Grilled IPA Peanut Chicken Satays

     The History of the IPA, or India Pale Ale style of beer is a fascinating one.  This beer has traits that were determined by function, and were designed solely to fix, what was a very big problem for Britain.  As a result, this beer helped shape the course of history. 
     To remain a force in the East Indies, Britain needed to supply their troops, as well as an ever increasing transplanted citizenry with beer. Those in positions of power knew that the cultural and healthful aspects of beer were crucial to cohesion and maintaining their colonies.  In fact, the troops were given a ration of 1 gallon/day of beer.  The problem: at that time, the styles and means of brewing preferred by the British did not exist in India, and trips to these colonies usually consisted of 3-5 months at sea which caused the traditional dark, sweet beer to become flat, stale, and unpalatable. 

     Through ingenuity, a solution was discovered.  Greater application of hops and higher alcohol were found to inhibit spoiling, and acted as a preservative allowing the beer to last for longer periods of time.  Bow Brewery in East London created a pale ale with a significantly increased amount of boiling hops, the skilled use of "dry hopping," plus higher ABVs.  This ensured that the beer would survive the journey across the seas, and become a major success factor for the emerging British dominance in the East Indies.

     In light of this history, I thought I would make an Indian style dish incorporating the beer that was originally brewed for India.

     For this recipe, I decided to try a beer I've never had.  Based on a little advice, I went with Bridgeport's IPA.  This is Oregon's oldest brewery, and their IPA more closely resembles an Old World IPA (at least compared to the current American versions) in terms of bitterness, malt balance, and hop selection.  This is the style I prefer.  It has a good citrus nose, great notes of pine and grapefruit, beautiful lacing on the glass... wait, sorry, got distracted... let's get cookin'!

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes (can substitute pork or shrimp)

1 cup IPA for cooking, a couple IPAs for drinking

2 tbl crystalized ginger

1 lemon grass stalk chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

5 garlic cloves minced

3 Thai chili peppers minced

1 cup light coconut milk

1/2 cup unsweetened creamy organic peanut butter

2 tbls fresh cilantro minced, 1 tbl fresh cilantro whole leaves

2 tbl low sodium soy sauce

2 limes

1 bunch of scallions lightly coated in olive oil, salt and pepper

1 tbl honey

Sriracha

Kosher salt

Cracked pepper

Peanuts for garnish
Jasmine rice prepared according to directions

Prep Time: 20 mins, plus marinade time

Cook Time:  25 mins

1.  In a blender mix your IPA, peanut butter, honey, coconut milk, minced cilantro, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, chilis, soy, salt, pepper, and juice of 1 lime.  Place your chicken cubes in a gallon size freezer bag, and pour in your mixture.  Let this marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours, up to overnight.

2.  Light a chimney starter full of charcoal.  While you're waiting for the coals to be ready, take a couple pulls off your beer, and then thread the chicken pieces onto skewers (soaked bamboo work, but trust me- metal skewers are the way to go).  This is also a good time to prepare your rice.

3.  Pour reserve marinade into a cast iron skillet (or sauce pan).  Over high heat bring to a boil, then back down to a strong simmer, stirring slowly.  Reduce down by half, or until it is thick enough to easily stick to a spoon.  Add Sriracha to taste.

4.  Your coals should be just about ready.  Have a drink, and then spread them out evenly.  Place the grill grate on, clean it, and oil it with a paper towel.  Next, place your skewers on the grill.  Using your reduced marinade, brush a thick coat on the chicken.  Cook these for 7-10 minutes, flipping them half way.

5.  In the meantime, put a piece of foil on the grill, and cook your scallions on this in a single layer.  These should take about the same amount of time as the chicken.  You want to turn them half way, and they should have some char. 

6.  Once cooked, place your rice in bowls (Udon noodles are great, too), then add chicken pieces.  Cut the scallions into 1 inch segments and sprinkle them in the bowls.  Drizzle with remaining peanut sauce, sprinkle peanuts, add a squirt of lime, garnish with cilantro leaves, add more Sriracha if you're like me and dig the heat.  Make sure you have some cold IPA nearby, and dig in!

This was another one of those dishes, which are ridiculously easy to put together and cook, but will taste like you went to a ton of work.  Without rice, these make a dynamite appetizer.

Be sure to hit me up if you have any questions or suggestions!

Cheers!

The Drunken Chef 

Kyle's Grilled Rueben Pizza

     Grilled pizza was introduced in the United States at the Al Forno Restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island, by the owners Johanne Killeen and George Germon in 1980.  Although it was inspired by a misunderstanding that confused a wood-fired brick oven with a grill, grilled pizza did exist prior to 1980, both in Italy, and in Argentina where it is known as "pizza a la parrilla."

     According to legend, the Rueben sandwich was created by Arnold Rueben of "Rueben's Restaurant and Delicatessen."  The story goes- One night one of Charlie Chaplin's leading ladies came into the deli and said "Make me a sandwich, I'm so hungry I could eat a brick."  Ol' Rueben said he went to "clowning around for the dame," cut a rye loaf on the bias, piled on a ton of corned beef, then threw on some saurkraut and russian dressing.  Supposedly, she wolfed down the whole thing, and word got around about a great new sandwich.  The Rueben special was born.

Grilled pizza, and a legendary sandwich...  I'd heard of these two magical foods being spliced together, and so I decided to give a go for myself, with a couple personal tweaks.  And of course, I wanted to bring beer into the mix!

Ingredients:

Crust (makes enough for two 12 inch pizzas- you can freeze the other half for next time):

• 1 1/2 cups of warm beer (I used Fat Tire-it's biscuity flavor is perfect for pizza crust).  Heat the beer to about lukewarm before using.  You want it warm for the yeast, but not hot.
• 1 package of active dry yeast (I used one that was labled "best for pizza crust").
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tea kosher salt
• 1 tea sugar
• 1 tea clover honey

Pizza Ingredients (enough for one 12 inch pizza):

• Olive Oil (enough to brush the crust, and grill grate)
• Cormeal (enought to sprinkle on whatever you use to transport the pizza to and from the grill)
• 1/2 cup 1000 Island dressing
• 2 cups shredded swiss cheese
• 6 oz sliced deli corned beef cut into small strips
• 1 cup sauerkraut- drained as much as possible
• 1/3 cup chopped dill pickles
• 1 tea caraway seeds

Prep Time: 2hours 20mins (much of it is combining and rise time for the dough)

Cook Time: 35 minutes

So, right off the bat, I'll tell ya- I don't have the patience to knead dough and create it from scratch by hand.  For me, the bread maker is the way to go (If you don't have a bread maker, there are easy to find recipes for using a mixer, or if you're patient, by hand.  I'll leave that for you to decide).

Alright... Let's crack a beer, and get cookin'!

1.  Mix your dough ingredients together in the bread machine, making sure you add all of the wet ingredients first, next the dry ingredients, and then create a small indentation to place the yeast.  Start the cycle.  It will take about an hour and a half, so this recipe definitely takes some planning.  Once the cycle is over, punch down the dough, and let it rise back up (should take about 15 minutes).  Do this a couple times.  The whole process will take about 2 1/2 hours.  Trust me, it's worth it, rather than using a premade frozen dough.

2.  If you use a charcoal grill like me (definitely the preferred method for this recipe), get the coals going in a chimney starter.

3.  Chop, measure, and gather up the pizza ingredients.

4.  Sprinkle flour on whatever surface you plan on working your dough.  Using your hands, shape the pizza however you want.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, then spread it out again, if needed.  Don't bother making a raised rim around the edges.  Thin or thick, either will work fine.  Sprinkle cornmeal on a pan or pizza stone, or whatever you're using to transport your pizza.  Carefully place your pizza dough on it.  Now its time to check the grill.

5.  Once the coals are ready, clean your grate and brush it with a folded paper towl lightly soaked with olive oil to prevent sticking.  Carefully slide your pizza dough onto the grate (the cornmeal makes this easy), and close the lid.  Let it cook for 2 minutes.  Meanwhile, have some beer.

6.  After 2 minutes your crust will have some bubbles, or will be very puffy overall.  This is a good sign.  Lift up half of the crust with tongs, and check to be sure it's getting a light char.  If it has, carefully slide the pizza stone/tray/what-have-you underneath, and remove from the grill.  If it hasn't charred much, wait another minute or two.  Once removed from the grill, flip your crust char side up.  Lightly coat the top and edges with olive oil.  Now it gets fun.  Have a drink, and reflect on how well this is going. 

7.  Spread 1/2 of the dressing over the entire top of the crust.  Next, sprinkle with 1/2 of the swiss cheese.  Arrange all of the corned beef on top of the cheese, then drizzle the rest of the dressing.  Throw on all of the sauerkraut, and then the remaining cheese.  Lastly, sprinkle on the caraway seeds.

8.  Time to get this bad boy back on the grill.  Carefully slide your pizza back on the grill, and cover.  Let it cook for 2 minutes.  Same drill as before, using tongs  to check the underside for char.  If there is some char and the cheese is melted, game on (if not, give it a couple more minutes).  Slide the pizza off the grate onto your stone/tray/what-have-you.

9.  Sprinkle on the chopped pickles.  Let your pizza sit for 5 minutes, then slice it up and dig in.

This was the first time I've tried to make this, and it turned out even better than I had hoped.  I think the above method of grilling crust/pizza is solid.  As far as staying true to the sandwich, all the toppings are straight from a Rueben, and the wheat crust and caraway seeds helped mimick rye bread very well.  The beer definitely added another great layer of flavor to the crust. 

Considering how easy it was to put together, I'll definitely make this again.  Give it a try, and let me know if you have any questions, or changes that worked well!

Cheers!

The Drunken Chef

Beer Steamed Salmon and Brussels Sprouts

     Ever have that experience where you reluctantly try a food you absolutely hated as a kid, only to find out that you now really like it?  I had that experience not too long ago with brussels sprouts at a local restaurant.  Since then I make them frequently, and I think this recipe is my favorite expression of the little buggers.  They make a great side dish to a wide variety of meals, but for this entry I decided to pair them with salmon.  Both the sprouts and salmon are steamed in... you guessed it... beer!


     For this recipe I decided to use a Lager  (Shift from New Belgium).  This has become one of my new favorite beers.  It's an extremely sessionable, crisp pale lager with citrus and floral notes, and has a finish that is very dry. Besides making for a great beer to drink, these qualities make for a great beer to cook with.  If you don't have access to Shift, or want to try something different, any light bodied (but big flavored) beer would work. 



Ingredients:
1 lbs brussels sprouts (ends trimmed) each cut in half lengthwise
6 strips of thick, delicious bacon chopped and uncooked
2 shallots sliced (I effed up at the store and forgot shallots, so had to use red onion.  Shallots are better, but red onion worked fine)
1 large, or 2 small salmon filets
1 jalapeno (or serrano for more heat) sliced
2 tbl butter
2 tbls parmesan cheese
1 tbl balsamic vinegar
fresh bunch dill chopped
crushed red pepper
sea salt to taste
cracked pepper to taste

Prep Time:
Approx 5-10 minutes

Cook Time:
Approx 1/2 hour


First, crack your beer and pour into your favorite mug.  Now... let's cook!



1.  Preheat your cast iron skillet (yes, once again I'm going to tell you this is the best type of pan, but you don't have to use one for this recipe) to med. high heat. 

2.  Cooked chopped bacon until slightly crisp.  Give a good stir.

3.  Now toss in 1 tbl butter, 1 sliced shallot and slowly stir until softened, about 3 minutes.  Scrape at the bottom of the pan, to kick up any stuck bacon molecules.

4.  Next place sprouts in pan.  Put as many as possible face down.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then leave them alone for 4-5 minutes.  Give a good stir and let sit for another 3-4 minutes.

5.  Alright, pour 12 oz of Shift (or whatever beer you chose) into the pan.  Raise the heat until you get to almost a full boil, then back the heat down to a good simmer.  Stir occasionally, until the beer is reduced to a glaze.  This will take about 15-20 minutes. 











In the meantime, let's prepare the salmon...

1.  Using a different pan, heat to med high and cook 3 slices worth of chopped bacon on med high heat, till crisp. 

2.  Add 1 tbl of butter, the sliced jalapeno or serrano, 1 sliced shallot, and chopped fresh dill.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until shallot and the pepper is softened.  Stir occasionally.

3.  Pour in 4-6 oz of beer (enough to come about half way up the salmon filets, and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, place your salmon in the pan skin side down, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.



















4.  Cover the pan with a lid.  Steam for 3-4 minutes, flip the salmon, cover, and steam for 3-4 more minutes.  Check for doneness.  If you like your salmon a little more cooked, a couple more minutes should do it. 


Your salmon should be finished, and the brussels sprouts should also be wrapping up right about now.  Before scooping your sprouts, add 1 tbl of balsamic vinegar, sprinkle red pepper flakes, sprinkle the parmesan into the pan and stir a couple times.


There you have it.  What's that?  Not sure if you like brussel sprouts?  Make this dish and I promise you'll be converted.  I was.

Let me know if you have any questions, or variations that worked well.
Cheers!

The Drunken Chef

Guiness Braised Irish Stew With Colcannon

     St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, and is the ascribed anniversary of the saint's death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat  and alcohol were waived and people would dance, drink and feast.  The meal traditionally consisted of bacon, cabbage, and beer.

     So, today I thought we'd make something to celebrate St. Paddy's Day in a somewhat traditional fashion (I'm sharing this a couple days early, so that you can prepare this on the actual holiday).  This dish includes ingredients that were readily available to the Irish, and an integral part of their holiday feast and break from Lent.  The accompaniment to the stew, colcannon, is Ireland's traditional mashed potato dish made with bacon, milk, and cabbage or kale. 

As far as the beer... how can you make Irish Stew without Guiness?  This beer is Ireland's iconic dry stout, and people have been enjoying it for quite a while.  It's first incarnation was brewed by Arthur Guiness back in 1759!  Rich bodied, with flavors of roasted malt, caramel, and a hint of coffee notes... this beer makes one helluva stew. 

Ingredients:

Irish Stew:

2 cans of Guiness (one for cooking, one for drinking)

1 tbl vegetable oil

1 3lb beef chuck roast, trimmed, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
2 tbls flour

1 1/2 cup onion chopped

1 to 1 1/2 cup carrot chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tea thyme leaves stripped

3 cloves garlic minced

2 tbls Worcestershire sauce

Fresh thyme for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Colannon:

4 slices of cooked bacon chopped

2 lbs of potatoes, cut into chunks

2 cups cabbage thinly sliced

1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1/4 cup of room temp milk

2 tbls butter warmed

2-3 tbls of fresh parsley minced

salt and pepper to taste

Prep time: 1/2 hour

Cook time: 1 1/2 hours

Servings: approx 8

Getting Started:

I like to have all of my ingredients lined up ahead of time, otherwise there is a good probability I'll forget something.  For example: cook your bacon, and set it on paper towels to absorb excess grease.  When cooled, chop them into small crumbles.  Chop your onion, carrot, and garlic.  Cut the potatoes into chunks, and make sure your pieces of beef are all bite size.  Strip the thyme leaves, mince the parsley, and have your spices at the ready.  This ensures that cooking process will go smoothly.

Alright, crack and pour your Guiness into a glass.  Dark, and roasty...watch the magic of the cascading beer as it... wait, I'm getting distracted... let's cook!

1.  Heat 2 tbls of oil in a dutch oven, over high heat (If you don't have a dutch oven, I strongly suggest that you get one.  I promise, they are worth every penny.  Nothing compares as far as heat distribution and heat retention).  Once very hot, start browning the beef in batches, removing each batch till the last one (and drain excess grease as you go).  We're doing this in batches, because you don't want to crowd the pot with too much meat, or it won't brown properly.  Keep it to basically one layer, or the meat will boil/steam instead of sear.  If necessary, drain excess grease as you go.  Be sure to sprinkle a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper with each round of meat.  When the meat is finished, return all of it to the pot, and sprinkle on the flour.  Stir to distribute the flour somewhat evenly. 

2.  Now stir in the onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour in a can of Guiness, and stir slowly while bringing the mixture to a boil.  Once at a boil, cover and place in the oven for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven, stir, and put the pot back in for approx 45 more minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half or a little more.  I like my stew thick.


*If you don't have an oven safe pot, you can cook this on the stove top.  Let me know if you need directions on how to do this.*

3.  When you put the stew back in the oven after the first 45 minutes, it's a good time to start on the colcannon.  Put your potato chunks into a large pot with salted water.  Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged, and have an inch or two of water above them.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to med low.  Simmer for 20 minutes, then drain and set aside.



4.  Put the cabbage in a bowl with 2 tbls of water.  Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes, stir, then 2 1/2 minutes more.  Stove top- melt butter on med high heat, add cabbage and coat.  Add water and cover the pot.  Steam for 10-12 minutes of water to a boil.  We want it steamed, but not mushy. 

5.   Now place the potatoes into a mixing bowl.  Sprinkle on the cheese, add the butter, salt and pepper, and milk.  Using a mixer, slowly beat the potatoes until smooth and creamy.  Be careful to not over mix, this can cause the potatoes to become gluey.  Hand stir in the cabbage, bacon, and parsley. 

Now it's time to plate the awesomeness.  Take a good scoop of the potatoes and put it on a plate or bowl.  Make a mini bowl with potatoes, and fill it with the stew.  I like to keep this one simple, so the only thing I pair with this dish is some fresh thyme, a good crusty piece of bread.  Oh... and another Guiness.

This recipe may sound like a little work, but trust me, it's definitely worth the time and effort.  Next day stew leftovers will be even better than the first bowl.  Once you get a taste of this, you'll see why I make it year 'round, not just on the day we celebrate the beer 'O the Irish. 



Thanks for checking in!  And as always, if you have any questions or feedback, hit me up.


Cheers!
The Drunken Chef 

Beer Quote of the Day

"Filled with mingled cream and amber, I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber through the chambers of my brain- quaintest thoughts come to life and fade away. Who cares how time advances? I am drinking ale today"- Edgar Allen Poe

Pork Loin With Beer Sauce (part 2)

     So, last time we built our marinade, added the pork loin and let it chill in the fridge overnight.  Now we're ready to roast it in the oven, and turn that marinade into a sauce. 

     I hope you saved a couple beers from yesterday!  You'll want one during the cooking process of the loin, and pairing this dish with a Warsteiner (or whichever beer you selected) will bring out the complimentary flavors.

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbls veg oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbl flour mixed with 2 tbls butter melted
1/4 cup of cream (or milk)

Makes about 8 servings

Getting Started:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and heat a pan to medium high heat (if you have a cast iron skillet, it will work the best).

1.  Remove your pork tenderloin from the marinade, and pat it dry with a paper towel.  Be sure to keep the marinade handy.  We're going to use that to make a great sauce later. 

2.  Add 2 tbls of vegetable oil to your pan, and using tongs, place the loin in the pan (if the loin is too large to fit, its definitely ok to cut it into two pieces, and sear in batches).  Sprinkle on some salt and cracked pepper, and sear each side for about 1-2 minutes.  Be sure to let each side get color, but not burned.  Searing the meat, contrary to popular belief, does not "seal in the juices."  What it does do for us, is carmelize the surface, intensifying the flavor.  When you're finished searing, don't wash that pan just yet!  We'll use the brown bits stuck to the bottom to add more flavor to the sauce.

3.  Place your beautifully seared pork loin onto a roasting rack in a pan.  If you don't have a roasting rack, no worries.  A baking sheet with a rim will work fine. 

4.  Place your pan or rack on the middle shelf of your oven, and set the timer for 45 mins.  Flip the loin halfway. 

*The cooking time is of course, approximate and depends on your oven size and efficiency.  You will want to reach an internal temp of approximately 155 degrees (a meat thermometer is the only way to accurately check the temp; these are inexpensive and invaluable).  If the temp reading is 10+ degrees less than 155, put the loin back in the oven (check again in 10 mins).  If you're within 5 degrees, you're good to go.  Keep in mind, that while the meat rests after the oven time, it will climb a few degrees.*



5.  Once you reach approx. 155 degrees, place your pork loin on a cutting board, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.  By doing this little trick, the juices will redistribute and create a MUCH juicier and flavorful loin.  While you're letting it rest, let's make the sauce.

6.  In the pan you used to sear the meat, add the reserved marinade, any pan drippings, and the butter/flour mixture.  Heat this all over medium high heat, while using a metal whisk to scrape the bottom to loosen any flakes of caramalized meat.  Once it starts to thicken remove the pan from the heat, and then mix in the cream.  This will take approx 7-10 minutes

Alright.  The only thing left to do is carve your perfectly cooked pork loin, and spoon as much or as little sauce as you want over the medallions.  Creamy garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus are my favorite pairing with this dish. 

Now, you may be thinking "that's a lot of meat."  But, warmed up it makes GREAT leftovers.  Another option is to cut it into bite size pieces to go over buttered noodles with parmesan and peas.  Slice it thin, and you have the makings of an awesome sandwich.  Plus, this can be stored away in the freezer for several months.  One last piece of advice- don't toss out the extra sauce!  It's of course great for the warmed up pork loin, but it is also great on grilled shrimp.  This is as simple as coating shrimp in a ziplock or tupperware, and placing them on the grill for 3-4 minutes per side.





Next time I'll be sharing a St. Paddy's worthy recipe for Irish beer braised beef stew and colcannon.  Be sure to click "join" to follow my blog, and as always, if you have any questions, or variations that worked well for you, I'd like to hear about it.


Cheers!
The Drunken Chef

 

Marinated Pork Loin With Beer Sauce (part 1)

***Marinated Pork Loin, With Beer Sauce***

(Part 1)

Recently, I was researching a few colloquialisms that are relevant to the world of beer and food.  In particular, I stumbled across "Honeymoon."  One of the etymological theories for this word suggests that it may originate from medieval Europe. Apparently in some regions, it was a tradition to supply a newly married couple with enough mead (kind of a cross between wine and beer, made with honey) for a full month, to promote happiness and fertility. 

This brought to mind one of my favorite recipes for pork loin.  It utilizes old school European lager and honey for a marinade and rich sauce.  The end result is great for dinner, and leftovers.




Part 1 Marinade.




For this recipe I like to use a traditional German style, light colored Lager, and Warsteiner fits that bill well - pale, crisp, and light.  The flavors of this beer pair very well with pork loin: grassy notes, honey malt, as well as citrusy and herbal hops.  They really kick up the depth of the marinade.







First things first: crack one of the beers for yourself... now you're ready to put this marinade together.

Ingredients:

• 3 Warsteiners, or a different light bodied, pale German lager.  Two of these are for cooking, one is for drinking.
• 2 tbls butter
• 1 large red onion sliced
• 2 peppers (jalapenos, or serranos) 
• 2 large garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tbl fresh rosemary
• 1 tbl fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• kosher salt/cracked pepper to taste

Getting Started: While you're chopping the onion and garlic, turn a large pot onto medium high heat.  Once again, I highly recommend a cast iron pot.  Nothing is better when it comes to even heat distribution, ease of cooking, and ease of cleaning. 

A simple way to seperate the seeds
and veins from peppers, is to
scrape them out with a spoon.

Hang on to those Scraps!
Your garden will thank you.

Ok.  Here we go...



1.  Melt the butter, then toss in the onions.  Throw in a couple pinches of kosher salt.  We want them to get carmalized, so let them cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Carmelized and ready

2.  Once they are nice and browned, add the garlic and peppers.  Stir slowly for 1 minute.  Toss in your spices and give a few quick stirs. 


3.  Now its time to pour in your beer, mustard and honey.  Bring everything to a boil, and then take your pot off the heat.  Puree the mixture until its smooth. 

Be sure to blend those onions well.

4.  Once cooled a bit, pour your marinade into a shallow dish and add your pork loin.  Spoon marinade over the top of the loin until its well coated.  Now cover the dish with plastic wrap and foil.  Place it in the fridge for 12-24 hours, and flip it about halfway through.

Ready to chill

That's it for now.  The beer marinade you concocted will go to work flavoring and tenderizing the pork loin.  It may take a little extra time and planning to make the marinade and let it sit overnight, but I promise it's well worth the effort.  Your pork loin will be packed with flavor and far juicier due to your efforts.


Tommorrow: we'll sear and bake the tenderloin, and transform the marinade and pan drippings into a kick-ass sauce.  Save a beer or two for tomorrow!

See you then!
The Drunken Chef

One Pot Black Beans

     So today we'll be making one of my favorite dishes, using one of my favorite beers to cook with (and drink): New Belgium's 1554. This is a Brussels style Black Lager, the recovered recipe of this beer dates back to the year 1554 (hence the name).  Although this beer's origin is not from the same region that influenced today's entry, the notes of chocolate and coffee enhance this Mexican style black bean dish.  Trust me, you'll be amazed at how incredibly tasty these beans turn out, considering how easy they are to make.

This recipe will make about 4 servings.
Estimated time: 15 minutes prep, 40-55 minutes cooking



First things first: Crack a 1554 for yourself. One thing I've learned is that drinking the beer you're cooking with not only makes it more fun, it also creates good mojo for the dish.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 bottles of 1554 (one for drinkin', one for cookin')
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbls butter
• 4 strips cooked bacon chopped

• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 jalapenos chopped
• 1 roasted red bell pepper chopped
• 1 small piece of chocolate (about 1" x 1" is fine)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 teaspoons of oregano
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne
• kosher salt (to taste)
• cracked black pepper (to taste)
• a few dashes of hot sauce
• 1 can of Rotel drained
• 2 cans of black beans drained

*Whenever possible, I like to use veggies and herbs from my garden (or my friend Amber's, since her garden is so massive), but right now I'm still a few months away from having those available.*

Getting Started:  While you're chopping veggies, now is a great time to cook those bacon strips. After they're done cooking, let 'em drain on a paper towel, then chop and set the pieces aside.

MMMMM...Bacon!

Don't Forget To Compost Those
Veggies Scraps For the Garden.

Alright, the prep is done...let's cook!

1.  Heat a large pot (I prefer to use a dutch oven. They produce even heat, and are kick-ass for stews and soups) to medium heat. Melt the two tbls of butter.

2.  Toss in the onions, garlic, peppers, a pinch of salt, and a couple grinds of pepper. Slowly stir for approx 3-4 minutes, until the onions begin to turn transluscent.

Sauteed Onion, Garlic, and Peppers

3.  Its time for both cans of black beans, Rotel, bacon, and chocolate to get in the pot.  Give a quick stir, pour in the chicken broth and bottle of 1554, and give another quick stir.  It will foam up quite a bit due to heat, but don't worry about that.  Make sure the liquid reaches above the beans (add more beer or broth if neccesary).

After Adding Chicken Broth and 1554

Spice Layout

4.   Grab, and lineup your spices and hot sauce (don't forget a pinch of salt, and a couple grinds of pepper).  Once added, stir them well. Don't hesitate to change the spice/ingredient amounts to your personal preference and really make this dish your own. For example: you can eliminate the peppers and hot sauce, or, if you're a fan of the heat like me, add even more (I like to use serranos, because they pack a little more of a heat punch).  Roasted poblanos can also add a nice touch of smokey flavor.

5.  Alright, now that everything's in the pot, crank up the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. As soon as you reach a low boil, turn the heat down to medium low, cover with the lid (leaving a slight crack/opening) and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The time will depend a bit on your pot, your heat source, and the amount of liquid you added.  Once finished, the liquid should be reduced until the beans are as thick as shown below.

"Kyle's Black Beans and Black Beer,"
Finished and Ready For Grubbin'

That's it.  Pretty easy, huh?  Simplicity, great flavor, and the fact that this dish is very healthy is why I make them regularly (to make it even healthier, you can omit the bacon, and use 2 tbls of olive oil instead of butter when you saute). They are great by themselves as a main dish, or used as a side dish. I like to garnish them with avocado, a little sour cream and pair them up with fish tacos or enchiladas (both of which can be made with beer!  Two recipes I'll share at a later date).

If you have any questions, or changes that worked well, I'd definitely like to hear about it!

Cheers!

The Drunken Chef