Food Loves Beer Editors

COOKING WITH BEER | RECIPES
Food Loves Beer Editors

Food Loves Beer Editors

STOVERIJ

Cooking with beer is fairly new as a culinary trend in the United States. But brew-inspired food is nothing new in Belgium. Stoverij, also known as stoofvlees or carbonade flamande, is a traditional beef stew from Flanders that derives its rich flavor from being slow cooked in beer. Stoverij is Flemish comfort food at its best. If you visit a frietkot (fry stand) in Flanders, you can order a side of stoverij to go along with your fries.

While stoverij recipes have the same basic ingredients, this one is inspired by Aba-Jour, a Ghent establishment known for its bountiful beer selection. Their stoverij is the best I’ve had. It stands apart because, rather than using just one type of beer, it contains a combination of sweet and sour beers, which gives the stew a deliciously complex taste. They use Rodenbach, a tart Flanders red, and Westmalle Dubbel, a rich and malty Trappist brew. If you can’t find Rodenbach, another sour Flanders red or brown ale will do. The Duchesse De Bourgogne or Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale are good potential alternatives.

Boiled or mashed potatoes pair well with the dish, but if you’re feeling especially indulgent, hand-cut Belgian fries (the secret is to fry them twice) and mayonnaise are the perfect decadent complement to stoverij. 

Servings: 4 (be sure to double the recipe if you want leftovers!)
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon oil
  
• 1 1/2 pounds stewing beef, cubed
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 large onions, sliced
  
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon flour
  
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 6 ounces Rodenbach (or comparable sour beer such as a Flanders Red or Brown)
  
• 6 ounces Westmalle Dubbel (or comparable dubbel)
• 1 large bay leaf
  
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or to taste)
  

Directions

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
   
2. Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of oil and then the beef. Brown the beef on all sides.
3. Remove the beef and deglaze the pan with a bit of beef stock. Remove any beef bits and pour the mixture on top of the resting meat.
4. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Add the butter and onions. Sauté the onions gently for about 15 minutes, or until softened. After about 10 minutes of cooking the onions, add the brown sugar to help them caramelize.
5. Add the flour to the onion mix and stir well.
   
6. Add the beef to the onions and turn the heat up.
   
7. Slowly pour the beer into the pot, it will start to foam.
   
8. Once the bubbling has subsided, add the bay leaf and thyme and just enough beef stock to fully cover the beef and onions. Let the mix come to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer for two hours or until the meat is tender.
   
9. Stir as needed to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
   
10. To finish, remove the thyme and bay leaf and stir in the chopped parsley and mustard.
    

Cook's Note: If you like a thicker, gravy-like broth, you can try a trick used by some traditional stoverij recipes. Spread mustard over a couple of pieces of whole wheat (brown) bread or peperkoek (gingerbread) and place them mustard side down on top of the dish as you start it simmering. The bread will break down while the stew cooks and help thicken it.

Suggested Beer Pairing: Be sure to save the extra dubbel or sour ale for pairing with this meal!

Food Loves Beer taste tested and recommended!

COOKING WITH BEER​ | RECIPES
​Food Loves Beer Editors

Vanessa Heine

STANDING RIB ROAST

Entice your family or guests to the table with the smell of roast beef wafting from the kitchen. Adapted from the classic British dish, this impressive roast is the ideal treat for holiday gatherings and celebratory occasions. 

Servings: 10

Active Time: about 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 3-rib roast (about 7 pounds)
  
• 8 garlic cloves
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  
• 4 shallots
  

Directions

1. Bring the roast to room temperature.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 500 F.
   
3. Peel the garlic cloves and cut them in half, lengthwise. Cut slits in the fat of the roast without cutting through to the meat. Slip the garlic clove halves into the slits.
   
4. Season the outside of the roast generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with dried thyme.
   
5. Place the roast in a roasting pan with a rack. Quarter the shallots and, leaving their skin on, place them in the bottom of the roasting pan.
   
6. Roast the beef for 15 minutes; then reduce the temperature to 350 F, and continue roasting for one hour and 20 minutes, for a medium-rare roast. 
   
7. Turn off the oven without opening the door, and leave the roast in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
   
8. Remove the roast from the oven, and tent it with foil. Let it rest for an additional 20 minutes before carving. 
   
9. Slice into very thin slices, about 1/4 inch, to serve with gravy and Yorkshire pudding.
   

For the Yorkshire pudding recipe.

Suggested Beer Pairings: Standing Rib Roast with Yorkshire Pudding pairs perfectly with ESB, pale ale, stout, and winter warmer. 

Food Loves Beer taste tested and recommended!

Food Loves Beer Editors

STUFFED PUMPKIN

Halloween may be over, but pumpkin season is still in full swing! So rather than carving another pumpkin, stuff one instead to create a stunning vegetarian entree for your Thanksgiving feast. It makes a great side dish, too.

Servings: 6-8

Active time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 cup wild rice
  
• 4 cups water
  
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
  
• 1 medium pumpkin, 3-4 pounds
  
• 1 medium beet, washed but not peeled
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
  
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  
• 12 ounces crimini mushrooms, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
  
• 1/2 cup raw pepitas, (hulled pumpkin seeds)
  
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  
• Salt and pepper
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
   
2. In a 2-quart saucepan, add wild rice, water, and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to medium low. Simmer for 45 minutes. Drain and place in a large glass bowl.
   
3. With a sharp paring knife, carefully remove the top of the pumpkin and reserve. Scoop out the seeds into a strainer, rinse to remove any fibers, and save for roasting. Scrape out interior of pumpkin to remove any fibers. 
4. Place the pumpkin on baking sheet. Wrap the beet loosely in aluminum foil and place on the same baking sheet as the pumpkin. Bake for 45 minutes.
   
5. In a skillet over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and then add onions and caraway seeds. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until onions are just starting to soften. Raise heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, melt, and add the mushrooms. 
6. Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add to the cooked wild rice.
   
7. Remove the pumpkin and roasted beet from the oven. Peel the beet, and then cut into 1/4-inch cubes. Fold into the rice mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
   
8. Scoop the rice mixture into the pumpkin, place the pumpkin back on the baking sheet, and return to the oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until the pumpkin can be pierced easily with a fork.
   
9. To serve, scoop out a bit of the pumpkin along with the filling.
   

Suggested Beer Pairings:  Pair with brown ale, rye ale, or doppelbock.

Food Loves Beer taste tested and recommended!

Emily Monaco

SAGE ROAST CHICKEN

Roasting a chicken with seasonings tucked beneath the skin infuses the meat with incredible flavor. When served with stuffing and fresh, seasonal vegetables, it makes a satisfying family dinner or even a special autumnal feast. 

Servings: 4-6

Active Time: about 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 1/2 hours 

Ingredients

• 1 5-pound chicken
  
• 6 whole sage leaves, plus more for garnish
  
• 1/2 stick butter
  
• Salt and pepper
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
   
2. Carefully slip your fingers beneath the skin of the chicken breast to loosen it. Place the sage leaves underneath the skin (3 on each side), allowing them to remain flat against the breast meat 
   
3. Place the chicken breast up in a roasting pan with a rack.
   
4. Melt the butter in the microwave. Pour it over the top of the chicken, ensuring that it reaches all of the chicken skin. Season generously with salt and pepper.
   
5. Roast the chicken for one hour and 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with cranberry sauce.
   

Suggested Beer Pairings: This simple and delicious roasted chicken pairs well with English pale ale, brown ale, and porter.

Food Loves Beer taste tested and recommended!

COOKING WITH BEER​ | RECIPES
Food Loves Beer Editors