Beer Cookbook

[Mercs Own]

We've done three recipes from your book, Merc.

Goat's cheese, caramelized onion tart - sublime. Absolutely fantastic.

Fish Pie - the first Fish Pie I could actually eat.. it was really really great. We've done it a few times in the last 4 weeks. We've been avoiding the scallops and using extra prawns, because it seems there's been a run on of Chinese imported scallops lately.. and it's hard to source Aussie ones unless you're willing to go frozen, or make a trip to a fishmarket.

Beer Can chicken - we cooked this on Saturday night. Moist and juicy, but really bland. For a 1.7kg chicken (which the recipe calls for, I believe), the lemon/garlic/herb in the beer wasn't enough to penetrate the flesh. Nor was the baste enough to penetrate from the outside. I used Boddington's Pub Ale (can cut, widget removed). Of course, it could just be my tastebuds that don't pick up the more subtle flavours. It certainly wasn't offensive, it was wonderfully juicy.. but the flavour was completely missing. I basted 3 or 4 times as it was cooking too.
We used a Bannockburn Farm free range chook.
I think some firm butter with the baste ingredients, or thyme/garlic butter, or something pushed between the chicken breast and skin would've given it some more flavour. Although I don't know how it'd go with the vertical positioning of the chicken.
I guess though, it's horses for courses. I like tasty infused flesh, others don't - and maybe that was the intention of the recipe!

Anyway, just thought I'd mention our experience with the book thus far. I'd cook the tart and fish pie again in a heartbeat, but we'd give the chicken a miss unless we did some breast/skin stuffing to force a bit more flavour in there.

cheers
kieran

Yes I must admit the beer can chicken isnt up there with the other in your face flavours that my other recipes often have but that is a good thing. For me it is about the moisture and flavour of the chicken and not so much about lots of other flavours added on top of the chicken. You could up the spicing in the beer , baste more often and stuff the skin to get more flavour in there - I reckon I may give all that a go - but the bannockburn is such an awesome chicken with great chicken flavour I want to focus and accentuate that. Wonderfully juicy and lots of chicken flavour that is a winner. You could also score the chicken so the marinade can openetrate into the meat further.

If you give it another go let me know what you did and how it worked.

Cheers and glad you liked the other recipes - thanks for the feedback!

 

[petesbrew]

I also made the goats cheese & onion tart last week. It was delicious, but far out, 3 onions?
I was suffering the next day, well, actually my wife was.
First time I've ever used fennel, so it was a good introduction.

 

[Fish13]

couldn't find a saison down here in bunbury so i decided to use the SN torpedo in the chicken and leek pie. My partner is making it and i'm making the hoegaarden icecream right now.

If i can not find a saison, what would be a good subsitute for the beer?

 

[manticle]

For cooking? Maybe a weizen of some kind or a belgian pale.

Or make one yourself.

 

[Fish13]

couldn't find a saison down here in bunbury so i decided to use the SN torpedo in the chicken and leek pie. My partner is making it and i'm making the hoegaarden icecream right now.

If i can not find a saison, what would be a good subsitute for the beer?

very yummy

 

[jayahhdee]

Just put some pork ribs in the smoker marinated with the recipe in the book, planning on trying the wheat beer ice cream over the weekend.

 

[angus_grant]

Man, missed this thread the first time. Just bought a copy on Fishpond for $20.

yummy!!!! Will be brewing another batch of dark ale to make some pies!!!!

 

[6tri6ple6]

Just made the wheat beer icecream. I have a hoegaarden clone on tap at the moment so I just used that. Amazing recipe, simply stunning. Cheers Merc, awesome stuff.

 

[jayahhdee]

Tried out the BBQ dipping sauce over the weekend, the entire family loved it and there was none left at the end of the day.

Great recipe, all should try it.

 

[DKS]

Yes - in fact I saw it on line for $15 and free shipping!!!!!! I dont know how they can sell it that cheap - I think it cuts me out of any $!

You can also buy it as an E book - just do a search.

I havent seen it in any target or kmart stores since after Xmas but good luck in finding it in one you never know.

Enjoy it when you buy it!

Fents, Drew - glad you are cooking stuff out of the book and even happier you are enjoying them!

Cheers

Had a b/day and requested it. Pleased to say bought from city bookstore and more than pleased with the contents. Ups merc, good one.
Daz

 

[petesbrew]

Just made a double batch of the choc stout brownies, just in time for Christmas.
Substituted the stout for a 9% choc dubbel I brewed up for the missus a few months back.
Kitchen smells awesome.

 

[idzy]

Just made a double batch of the choc stout brownies, just in time for Christmas.
Substituted the stout for a 9% choc dubbel I brewed up for the missus a few months back.
Kitchen smells awesome.

Thanks for the post petesbrew, helped me discover this thread and this book, will definitely try and grab a copy.

 

[sp0rk]

Just made a double batch of the choc stout brownies, just in time for Christmas.
Substituted the stout for a 9% choc dubbel I brewed up for the missus a few months back.
Kitchen smells awesome.

Hmmm, might have to give that a go with my choc porter

 

[petesbrew]

I wrote a note in the recipe book that it tasted nicer with stout than porter - having said that, I had a pint bottle of dubbel in the fridge, which left me the right amount for a glass for the chef
This is about the 4-5th time I've made these brownies. IMO They're pretty rich, so you can afford to cut the slices smaller than what Merc suggests

Yep, I'll have a go at more untried recipes from this book over summer.

 

[Mercs Own]

Loving reading that you guys are cooking form the book, experimenting with the recipes and your own beers and generally enjoying it all! Thanks for the comments and feed back!

Anyone made the upside down Rhubarb stout cake yet?

Have a great Xmas!

 

[Truman42]

It might be time for cooking with beer volume 2 Paul?

 

[Mercs Own]

I wanted to do that but my publisher felt that the beer thing was done and dusted with my first Cooking with Beer. I could certainly put another book together with 100 recipes or so but as my publisher said it has already been done so what would be different? Answer is it wouldn't be different just more great recipes!

I may do it later as a self publish.

Just delivered my next book to my publisher - Cooking for one, Cooking for Two , Cooking for all. Wont hit the shelves till 2015!!

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

12 mnths...... Thats a long wait

 

[BeerNess]

Paul, I just got your book as a Xmas pressie and I already love it without cooking anything yet! , The mustard, vinaigrette and ribs are going to be my first hits, but your publisher needs to be shot - the quality of binding is shocking, it fell away from the cover before I finished my first read through. Pretty bummed by that.

 

[DU99]

It will be worth the wait..