Discard any that are unopened.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 bottle (16 oz) dark beer, preferably Guinness
1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
6 bratwursts, with a few holes poked in each

PREPARATION

Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk well, add bratwurst and marinate for about an hour. Grill on high heat brushing with remainder of marinade.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons each, finely chopped thyme, rosemary, chives, and oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 lbs), cleaned
1 can beer (your favorite kind)

PREPARATION

Mix the herbs, salt, pepper and oil and rub over chicken. Set aside.

Open beer can and either take a few drinks or discard a bit so it is about ¾ full.  Place beer can on a solid surface and place one chicken leg over  each side of the beer can.  Place the bird on the can in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 hour or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.