Skip to main content

Beef/Pork

Beer Marinated Steak with Porter Gorgonzola Butter

Beer Marinated Steak with Porter Gorgonzola Butter via @TheBeeroness

Falling into the world of craft beer, I lacked a full grasp of the type of people this obsession attracts. Over the years I never cease to be amazed at the warmth and heart that exists in the gatherings of the Craft Beer Enthusiasts, the salt of the earth types that dwell here. It’s hard to explain to people who are outside, how to really articulate how golden the souls, how quickly we connect to one another over a shared fascination. How our celebrities brew beer, and our Mecca lives in various 750 ml bottles.

Beer Marinated Steak with Porter Gorgonzola Butter via @TheBeeroness

Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to spend a truly unforgettable weekend in Boston, courtesy of Attune Foods, to marinate in the company of the Craft Beer Crowd. The final night gave me a clear tableau of the heart of this community. In the middle of a large conference space, in the bottom of a Boston hotel, was an impromptu potluck of rare beer, a spontaneous gathering spread out by strangers. People from all over the country packed bottles of beer, rare beer, sacred beer, hard to track down beer, beer that people dream of, in order to share it with strangers. They pulled from their stash of beer that took them months, even years to track down, in order to share it with people they have never met.

Beer Marinated Steak with Porter Gorgonzola Butter via @TheBeeroness

I was honored, and so grateful, to be handed beer I’ve only read about, from people I’d never met. "I though you’d like this," or "I brought this to share, do you want some?" It was touching, and even a bit overwhelming, that people who didn’t know me would share, with such enthusiasm, what is often rare and hard to come by. Some bottles weren’t even replaceable, aged for several years. This is craft beer. People who just want to share, in community, what they have come to love.

Beer Marinated Steak with Porter Gorgonzola Butter via @TheBeeroness

 

And all I have to offer in return is my gratitude, and some knowledge about food, and a few recipes. Let’s start with steak. A few tips can give you an unforgettable meal, to serve with that rare beer.

First, is the selection process. Have you ever noticed those stickers on the packages of steak in the grocery store? Prime, Choice and Select? While they should put: Great, Pretty Good and Don’t Bother, they leave it a bit ambiguous. If you know what to buy, you’ll be ahead of the game.

Prime is the best, but of course, most expensive. Choice is runner up to prime, not as good as Prime, but it’s often much less expensive. Select should be labeled: Please Don’t Select, it’s poor quality. If a steak isn’t labeled, it probably was so poor, it didn’t even earn a Select designation. If you see an unlabeled piece of meat that has a sticker that says, Inspected by the USDA, don’t fall for it, all meat is inspected by the USDA. Look for a well marbled steak, about an inch in thickness that’s labeled Prime or Choice.

Second: marinate and dry. Beer is a natural meat tenderizer, using it in a marinade gives steak an amazing texture. Drying the meat well, while it feels counter intuitive, is the only way to get a good sear and avoid 50 shades of gray meat.

Third: excessively salt your meat. Don’t be shy with the salt, it’s imperative. Liberally salt the steak on all sides, it’s pretty difficult to over salt a steak and salt is extremely important to the final flavor.

Fourth: buy a meat thermometer. If you cook meat a lot, you get used to the feel test and you can vibe it. But until then, testing with an inexpensive meat thermometer is a foolproof way to get the exact doneness that you want. You really don’t want to spend all that time and money only to over cook your steak because you didn’t want to spring for the $7 meat thermometer.

For this recipe I love a smoked porter, it’s one of my favorite go-to beers when it comes to cooking with beef.

Beer Marinated Steak with Porter Gorgonzola Butter

Ingredients
  

For the Steak:

  • 1 ½ cups stout or porter
  • 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 New York Steaks or Tri Tip Steaks choice or prime
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 tbs olive oil

For The Butter:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup porter
  • ¼ cup crumbled Gorgonzola

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the beer, Worcestershire, onion powder, paprika and salt.
  • Place the steaks in a baking dish, cover with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours, turning at least once while marinating.
  • While the steak is marinating, make the butter. In a saucepan over medium high heat, add the ½ cup porter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 2 tbs, 8-10 minutes.
  • In a food processor add the butter and reduced beer, process until well combined. Add the Gorgonzola and pulse to combine.
  • Add butter to a sheet of plastic wrap, roll into a log and refrigerate until solid, about 1 hour.
  • Fifteen minutes before cooking, remove the steaks from the marinade. Place on a stack of paper towels, top with additional paper towels, pressing down firmly. Allow to dry for about ten minutes.

Grill Method:

  • Preheat the grill to medium high.
  • Salt and pepper the steak liberally on all sides.
  • Brush the grill with olive oil.
  • Place the steaks on the hottest part of the grill until grill marks appear, flip. Once grill marks appear on the other side, flip again. Flip a total of 4 times to create a diamond grill pattern, keeping the grill closed between flipping. Test the temperature and remove when desired doneness is achieved.
  • Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.
  • Slice the butter into 1 inch pats, add one pat to each steak.

Oven Method:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Salt and pepper the steak liberally on all sides.
  • In a pan over medium high heat add the olive oil, heat until hot but not smoking. Add the steaks (two at a time) and cook on each side until a brown seared crust has formed, about 2 minutes per side. Avoid crowding the pan, cook in batches if necessary. Move steaks to a sheet pan or baking dish.
  • Cook in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until desired level of doneness. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.
  • Slice the butter into 1 inch pats, add one pat to each steak.

Notes

Temperatures for doneness:
126°F Rare,
131°F Medium Rare,
145°F Medium,
154°F Medium Well,

Beer Marinated Steak with Porter Gorgonzola Butter via @TheBeeroness

Beer Marinated Flank Steak with Avocado Cilantro Cream Sauce

Beer Marinated Flank Steak
Beer Carne Asada 2

I’ve always enjoyed lower alcohol beers. Due in no small part to the fact that I can drink more and still be functional, for me, the goal is never to get hammered.

After what seems like an eternity of ABV one-upmanship, brewers are also starting to offer fantastically well-crafted beers on the lower end of the alcohol scale.

Maybe for people who don’t want to have to call a cab after just one pint, maybe as a way to focus on more delicate flavors that might be overwhelmed by the alcohol or maybe because some of us want to try several beers while avoiding becoming a cautionary tale.

As summer creeps up on us, and worries of beer-snobbery-judgment over the selection in our Beer Party Tub offerings start to invade our weekends, here are some craft beers that can keep you up to your witty ways while still enjoying a few pints:

Half Acre Beer Co.: Gossamer Golden Ale  4.4% ABV

 Stone Brewing Co.: Levitation 4.4% ABV

Founders Brewing: All Day IPA 4.7% ABV

Drakes Brewing Co.: Alpha Session 3.8% ABV

Dogfish Head: Festina Peche  4.5% ABV

 Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits: Wahoo Wheat  4.5% ABV

Eagle Rock Brewing: Solidarity 3.8% ABV

Beer Carne Asada_

Beer Marinated Flank Steak with Avocado Cilantro Cream Sauce

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs flank steak
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 cup pale ale
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cummin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

For the Avocado Cilantro Sauce

  • 1 avocado peel and seed removed
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbs oil
  • 2 tbs pale ale
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Salt and pepper the steak on all sides, place in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, beer, cummin, chili powder, brown sugar, soy and Worcestershire sauce, pour over the steak, seal the bag well.
  • Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Remove from marinade and pat dry.
  • Grill on a preheated grill until medium rare, about 6-8 minutes per side. Remove from grill, allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • To make the sauce add the remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor, process on high until smooth. Serve steak topped with avocado sauce.

Join me: FacebookTwitter

 

 

Hawaiian IPA Pineapple Pulled Pork Sliders

 Hawaiian IPA Pineapple Pulled Pork Sliders, made in a slow cooker

 I finally made friends with my slow cooker again. It took awhile, we haven’t been on speaking terms since that guy ruined several attempts at vegetarian chili earlier in the year. But he likes meat, that slow cooker, and so do I. I think this is the common ground that we’ll share. Slow and low is the best way to cook pork shoulder, making it a perfect slow cooker job. Although I loved the way this turned out, I do still vastly prefer my Le Creuset Dutch Oven, although that guy is much higher maintenance, he can’t be left alone like Slow Cooker can.

Speaking of IPA’s, I’ve been on the hunt for Schlafly’s American IPA, out of Missouri. I’m incredibly fortunate to live on the West Coat of these United States, a hot bed of fantastic IPA’s. I really don’t ever need to wander far to find incredible beer, but sometimes I just want to see what the rest of the USA has to offer. I’ve heard great things about this special release IPA and I want to get one in my pint glasses. If you can sneak me one, let me know, I’ll be forever grateful.

Hawaiian IPA Pineapple Pulled Pork Sliders, made in a slow cooker

Hawaiian IPA Pulled Pork Sliders

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cloves of garlic rough chopped
  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 tsp sriracha
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 2 cup chopped pineapple
  • 3.5 lb pork shoulder
  • salt and pepper
  • 12 ounces IPA
  • 24 Hawaiian rolls split

Yield: 24 sliders

    Instructions
     

    • In a food processor or blender add the garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, sriracha, brown sugar and pineapple. Process until well combined.
    • Place the pork shoulder inside a slow cooker, salt and pepper all sides liberally.
    • Pour the pineapple mixture and the IPA beer over the pork.
    • Cook on low for 8 hours.
    • Using two forks, shred while still in the slow cooker, discarding any large pieces of fat.
    • Allow to marinate in the juices for about ten minutes, drain well. Serve inside split Hawaiian rolls.

    Hawaiian IPA Pineapple Pulled Pork Sliders, made in a slow cooker

    Beer Brined Corned Beef Sliders with Pickled Cabbage Slaw

     Beer Brined Corned Beer Sliders with Pickled Cabbage Slaw 

    Conred Beef Sliders with Pickled Cabbage Slaw3

    I just turned my completed book into my publisher.

    One hundred recipes, along with sixty-five photos, are now out of my hands. You’d think I’d be relieved, so did I, but I’m worried. I just let go of the summation of 90 percent of my waking hours from the past 4 months. It’s in someone else’s care, and that scares the crap out of me.

    I have these momentary panics:

    Did I make the pavlovas enough, do the directions make sense?

    I say jackass in the book, will people hate that?! 

    Was I clear about how grateful I am for this, or will I come off as smug?!

    I even worry about whether or not you’ll like it, as if I’m just an insecure school girl. I thought I would be relieved and elated, but I’m more anxious than I’ve been during this entire process. I want people to love it, to leave me glowing reviews on Amazon and tell their friends about how much they love it. I hope that happens, but for now, I’m still losing sleep.

    For the time being, I have a St. Patricks Day recipe for you. I posted my veggie lovers St Patricks Day offering last week, but this one is about that corned beef we all associate with that Irish Holiday.

    So if you will, drink a pint and say an Irish prayer for me and my forthcoming book.

    Conred Beef Sliders with Pickled Cabbage Slaw

    Beer Brined Corned Beef Sliders with Pickled Cabbage Slaw

    Ingredients
      

    Corned Beef

    • 3.5 lb beef brisket
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 cup kosher salt
    • 3 tablespoons curing salt this will make the meat pink
    • 3 tbs whole allspice berries
    • 1 tbs whole cloves
    • 1 tbs ground ginger
    • 2 tbs mustard seeds
    • 2 tbs whole peppercorns
    • 1 yellow onion quartered
    • 2 cups water
    • 3 12 ounces bottles of stout
    • 8 cups ice

    Pickled slaw:

    • 2 cup red cabbage shredded
    • 2 cup savoy cabbage shredded
    • ½ red onion thinly sliced
    • 1/3 cup lemon juice
    • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tbs kosher salt
    • 3 tbsp sugar
    • ¼ tsp groung ginger
    • 2 tbs whole dried allspice berries
    • 2 tsp whole cloves
    • 2 tsp black peppercorns
    • _
    • 12 soft potato dinner rolls split to resemble hamburger buns

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot or Dutch oven, add brown sugar, 3 tbs curing salt, 1 cup kosher salt, 3 tbs allspice berries, 1 tbs cloves, ginger, mustard seeds, 2 tbs peppercorns, along with 2 cups of water.
    • Cook on high just until the salt and sugar dissolve, remove from heat. Add 2 bottles of stout (reserve the last bottle for cooking) and 8 cups of ice, stir until ice has melted and brine is cool.
    • Add the brisket, cover with lid and refrigerate for 3 days and up to 10.
    • Remove from brine and rinse well. Discard the brine and clean the Dutch oven well.
    • Place the brisket back in the cleaned pot, along with the onion, pour the remaining bottle of stout and then cover with cold water until the brisket is fully cover with one to two inches of water above the beef.
    • Bring to a low boil, cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 3 hours or until the meat if fork tender. Move to a carving board, thinly slice against the grain.
    • While the brisket cooks, make the pickled slaw. In a sauce pan over medium heat, add the lemon juice, vinegar, salt, sugar, ginger, allspice, cloves and peppercorns in a pot. Bring to simmer just until the salt and sugar dissolve, remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, add the cabbage and onion. Pour the cooled pickling liquid over the cabbage and onion, refrigerate for one hour.
    • Slightly warm the buns, fill with corned beef and slaw before serving.

    Chipotle Stout and Chorizo Chili Topped with Pork Rinds

     

    I’m so glad I can share this recipe with you. I’ve been working like a crazy person to develop and test recipes that I fall in love with but I can’t share them with you because I need to save them for the cookbook.

    And, of course, I’m putting a tremendous amount of pressure on myself to make each recipe a home run.

    Because once you buy the book, and actually pay for the recipes, I want them all to be amazing. This, my friend, is a huge amount of pressure on me and the limits of my culinary creativity.


    But then I get these crazy ideas, like putting crushed Chicharrones on top of chili and I can’t even wait to share it. I have to post it as soon as possible, even pushing back a more "seasonally appropriate" post because I want to show you this.

    And Chorizo, with its spice and fatty goodness, is perfect in chili. In fact, I pretty much raided the "C" section of my local Mexican food market (there isn’t a "C" section, by the way, but there should be) to bring you a dish with chipotle, chorizo, chicharrones, cilantro, cheddar and cumin.

     And then I ate three bowls before I could even share it with anyone.

    If I was planning on tailgating anytime soon, I would make this in huge vats.

    And if you are a "beans in your chili" kind of guy, go ahead and throw some in, I won’t mind.

    Or add some sour cream, if that’s your thing.

    Chipotle Stout and Chorizo Chili Topped with Pork Rinds

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tbs olive oil
    • ½ white onion chopped (about 1 cup)
    • 1 red bell pepper chopped, stem and seeds removed
    • 6 oz chorizo raw, removed from casing
    • 1 lb ground beef chuck 80/20 lean to fat
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 cup Chipotle Stout
    • 14 oz stewed diced tomatoes canned is fine
    • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo from can, minced plus more if desired
    • 1 tsp adobo sauce
    • ½ tsp smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

    Toppings:

    • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
    • ½ cup cilantro chopped
    • 2 cups Chicharrones pork rinds, lightly crushed
    • Makes 4-6 servings

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until onion softens but isn’t browned, about 5 minutes.
    • Add the chorizo and beef, cook until meat starts to brown. Add the garlic and stir.
    • Add the beer, diced tomatoes, one chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, pepper, cumin and Worcestershire sauce. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, until thickened. Add additional chipotle peppers as desired to raise heat level.
    • Pour into bowls, top with cilantro, cheddar and Chicharrones.

     

     

     

    Chipotle Stout Sloppy Joe’s Sliders

     

    I spent a few days up in Napa last month. While I was hanging out at Bear Republic those guys were nice enough to show me around and even let me jump behind the bar. While I was behind the bar, most likely annoyingly in his way, the bar manager asked me what my favorite style of beer was. To be honest, I didn’t have an answer. I wanted to try his special release stuff, those beer that never make it into bottles. And the Peter Brown Tribute that I had heard about but hadn’t been able to taste yet, but I still am not sure if I could pick one all-time favorite.

    It depends on what I’m eating.

    I do tend to favor lower alcohol beers, because I live in LA and we like to drive here.

    I like a dry hopped IPA.

    Or a circusy White.

    And I will always stand in line for a spicy beer.

    But, if I had to choose only one style of beer to cook with, that would be easy. Stouts are by far my favorite beer to cook with. They work well with beef and fabulously with chocolate. Spicy stouts are always intriguing, and although the go-to recipes for those seems to be a meat product, I  also want to figure out a really great chili chocolate cake recipe made with a spiced stout.

    Lucky for us, more and more breweries are making beer with spices so check out your local beer store and ask around. Here are some of my favorites:

    Stone Smoked Porter W/ Chipotle Peppers

    Mikkeller Texas Ranger 

    Bootlegger Black Phoneix Chipotle Coffee Stout

    I really encourage you to find a great beer for a brewery close to home. Stop in some day and see what they suggest. Maybe there is even a brewery close to you that won at last weeks Great American Beer Festival. Take look, make  some notes on what you want to try, but don’t forget to drink what you love, because you love it, regardless of how many or how few prizes it has under it’s belt.

     

     

     

    Chipotle Stout Sloppy Joe’s Sliders

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tbs oil
    • 1 lb 80%/20% premium ground beef
    • 1/2 white onion chopped
    • 3 cloves of garlic
    • 1 1/4 cup Chipotle Stout or Porter
    • 1 small chipotle pepper from can in adobo sauce
    • 1 tsp adobo sauce from can
    • 4 oz tomato paste
    • 1 tbs mollasas
    • 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
    • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
    • 1/4 tsp cumin
    • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 14-16 slider buns warmed

    Instructions
     

    • In a pan over medium high heat, add the oil and ground beef, cook until browned, stirring and breaking up meat. Using a slotted spoon, remove meat from pan.
    • In pan with residual oils, cook the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir.
    • Add the beer, stir to combine.
    • Remove a small chipotle pepper from the can. Using a sharp knife and fork, chop very well until nearly reduced to a paste like substance. Add chipotle to the pan along with tomato paste, adobo sauce, molasses, cumin, paprika, salt, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Allow to cook until well combined and slightly thickened.
    • Add meat to the sauce pan, stir until well combined.
    • Fill slider buns with meat, serve warm.

     

     

     

    Oven Roasted BBQ Ribs With Stout Barbecue Sauce

    I hate to break it to you but you have probably never barbecued in your life. How dare I say such blasphemous things, you toss burgers and steaks on the grill every weekend?!

    That’s not Barbecue, it’s grill. And I would never take away from the fantastic results we can get with a backyard grill, and the amazing flavors that can work their way into your food, but it’s not barbecue.

    Barbecue is long, slow and low and the temperature is usually between 240 and 270 degrees. Grill is short, fast and hot, a nice char with a juicy middle.

    I wanted to see if I could use my oven to get close the flavors of true barbecue, and while I was missing the smokey flavor, these were some of the best homemade ribs I have ever had. The trick is long, slow and low.

    Meat choice is important as well, I used Choice ribs. You know that cute little sticker that sits beside the label on your steak packages, baffling you to some degree with the designation of Prime, Choice or Select, as to why they can’t just be honest and say, "Great," or "Pretty Good," and, "Not that great, but it’s cheap!"

    Here are the Cliffs Notes:

    Prime: The best and most expensive

    Choice: Still great, not as good or as expensive as Prime

    Select: Not good, don’t bother

    Unlabeled: Bad, didn’t even earn the lowly title of Select.

    Inspected By The USDA: Don’t be fooled, all meat is inspected by the USDA. Some stores use this to distract you from the fact that it is an ungraded piece of meat, and therefore not any good. Prime is obviously the best, but also the most expensive. When I experiment with a recipe, I usually go with Choice because it is a good cut of meat, but if the recipe doesn’t turn out well I didn’t waste $50 on the venture.

    Oven Roasted BBQ Ribs With Stout Beer Barbecue Sauce

    4 lbs Bone In Baby Back Beef Ribs (Choice or Prime)

    1 tsp salt

    1 batch Stout & Sriracha BBQ Sauce

    Preheat oven to 250.

    Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place ribs on top. Sprinkle ribs with salt on all sides. Brush with BBQ sauce and roast in the oven at 250, turning ribs and brushing with BBQ sauce every 30-45 minutes until fork tender, about 4 hours.

    Join me: Facebook, Twitter

    IPA Marinated Citrus Pork Chops With Peach Poblano Salsa

    A really well crafted IPA is a beautiful thing,but this is the style that is most often poorly done. The art of balancing a  hop forward beer delicately with its subtle back notes is an art that only a few persistent pros seem to be able to manage. The well crafted, well balanced IPA is an incredible art, that takes the dedication of a thoughtful and persistent brewer to really ace.

     I present to you Stone Ruination. It is a Masters level education on how to do the IPA right. Seek it out if you adore the Indian Pale Ale, or even if you tend to avoid it. That’s how you make an IPA.

    IPA Marinated Citrus Pork Chops With Peach Poblano Salsa

    For the Pork Chops:

    1 cup IPA (Stone Ruination Preferred)

    1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

    1 tsp salt

    3 cloves garlic, minced

    1 tsp agave

    1/2 tsp Sriracha

    4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)

    3 tbs olive oil (plus additional if needed)

    For the Salsa:

    1 cup chopped fresh yellow peaches (about 1 large peach)

    1 cup chopped red bell peppers, stem and seeds removed (about 1 medium sided pepper)

    2/3 cup chopped poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed (about 1 large pepper)

    2/3 cup chopped red onion (about 1/2 of 1 large onion)

    1/4 cup chopped green onion

    1/2 tsp salt

    2 tbs IPA

    1/4 tsp chili powder (add more for a spicier salsa)

     

    In a large bowl or baking dish, combine the IPA, lemon juice, salt, agave, garlic and srirach, stir to combine. Add the pork chops, turning to coat. Place the bowl (or baking dish) in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.

    Add all of the salsa ingredients to a bowl and toss to combine.

    In a pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and allow to get hot but not smoking. Add the pork chops, cooking one or two at a time, don’t crowd the pan. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes. You want them to still have a slight hint of pink still in the center, pork chops go from undercooked to overcooked really quickly, so keep a close eye on them.

    Plate, and top with salsa. You will have more than enough salsa for the chops, serve the excess in a bowl with chips.

    Steak With Stout Beer Mushroom Sauce

    Let’s start by talking a little bit about steak, and how to cook it at home. Before you even start your meal, you need to know how to buy steak and what those stickers on the package mean.

    If you are lucky enough to be cozy with your local butcher, you can disregard this next bit of trivia. If you buy your steaks at the grocery store, you’ll need to know this in order to get an amazing steak on to your dinner plate.

    While I’m the first in line to let everyone know that cheap cuts of meat can turn in to fantastic meals, this is not a dish that will give you memorable results with low quality beef. You must spend on steak.

    That being said, the most expensive cuts of meat aren’t always worth the price but knowing how to decipher the labeling will help you balance price vs quality.

    Prime, Choice, and Select.

    Prime is the best meat for that cut and will, most likely, taste the best once cooked, but it almost always cost the most.

    Don’t even bother with Select, it’s the lowest quality of meat. Unless you are a "well-done" steak person, then it doesn’t really matter, an overcooked piece of meat taste the same regardless of quality.

    Choice is a great option and a middle ground between price and quality if you are on a budget. It’s far better than Select, but not as expensive as Prime.

    Don’t fall for the “Inspected by USDA” sticker, all meat is inspected by the USDA and that sticker just means that quality was so poor, it didn’t even qualify for a "Select" sticker. If there is no indication if the meat is Prime, Choice or Select, the odds are that the meat didn’t meet standards for any of those categories. In other words: don’t buy an unmarked steak.

    Another important step in pan-searing a steak at home is removing excess moisture from the outside of the steak. I know that it seems counter-intuitive to remove moisture when the goal is a juicy steak, but this is the only way to get a good sear and avoid gray meat. Pat the steak dry with paper towels before seasoning it.

    Salt is another essential component in making steak, regardless of the cooking method. Salt the outside of your meat generously. This will tenderize the steak, brighten, and enhance the natural flavors. Without it, your meat will be slightly tougher and have much more of a "flat" taste to it.

    A hot pan and a 350°F degree oven is the combination that you need to achieve a crust on the outside and the perfect amount of pink on the inside of the steak.

    For the mushrooms sauce, I used Steelhead Extra Stout by Mad River Brewing. A smooth, creamy stout with a surprisingly light finish. A stout lover’s dream, a great beer to drink with dinner or dessert.

    Pan-Seared Steak with Stout Beer Mushroom Sauce

    Doneness is a hard thing to explain, but there are several ways to know if your steak is where you want it to be without the dreaded slice through the middle that will compromise your overall results.

    First, there is the temperature check, but this does require a stab to your meat which will allow some juices to flow out, but far less than cutting it open. Get out an oven-safe thermometer and push it halfway through the middle of your steak. Keep in mind that your meat will continue to cook an additional 5 degrees once remove from the oven so keep that in mind when your test the temperature, removing the meat about 5 degrees before it reaches the level you want it.

    126°F Rare
    131°F Medium Rare
    145°F Medium
    154°F Medium Well

    The second way is the feel test. This is what I use, and if you cook enough steak, you will be familiar with how your steaks feel once they are done. Here is an old line cook secret to understanding how a steak should feel once it’s done:

    Put your thumb and forefinger together. With your other hand, feel the fleshy part of your palm, just below your thumb. That is what a rare steak will feel like. Then put your thumb and middle finger together. The fleshy part of your palm will now feel medium-rare. Thumb and ring finger: medium-well. This is a way to get the doneness you want without having the unsightly cut marks in your beautiful steak.

    Here is a great article about the feel test, with pictures of what I’m talking about.

    Allow your steak to rest for five minutes while you finish the sauce.

    Top each steak with mushroom sauce, serve with stout beer.

    Steak With Stout Beer Mushroom Sauce

    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    For The Steak:

    • 1 tbs unsalted butter
    • 4, 6 oz Steaks
    • Salt and pepper for seasoning

    For the Mushroom Sauce:

    • 3 tbs butter
    • 1/4 cup shallots chopped
    • 4 cloves of garlic minced
    • 4 cups Crimini mushrooms sliced
    • 2 tbs olive oil if necessary
    • 1 cup Stout Beer
    • 1/2 cup beef broth
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 tbs balsamic vinegar

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350.
    • In a pan over medium heat, melt 3 tbs butter. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft and dark brown, about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil if the pan starts to get dry. If you add the beer before the mushrooms are cooked through, they will absorb too much of the beer flavor.
    • Reduce heat to medium and add the beer and broth, allow to cook until reduce by more than half, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. You can cook the steaks while the sauce is reducing (see below).
    • Once the sauce has reduced, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
    • Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel, and season all sides generously with salt. Sprinkle liberally with pepper.
    • In a sperate pan, heat 1 tbs butter until melted and the pan is very hot but not smoking. Add the steaks and cook on each side until a brown seared crust has formed, about 2 minutes per side. Don't crowd the pan or the the cooking temperature will fall below what the steaks need for a good sear. Cook in two batches if necessary. Move steaks to a sheet pan or baking dish.
    • Cook in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until desired level of doneness. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.

     

    Chipotle Stout Braised Beef Tacos With Fresh Pico De Gallo

    I love the huge array of flavors that we now have in our Craft Beers. Chipotle? Yes please. Coffee? Couldn’t live without it. Both of these flavors, along with the fact that beer is a natural meat tenderizer make this Black Phoenix Chipotle Coffee Stout the perfect beer for the job of making tacos.

    Bootleggers Brewery makes this fabulous taco braising liquid that also doubles as a smooth drinking Stout Beer. Pretty handy. If you can’t seem to get your hands on this stuff, and I DO recommend that you try, look for a dark stout that has spicy or coffee notes. This is no task for a pale ale.

    Chipotle Stout Braised Beef Tacos With Fresh Pico De Gallo

    Chipotle Stout Braised Beef Tacos With Fresh Pico De Gallo

    Ingredients
      

    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp black pepper
    • 2 lb Tri Tip Roast
    • 1 Large Bottle 1 pint, 6 oz Dark Stout such as Bootleggers Black Phoneix
    • 1/2 cup beef broth
    • 6 cloves of garlic peeled
    • 1 large white onion peeled and quartered
    • 2 large Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce chopped, plus 1 tbs Adobo sauce
    • 12 6 inch tortillas

    For the Pico De Gallo:

    • 1 large jalapeno stem and seeds removed, chopped
    • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
    • 2 tbs lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped
    • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot or cast iron enamel dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Sprinkle the roast on all side with salt and pepper. Sear the meat on all sides until browned, about 4 minutes per side.
    • Add beer and broth, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Stir in the garlic, onions, chilies and adobo sauce, add the lid at a vent.
    • Allow to simmer until fork tender and falling apart, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. During the cooking process, turn the meat over about every 30 minutes. If the liquid in the pot gets low, and too thick, add additional beer or hot water.
    • Once the meat is done, shred in the pot using two forks, remove any large pieces of fat that have not rendered. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
    • While the meat is cooking, make the Pico De Gallo by placing all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
    • Remove meat from pot, serve inside tortillas, covered with Pico De Gallo.

    I use these beer corn tortillas

    Beer Braised Pulled Pork

    There is nothing new about braising with beer. In fact,  it should be the standard. Beer, as with all alcohol, is a natural meat tenderizer but it’s the flavors of the beer that make for braise meat that has a truly special taste. Craft brews are known for more intense flavor profiles and will always produce a vastly superior product when cooking than a macro brew. Craft beer is truly that, a craft. I have had a soft spot for Rogue brewery for years. Rogue is beer lovers beer, and dedicated to the art of the craft. Actual real life people making really good beer. If you live on the West Coast, this Portland Oregon brewery’s beer is probably at your local grocery store. It’s one of the few great craft beers that I have a very easy time getting my hands on.

    What does braising mean? What a good question. Braising just means to sear meat at a very high heat and then cook it slowly at a low heat until cooked through. I used another amazing craft beer for this recipe. Rogue’s Chipolte Ale:

     

    Beer Braised Pulled Pork

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tbs kosher salt
    • 2 tbs brown sugar
    • 1 tbs onion powder
    • 1 tbs chili powder
    • 1 tbs ground cumin
    • 1 tbs black pepper
    • 2 tsp smoked paprika
    • 2 tsp dry mustard powder
    • 3.5 lb Pork butt It’s acctually the pigs shoulder, and sometimes called that. The actual butt is called Ham.
    • 6 cloves of garlic peeled
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 3 cups Chipotle ale or smoked porter (I used Rogue’s Chipotle Ale)

    Instructions
     

    • In a small bowl stir together the salt, brown sugar onion powder, chili powder, cumin, pepper, smoked paprika and mustard powder together until combined, set aside.
    • Take out your pork and stab 6, 2 inch deep holes fairly evenly spaced through the meat. Push a clove of garlic into each hole until no longer visible.
    • Rub the entire surface of the meat with the spice mixture, using it all.
    • In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil until very hot. Sear all surfaces of the meat, even the sides, until browned. The entire process will probably take about 10-15 minutes.Pour the beer over the meat, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the meat over about every 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and falling apart.
    • Once the meat is finished, remove from the pot and allow to cool. Use two forks to shred into pieces. Return to the braising liquid and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and discard the liquid.

     

     

    I used this meat in three ways, on italian bread as a delicious sandwich, over rice and beans, and in a burrito. Other ideas for pulled pork include:

    Pulled pork nachos

    Pulled pork sliders

    Pulled pork tacos

    Pulled pork enchiladas

    Pulled pork flatbread pizza

    Pulled pork hand pies

    Seriously, you could go all Bubba Gump about this and it would be endless. There is no shortage of uses for Pulled Pork.