Beer's Perfect Match

Cheers!

As Executive Chef at Kingsmill Resort & Spa, I’m excited to be part of the Beer Zone Beer Dream Team, serving as your resource for ideas and tips on enjoying and entertaining with beer. Specifically, I’ll focus on cooking and pairing food with beer, but also touch on some key topics that add to the enjoyment of any beer drinking occasion. From choosing the right beer glass to the proper way to pour to entertaining friends at your next backyard barbecue or dinner party, there is nothing that pairs better with food than America’s favorite beverage of moderation, beer!

As we explore the world of cooking and pairing food with beer, remember it doesn’t have to be complicated. Rather, the experience should be fun, relaxing and enjoyable. Here are three basic rules of thumb to help us get started.

Flavor and Savor – Use beer as an ingredient when cooking, whether it’s by marinating, infusing the beer into the food or using it as an ingredient in a reduction. In my opinion, this is the easiest way to pair food and beer. You just add the beer and let the flavors do the work for you.

Pair for Flare – Match the flavors of your dish with the flavors of the beer. For example:

• Light Lagers – The light finish of lagers pair well with the subtle flavors of less substantial meals (e.g., simple salads) and also help reduce the heat found in spicier dishes, such as Mexican, Thai or Indian cuisine.

• Midbody Lagers – are incredibly well-balanced and complement traditional American food (e.g., Red Belly Braised and Jerked Ribs) because they don’t compete with its generous flavors.

• Bock Beers – The hearty and malty flavors found in bocks result in an extremely substantial body that can stand up to the bold flavors of more opulent meals (e.g., Grilled Moroccan Spiced Salmon).

• Stouts – The smooth character of stouts and other dark brews are the perfect complement to the sweet subtleties found in a variety of dark-chocolate desserts.

Opposites Attract – Some foods pair well with differing flavors and textures. For example, a European-style pilsner that has a strong hops flavor and a slightly bitter taste, would pair well with fatty foods such as a lamb or tart and sweet flavors like citrus. The contrary flavors will help take the edge off the bitterness of the beer and create food flavors that last longer.

So, now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s move on to something I know all of you love – grilling. Summer is just around the corner so it’s time to get out the barbecue pit, tongs and fire up the grill.

While technology and resources have changed the way we experience grilled foods, in essence, it has remained as pure and simple as fire itself. I hope this information and the recipes below will inspire you to throw your first summer bash in your neighborhood and kick off the summer with a bang.

Beer and Barbecue - a Match Like No Other

Nothing goes better with barbecue than barbecue’s best friend – beer – a true match of food and drink that has been celebrated for more than a century. An ice-cold beer is the perfect partner for the smoky flavor of the grill or to cleanse the palate of the caramelized sweetness of barbecue sauce.

As an ingredient in a marinade, beer offers a few benefits that your barbecue should take advantage of. It has the gentle acidity to aid in tenderizing, as well as a subtle sweetness to work against the naturally bitter flavor of grilling meats. It also allows for deeper flavor development, understanding that a well-balanced beer will not overpower the other flavors in the marinade, allowing ingredients such as onions and herbs to impact your palate.

Not all foods are perfect for grilling, some need to be modified slightly before proceeding. This is where marinades come in. One of the best things about marinades is they provide a totally open field to do anything you like. By marinating, you can take otherwise tough meats or dry vegetables and grill them easily, while increasing their flavors and aromas. Marinating is an easy method of preparation that has several useful facets and attributes. Marinades may be liquid or dry and can be applied to all types of foods, even those that don’t normally require them.

Looking Ahead

I like the idea of starting slow. Through the next several columns I’ll be sharing more on food and beer pairings such as beer and desserts, beer and cheese and Asian-fusion cooking with beer. I’ll also be discussing everything from the importance of glassware to setting the table for your next dinner party. Beer is a perfect addition to any meal – allowing you to experience a variety of flavors and textures.

And, cooking with beer is about having fun and experimenting. I’m excited to take you on the journey through the world of hops and barley and show you how a well crafted beer can be paired with different kinds of foods from those who like to command the grill, to those who like to command the range.

SIDE BAR:

Marinades – Liquid flavoring that food takes a bath in; usually contains acid, oil and spices.

Mops or bastes – Liquids that are brushed on while food is cooking. Keeps food moist and adds layers of flavor.

Barbecue sauces – There are five basic sauces and they consist of tomato, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise and various combinations.

Dry Rubs – Combination of dry ingredients; rubbing into foods before grilling brings out flavor and a tasty crust.

Chef Brent’s Citrus Marinade