Brown Ale Barbecue Sauce
Source: The Great American Beer Cookbook, Candy Schermerhorn, Brewers Publications.
This sauce came from a recipe for ribs. I think it was from Avery Brewing in Colorado, because it called for Ellie's Brown Ale. I used Pony Express. I would make this the day before I wanted to use it, so it would be a little thicker.

Makes 1 Quart
1/4 Cup butter, olive, or other vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced and mashed with 1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pitted plums, fresh or canned, or whole cranberry sauce
12 ounces tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes in puree
12 ounces Ellie's Brown Ale
2 large or 4 small beef or chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon bottled liquid smoke
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon each ginger, cayenne, crushed coriander seed, black pepper, cumin seed,
and mustard seed

In a small skillet melt butter and sauté onion on medium-low until limp and translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onion is limp, set aside. In a blender or food processor, puree plums and tomato sauce until smooth. In a 3-quart pan heat beer to medium simmer and add bouillon cubes, stirring until dissolved. Add vinegar, liquid smoke, brown sugar, spices, sautéed onion, and plum-tomato mixture. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, 45 min. to 1 hr.

Wisconsin Style Brats and Beer
Bratwurst on the grill-a true summer time classic. If you've never tried them like this, you don't know what you're missing. This is a great use for that Miller Lite somebody left in your fridge. I don't think the type of beer you use is really that important. I found this recipe on another club's website.
8 uncooked Bratwurst
1 large onion, sliced
12 ounces beer
Buns, Sauerkraut, mustard, ketchup

Combine Bratwurst, onion, and beer in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly and transfer to container with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate several hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
Grill Brats 4 to 6 inches from hot coals until well browned and completely cooked. Serve in buns with condiments.
Note: If desired, beer and onion marinade may be heated and grilled Brats kept warm in the marinade until ready to serve. Hot marinade may also be spooned over grilled Brats to serve. To heat, place in disposable foil pan on grill about 20 minutes before grilling brats.
There's really not much to it. I just put in enough beer to cover the Brats (it is usually more than in the recipe). Then throw it all in a Ziplock bag overnight. I think one of the keys is not to have your fire too hot, so they don't explode.

Pale Ale Cheese Spread
Source: Real Beer and Good Eats, Alfred A. Knoph, Inc., 1992
I used yellow New York Cheddar and a homebrewed pale ale. I made it in a blender.

Makes about 2 cups.

2 oz. Blue Cheese
1 oz. Fresh American chevre or other fresh goat cheese
6 oz. aged New York State white cheddar or other sharp cheddar, diced
1 oz. Philadelphia-type cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup hoppy Pale Ale

Process all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. If spread is too thick, add a little more beer. Pack into a crock or small bowl, and let sit several hours or overnight in the refrigerator before using. Serve at room temperature.

Onion and Stout Soup
This recipe came from the Kansas City Star back in March (I think). There was a whole series of recipes with stout. Next time, I would use provolone slices for the cheese. In high school, I cooked at a restaurant that made a good onion soup, and that's what we topped it with.

2 tbs. unsalted butter
3 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 red onions, peeled and sliced
4 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tbs. firmly packed brown sugar
3 cups homemade beef stock or canned low salt beef broth
1 cup Murphy's or other dry Irish stout
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garlic croutons
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions, shallots, garlic, and bay leaves and cook until the onions are translucent, 12 to 15 minutes. Add basil, thyme, brown sugar, stock or broth, stout, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until onions are tender, about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle 6 to 8 croutons in oven proof crocks, ladle the soup over, and sprinkle with cheese. Put crocks on a small baking sheet or pan and place under the broiler until the cheese melts and browns, 1 to 2 minutes.

Chocolate Stout Silk Pie
We brought this to the Holiday Party. It didn't get enough time to set, so it resembled chocolate soup more than pie. It still tasted good.

Kendra did not mix it in a blender. She melted the chocolate, marshmallows, salt, and evaporated milk. Then added the stout, vanilla, and creme de cacao.

Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/3 cup melted butter

Filling
12 oz. semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate (chocolate chips work well)
24 large marshmallows
pinch of salt
2/3 cup stout
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. creme de cacao (light or dark)

Pre-heat oven to 350 deg. Add melted butter to crushed graham crackers and mix well until blended. Using fingers, press crust mixture into bottom and up the sides of a pie pan. Bake crust for about 6 minutes until set. (You could also use a ready made graham cracker crust.)
Place chocolate, marshmallows, and salt in a blender. Blend until well-mixed and chocolate is finely ground.

In two seperate saucepans (in order to prevent curdling), heat stout and evaporated milk until very hot, but not boiling.
Pour stout and milk into blender and blend for one minute. Add vanilla and creme de cacao and blend. Pour into the crust and refrigerate overnight. Garnish with whipped cream.

Chicken Breasts with Ale and Cumin
I haven't had a chance to cook this one yet. It came from the Web site of a homebrew club called CARBOY in North Carolina. Try slicing the cooked chicken and serving in warmed tortillas with sauteed vegetables, like fajitas.

Makes 4 servings
4 boneless chicken breast halves (two whole breasts)
1/2 teaspoon or more ground cumin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1/4 cup amber ale
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional garnish)

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the cumin. You may need a little more than 1/2 teaspoon. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the chicken until golden brown and cooked thoroughly, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm.
Add garlic and shallots to the pan drippings and saute briefly. Add the ale and cook to reduce slightly, about 5 minutes. Add half-and-half and Worcestershire sauce and cook until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.
Per serving: 227 calories, 10 grams fat (40% of calories from fat), 75 milligrams cholesterol, 28 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 301 milligrams sodium.

Beer Marinated Shrimp
This recipe came from the Great American Beer Cookbook by Candy Schermerhorn. It is available from Brewers Publications.

Makes 4 Servings
2 lbs. large shrimp
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup German Pilsner (I used Spaten Premium Lager, not a Pilsner, but it was good.)
3 Tbs. lemon juice
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion
2 Tbs. fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
Dash or two of Lousiana hot pepper sauce
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour
Shell and clean shrimp, rinse and pat dry. Mix oil, Pilsner, lemon juice, garlic, basil, scallion and hot pepper sauce. Add shrimp and coat thoroughly. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours. I like to marinate meat in a plastic bag.
Spear shrimp on soaked skewers and place in refrigerator until ready to cook. Barbecue or broil until the shrimp turn pink.

Chicken with Coffee Stout Glaze
This recipe came from the Kansas City Star. It is very tasty and fairly low in fat. Definitely get the soba noodles. They're fairly expensive, but worth it.
1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, skins removed and trimmed of all visible fat.
12 oz. coffee stout (We used Redhook; Pyramid also makes one)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
3 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate
2 Tbs. dark corn syrup
Soba noodles
Toasted sesame seeds and minced green onions, for garnish

Rinse and pat dry the chicken pieces. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a buttered 9 by 11 inch baking dish. Blend the remaining ingredients, except the garnish, and pour over the chicken.
Bake the chicken at 350 degrees, stirring and basting often for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Turn several times, so that the glaze is evenly baked on the chicken.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before garnishing.
Kendra thickened the remaining sauce with some corn starch before serving. Serve over soba noodles. Pair with an amber lager or kolsch.

Porter Pot Roast
I got this one from the Kansas City Star a few years back. It's a great dish for hearty winter time eating. It uses a dark beer (porter, stout, or brown ale) that cooks down with the onions into a rich sauce. I used Boulevard's Bully Porter, although I think a stout would work well also.

Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 chuck roast, bottom round, or rump roast (4 to 5 lbs) boned and tied
Salt and pepper to taste
Dried thyme and ground sage to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds onions, peeled, halved, thinly sliced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon molasses
4 bay leaves
2 bottles (12 ounces each) porter, stout, or brown Ale
2 tablespoons Dijon or coarse grained mustard
1 tablespoon malt or red wine vineagar (or to taste)

Season meat generously with salt, pepper, thyme, and sage. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy Dutch oven or casserole large enough to hold meat. Put in roast and sear on all sides. Remove roast and add onions, carrot, celery, garlic, and molasses. Cover and cook over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes until onions are soft. Put meat back in and add bay leaves and beer. Cover and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours over low heat until meat is tender. Remove meat and keep warm. Degrease liquid in pot, stir in mustard and vineagar. Boil sauce, uncovered, until it becomes syrupy. Taste for salt and pepper and vinegar. Slice roast. Pour some of sauce and vegetables over meat and serve. Pass remaining sauce seperately.

Stout Marinated Steaks
This is great recipe for the grill that I found in Zymurgy. You marinade the steaks, then cook the marinade down to a sauce.

Per person (multiply as needed)
One Ribeye Steak
Marinade:
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. shallot
1 tsp. Vidalia (sweet) onion
1/4 tsp. tarragon
1/4 tsp parsley
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 oz. stout (I used Guinness, but you could certainly use homebrew!)
1 oz. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt.

Chop garlic, shallot, and onion and place in bowl. Chop parsley and tarragon and add to bowl. Add Worcestershire, Dijon, stout, soy sauce, and seasonings, then mix well. Let stand for 30 minutes to blend flavors. Place the steaks in the marinade, making sure they are covered. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Cook the steaks to the desired degree of doneness. Place the remaining marinade in a small saucepan either on the grill or a stove and heat the sauce until slightly thickened. You can add more beer if you wish. Pour the sauce over the steaks and serve.

Hoppin' John
Serves 8(?)
1 1/2 cups dried blackeyed peas
1 cup uncooked rice
1 onion (chopped)
1 green pepper (chopped)
1/3 cup hot salsa
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup stout or scotch ale

Place blackeyed peas in deep pot. Cover with enough water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil and coook five minutes or until tender. Turn off heat and cover for one hour. Drain peas reserving liquid.
In a small sauce pan saute onion and green pepper for five minutes. Add rice and salsa, stir to coat. Add drained peas, spices, 2 cups reserved liquid, and beer. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Stir, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from stove, let sit for 5-10 minutes, then serve.

Chocolate Stout Ice Cream
Kendra got this recipe from Midwest Living magazine (I think). She omitted the semisweet chocolate, and it still was very chocolatey.

Makes 1 Quart
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3/4 cup sweet stout (Mackeson, Whatney's, Sheaf, etc.)
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat cream, stout, milk and honey until bubbly. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Beat in cocoa powder until well-combined. Gradually stir hot stout mixture into egg mixture until just combined. Return to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and just beginning to bubble around the edges (don't overcook).
2. Place semisweet chocolate in large bowl. Pour hot egg mixture over chocolate and stir well with a wire whisk until the chocolate is melted. Cool; cover and chill thoroughly.
3. Pour chocolate mixture into a 2 quart ice cream container. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Smoked Cheddar and Ale Soup
This recipe was in the Kansas City Star last spring. It is from Barley's Brewhouse. When Kendra made it, she substituted two cans of chicken broth for the chicken flavor base and hot water. This would be really good in a bread bowl.

Makes about 1 Gallon
7 Tbs. Butter
1 Tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion
1/4 Cup Chopped Bacon
1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbs. Hot Pepper Sauce
1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp. Paprika
1 Tsp. Thyme Leaves
6 1/2 Ounces Ale
3 Tbs. Chicken Flavor Base
4 Cups Hot Water
1 1/4 Qts. (5 Cups) Heavy Whipping Cream
10 Tbs. Corn Starch
2 1/4 Cups Cold Water
1 Lb. Smoked Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
Chopped Green Onions, For Garnish

Melt butter in stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic, bell pepper, onion and bacon and sauté until vegetables are tender. Add cayenne, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and thyme; cook, stirring 10 seconds. Pour in beer, stir, heat to boiling and boil 3 minutes.
Combine chicken flavor base and four cups hot water; blend until dissolved. Stir chicken base mixture into stock pot; heat to boiling. Stir in cream and heat to boiling.
Combine cornstarch and 2 1/4 cups cold water, stirring until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Blend cornstarch mixture into stock pot, cooking, and stirring until mixture is thickened and smooth. Reduce heat to low; whisk in cheese, stirring until cheese is melted and incorporated into the soup.
Serve immediately, or for better flavor, cover, refrigerate overnight, then reheat until steaming hot. Garnish each serving with chopped green onions.

Sweet-Hot Beer Mustard
I found this recipe on another club's web site. It was recommended to use a strongly flavored beer like a bitter stout or hoppy ale. I used Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.

Makes approximately 8 ounces

1/4 cup dry mustard powder
1 Tbs. prepared horseradish
1/3 cup aggressively flavored beer
1/2 tsp. tarragon or thyme
2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 egg yolks beaten
scant 1/4 cup sugar

Whisk together all but the egg yolks. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Whisk in the yolks and place over a double boiler. Cook on medium-low until thickened, whisking constantly. Cool. This will keep up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Pilsner Braised Beef Stew in San Francisco Sourdough
This recipe comes from Gordon Biersch in San Francisco

Serves 6
2 pounds beef stew meat
2 cups peeled and stewed roma tomatoes
1 medium red onion
1 cup carrot, cut in bite size chunks
1 cup celery, cut in bite size chunks
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 bottles Pilsner (Pilsner Urquell or Staropramen are good choices)
1 quart beef stock
2 ounces olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
pinch salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350º. Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a small stock pot, heat oil and sear the seasoned beef until brown. Add the vegetables and tomato paste. Cook until they color lightly. Add the beer and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the herbs. Cover and place in the oven. Cook for one hour.
Remove from oven and taste. The meat should be tender and the sauce slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve in hollowed-out 6-ounce sourdough bread loaves.
Kendra made this on the stove in a heavy stock pot. After adding the ingredients and bringing to a boil, she added the herbs and covered. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 - 11/2 hours until the meat is tender.

Guinness Milk Shake
This may sound pretty strange, but you really should give it a try. The roasted barley gives it a coffee flavor, and the hops add a little bite in the finish.
Makes one serving.

2 cups of vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Guinness Extra Stout
Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix to desired consistency. I've also heard of people making Guinness ice cream floats.

Scotch Ale-Marinated Lamb Kabobs

Makes 4 Servings
2 Bottles of Scotch Ale
1.5 lbs. of Lamb Meat cut into cubic pieces
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Small piece of Ginger, minced
1 Onion
1 Thick slice of Smoked Bacon
1/2 cup Cream
2 tsp. Grain Mustard
Herbs of Provence-mix of rosemary, thyme, marjoram, chives, and parsley (to taste)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Marinate lamb for at least six hours in the scotch ale with the garlic, ginger, herbs and salt and pepper. Cut the onion and the bacon into pieces to go onto the kabob stick. Place the meat, onion and bacon on the sticks and grill.
Make sauce: Sieve the pieces out of the beer. Heat the beer liquid in a pan and add the mustard and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce sauce until thick and serve over kabobs.