Beer braised beef with carrots and potatoes recipe (2024)

FAQs

What beer is best for braising beef? ›

Try Stout or Porter. Whatever you choose, make sure it is not a lighter beer like a blonde or a pilsner. You want something that will stand up to the beef and give you some flavor in the braising liquid.

What's the best type of ale to use for Beef and Ale Stew? An ale with a full, malty flavour works best – our favourite types to use are either ruby ales or porters. They have an outstanding full flavour and add an element of sweetness to the dish.

Braising liquid is traditionally stock and wine; however, beer emphasizes other flavors in meats. Stock emphasizes the meat flavor, while wine and beer diversify the profile. Wine works in any braise, increasing depth, nuance and acidity.

Wheat beers are great for chicken and seafood. If you're cooking pork, beef, and lamb, you will need ales, porters, and stouts. Hearty meat goes well with belgian ales. Stews pair well with ale.

Braising beef for less than two hours tends to yield a tough, rubbery result. A two-to-three-hour braise can be ideal for dishes where you want tender, melt-in-your-mouth chunks, like a beef stew, while a three-to-four hour braise can be ideal for a shredded result, like ropa vieja and barbacoa.

How? From low and slow cooking. The temperature in a slow cooker rarely surpasses 170°F (75°C) to 175°F (80°C). Thanks to this gentle heat, the meat retains more of its natural juices than with the previous two methods, and is therefore less dry.

However, not all beers are created equal, Light beer does not add a lot of flavor to the meat. Heavy, dark beers add a little too much, often bitter. The best sort of beer to soak your meat in would be an amber or nut brown ale, not too light and tasteless but not too dark and bitter.

Cooking with beer adds a deep, earthy flavor to savory dishes such as chili, soup, and stew; and a nutty, caramelized flavor to baked goods. It's great for just about every cooking technique, too: baking, braising, deglazing, battering, sauces, marinating, and simmering.

Baking or broiling meat in beer for dishes such as pork chops, short ribs, or pulled pork can add a dark, rich color to the meat and give it a deeper flavor. Some people prefer to use beer as a brine or marinade for meat.

Cooking low and slow breaks down the tough meat so it's tender and delicious. Check on it occasionally. The liquid level needs to remain the same, so add more if necessary. It will take about 1 1/2 to 3 hours to become fork-tender.

Can you braise with beer? ›

Add the vinegar, chicken stock and beer, and bring to a simmer, scrapping up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Nestle the brisket into the pot, making space between the vegetables, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven and cook for 3 1/2 hours, or until fork tender.

Most braises are done with stock and/or wine. But a splash of this or that brings balance, complexity, and depth to the final product. Broth (or stock) underscores the meatiness of the main ingredient. Match the broth with the protein when you can, but chicken broth is universal.

Stouts, like Guinness, are known for their bitterness. If the stew is cooked too quickly or if it doesn't include ingredients to balance the bitterness, this flavor can be very pronounced. This recipe includes a couple of simple steps to tame that bitter flavor and ensure it doesn't overwhelm the stew.

Ale makes for a heartier stew than does wine, one that's more suited to its original chilly terroir and one that's welcome here while we wait for spring to show up. At its most traditional, the carbonnade pairs beef with slow-cooked, caramelized onions. In fact, it's as much about the onions as it is about beef.

Beers can add rich, caramel-like flavor to the meat with minimal cooking time. One of the most effective ways to tenderize your meat is by using beer. Beer contains alpha acids and tannins that help break down fibers in meat, making it more tender and flavorful. Marinate using beer for an hour or more before grilling.

Add the vinegar, chicken stock and beer, and bring to a simmer, scrapping up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Nestle the brisket into the pot, making space between the vegetables, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven and cook for 3 1/2 hours, or until fork tender.

Using beer as the braising liquid immediately adds flavor to the meat — meaning you can get away with fewer ingredients total. In fact, this brisket requires just five: onions, tomatoes, dried oregano, garlic, and the beer. Full-flavored Modelo is a great choice, but any Pilsner-style lager will work in its place.

While it might look impressive, this beer braised beef is less fussy than you might think. The most difficult step in this entire beer braised recipe recipe is probably waiting for the beef to slowly simmer in the oven until it's nice and tender.