Beer is brewed with very healthy natural ingredients yeast, barley and hops and is a great ingredient to a variety of recipes. Its four basic ingredients are barley, hops yeast and water. The barley gives beer its colour; it also gives beer some of its sweetness and body. The hops supply the bitterness and contribute to the aroma in the finished beer.  The yeast is what creates the alcoholic content, by fermenting and converting the sugars from the malt to alcohol. 

Cooking with beer is now a renowned practice with many top chefs in Europe and the United States making it part of their repertoire and is equally respected as pairing wine with food.

Here are some recipes for you to try with Malvern Hills Beers.
Pairing beer and food takes a little bit of practice and patience. Experimenting is recommended!  With other recipes, use beer in place of stock wine or water

Ales best complement red meat and cask lagers like Priessnitz best complement white meat. In other words, when red meat or any dish that you would normally pair with red wine is on the menu, select an ale to serve with it. Conversely, if the main course is fish or poultry, try a light ale like Feelgood from our brewery or Priessnitz.

Irish Lamb Casserole

Ingredients

• 900g Lamb cubed
• 1 large onion,
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 3 carrots
• 2 parsnips
• 2 tbsp of tomato puree
• 500 ml of Dr Gully’s Winter Ale
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Coat the meat in flour and pan fry until browned, do this in batches.  Remove the meat from the pan, add the onion and cubed vegetables and cook until slightly softened.
Return the meat to the casserole dish; add the beer and tomato puree. Place in a preheated oven 180˚/C/350˚F/gas 4. For 2 hours or until lamb is tender and can be broken with a fork. Serve with mashed potatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

Beef Carbonade

Ingredients

• 450 g braising steak cut into cubes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 80 butter
• 40 flour
• 500ml Priessnitz
• 100 ml beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1Tbsp parsley

Method

Melt butter in frying pan add chopped onions and garlic until soft and transparent.  Drain place in an oven proof casserole.  Add the meat until browned, remove from pan add to casserole dish with onions.  Sprinkle the flour onto the pan and cook, stirring until all the flour is incorporated into the juices in the pan.  Slowly stir in the beer then the stock.  Bring to the boil until the ingredients thicken.  Add salt pepper and bay leaf.
Cook for 2-21/2 hours.  Serve with mashed potatoes.

 

Black Pear Chicken Stew

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (cut into cubes)
• 50 of flour seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  2 tbsp unsalted butter,
• 4 finely cut shallots
• 250g sliced mushrooms
• 1 large leek, thinly sliced (white part only)
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp peppercorns

 

Method

Toss the pieces of chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the oil and one tablespoon butter in a deep pan.
Sauté chicken until golden, remove from pan and set aside. . Add remaining butter to pan and lightly sauté the shallots, mushrooms, leek, garlic and thyme for about 5 minutes. Add Black pear and peppercorns
and chicken to the mixture, cook slowly for thirty minutes until mixture reduces and thickens
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Accompany with new potatoes, steamed vegetables and a pint of Black Pear!

 

Cod Fried in Beer and Dijon Mustard Batter

Ingredients:

• 800g of cod fillet
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 900g cod fillet
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup beer Priessnitz
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Salt to season
• 1 tsp black pepper,
• 3 toasted breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil for frying

Method:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, beer, mustard, Tabasco, and half of the salt and peppers. Cut fish fillets into bite sized pieces, or nuggets. Place fish in egg mixture, coating well; cover, refrigerate, and let soak for about 1 hour.

Mix breadcrumbs with the remaining salt and peppers in a shallow, plate.
Preheat oil in deep fryer to about 370ºF.
Remove fish from mixture and cover with breadcrumbs. Fry fish until the fish pieces golden brown, take care not to overcook.
Place fish nuggets on paper towels to drain, patting gently with paper towels to blot up excess oil.