German Weissbier (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

I’ve got creative ideas for cooking with beer in autumn:

1.  Beer is for Braising

Dave Lieberman’s recipe for Ale Simmered Chicken with Dried Plums was created to use up leftover beer from a party. Affordable but flavorful chicken pieces like thighs and drumsticks are braised in beer until the meat is falling off the bone. The stew develops depth as prunes soak up the beer, becoming plump and juicy. Ale contributes a malty and slightly bitter taste to the stew which is perfect for autumn. Ale also goes well with pork, as in this recipe from Martha Stewart for Braised Bone-In Pork Shoulder.

2.  Beer-and-Cheddar Soup

I found a rich and hearty recipe for Beer-and-Cheddar Soup (by Chef Jonathon Erdeljac of Jonathon’s Oak Cliff in Dallas) in the Thanksgiving issue of Food & Wine Magazine. He flavors thick and creamy Beer-and-Cheddar Soup with spicy jalapeño and salty bacon. Use a lager or pilsner for this recipe, which will play off the smoked cheddar without overwhelming it. Serve the soup with a fall salad of bitter greens.

3.  Shrimp in Buttered Beer Sauce

When I think of beer I think of Germany. Munich Weissbier (a light wheat beer) is used in a sauce for boiled shrimp in The German Cookbook. This crisp beer with a hint of coriander spice is simmered with butter, nutmeg, peppercorns and lemon peel then poured over the pristine shellfish. Serve this dish family style on a generous platter for a gathering of friends on a sunny fall day.

4.  Beef and Guinness Pie

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Meat Book is one of the most useful cookbooks I own. His recipes focus on intuitive cooking by understanding different cuts of meat and how best to prepare them. The robust flavor of stewing beef (chuck or shank) is a perfect match for the dark, bitter, roasted flavor of an Irish stout. Mushrooms bring their earthiness, adding depth. Top the stew with a puff pastry top and you just might be in heaven.

5.  Glazed Chicken Wings

In Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, there is a recipe for Beer and Butter Glazed Chicken Wings that’s perfect for a crowd. While the wings roast in the oven, beer and butter simmer on the stove top, reducing into a thick sauce. An ale or stout ensures good flavor and a nice golden brown caramelization once the wings are covered in sauce and finished in the oven.

6.  Beer Mustard

Making your own mustard at home is simple and allows you to have control over the flavor and heat. I was excited to find this recipe for mustard in the book, Charcuterie, by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. It’s inspired by German cuisine and a perfect condiment for German sausages or pretzels. The ease of this recipe is such a beautiful thing. Simply combine dry mustard, beer,Worcestershire, crushed caraway seeds, malt vinegar, honey, egg yolks, salt and sugar over a double boiler and gently stir until thickened. What a fantastic little condiment to have on hand during these cold months! Saveur also has a beer mustard here.

7.  Guinness Cake

Darina Allen, the famous Irish cook often compared to Martha Stewart here in the U.S., shares a recipe for Guinness Cake in the book, The Country Cooking of Ireland. It’s an Irish fruitcake flavored with orange zest, pumpkin pie spice, and stout beer-soaked raisins that’s perfect flavors for this time of year. It might be fun to serve this spiced cake at the Thanksgiving table, especially if you’ve got Irish heritage. I also found a recipe for spiced Gingerbread Cake from the new Cook’s Illustrated cookbook. The batter is flavored with Guinness, molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, and black pepper. If you love spice, this is a great cake to try.

8.  Beer Battered & Fried

As the temperatures drop the time for eating oysters returns. In this recipe for Oyster Fritters from Saveur Magazine, beer lends a bite as well as beautiful golden brown color to the shellfish. Pick a beer with some interesting flavor nuances that you will enjoy drinking alongside the oysters. Maybe check out a seasonal brew from a brewery nearby.

9.  Vegetables Stewed in Beer

Potatoes, turnips, or even parsnips can be peeled and cut into cubes, then simmered in beer until tender. I like Mark Bittman’s idea in How to Cook Everything to garnish beer stewed vegetables with cheddar and horseradish for a kick. It’s a nice side dish for steak or sausages. Cabbage or Brussels sprouts would also be nice cooked this way.

10.  Anise & Guinness Bread

I’m completely enchanted by the idea of Anise & Guinness Bread from Richard Bertinet’s book, Dough. It’s a dark rye loaf, flavored with Pastis (anise liqueur) and Irish stout. Richard Bertinet writes that the best way to serve this bread is “with seafood, especially oysters, and a drop more of Guinness-cold, and in a glass.” The combination of dark, coffee-like flavor from the Guinness and bright, herbal anise sounds amazing with bitter rye.

What is your favorite way to cook with beer? Let me know in the comment section. Click Here.