B is for “Beer” and for “Braising”

“Braising” is a French cooking term that defines a technique used in many cuisines to make tough cuts of meat very tender and full flavored. The protein is usually seared (browned), then placed into a Dutch oven or pot; liquid is added, covered with a lid, placed in a low-temperature oven and allowed to simmer/steam/roast over a long period of time. This cooking environment slowly breaks down the collagen (found in well-used muscles, which are usually low in price, too) into gelatin, which adds body to the sauce that has been infused with all the flavors of the liquid, vegetables and meat together. Another advantage of this technique is that minimal preparation and attention are needed; simply brown the meat in the Dutch oven, add the liquid, place in the oven and wait for the timer to go off.

The recipes that follow use the braising technique while showcasing global cuisines with different proteins. The chosen beers enhance the dish by bringing their own flavor profiles to the recipe, creating a wonderful sauce to be served over the final plate.

Thai Yellow Curry Saison Braised Chicken
The complexity of Thai food stands out in this delicious dish. The unique flavors all come together to create a distinct and delicate, palate-teasing experience that shows off the spicy ester flavors of a Saison.

Serves: 4–6

Thai Yellow Curry Saison Sauce Ingredients:
6 each garlic cloves, peeled
1 each lemongrass stalk, fresh, minced
1  each shallot, peeled and chopped
1–2 each Thai red chili, sliced
2 tbsp. galangal, ginger or baby ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar
1 tbsp. lime juice, fresh squeezed
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp. white peppercorn, cracked
1 tsp. shrimp paste or dried shrimp
3 cup Brewery Ommegang Hennepin or other Saison/Farmhouse-style ale
13.5 oz. coconut cream or milk

Other Ingredients:
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
6 each chicken thighs, skin on, bone in or cut up chicken
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 each onions, yellow, medium, peeled and sliced thin
3 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cup carrots, baby, peeled
2 cup spinach, baby, washed
6 each bok choy, washed and cut in half lengthwise
1 cup basil leaves, fresh
1 each lime, quartered

Directions:
In the pitcher of a blender, add the garlic, lemongrass, shallot, chili (more or less, depending on how much heat is desired in the final dish), ginger, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, tomato paste, turmeric, coriander, cumin, pepper, shrimp paste, beer and coconut cream/milk. Pulse a few times to chop up the vegetables, then purée on high to break down all the ingredients, resulting in a fine sauce after about 3 minutes. Set the sauce aside until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a wide sauté pan or Dutch oven over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides of each piece, and then place them, skin-side down, into the hot pan. Sear each piece for about 4 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. This step is important because it gives texture to the skin, instead of letting the skin just braise in the liquid, which results in a soggy and less appealing texture. Remove the chicken (cooking in batches, depending on the size of the pan) and place onto a plate.

Add the onions to the pan and cook for 4–5 minutes, just until they are tender and slightly browned. Place the chicken pieces back in the pan, skin-side up, nestling them into the onions. Layer the cubed squash pieces and carrots in the pan, and carefully pour the Thai Yellow Curry Saison Sauce over the top. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then turn off the heat, cover with a lid and place into the preheated 325°F oven. Braise the chicken for 45 minutes, then remove the lid, add the spinach and bok choy, then cover and braise another 15 minutes. The chicken should be very tender, the squash still holding its shape, but fully cooked. Remove the pan from the oven.

To serve, remove the lid, then take out the chicken pieces and place them onto a warm plate. Carefully mix the spinach and bok choy into the other vegetables and sauce. Create a bed of steamed jasmine rice, or cooked somen or udon noodles, in a bowl, and spoon some of the vegetables and sauce over the starch, topping with the chicken pieces. Garnish with some torn basil leaves and a wedge of lime for the diner to squeeze over the dish. Another Saison, Tripel or Belgian-style Blond Ale would be a perfect choice to pair with this dish.

Tripel Apricot Mustard Braised Pork Shank
Pork shanks are not to be confused with ham hocks. The shank comes from the front legs and has more muscle, and therefore, more meat. Because this muscle is used each day by the animal, it can be tough, and it benefits from the long, slow braising technique. This cut of meat is rather inexpensive; however, your guests will never know it, as the resulting dish is tender, rich and as elegant as lamb or beef shanks. Pork shanks can be ordered from a local high-quality butcher.

Serves: 2–4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard or beer mustard
1 tbsp. honey (try buying local)
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. thyme, dried
1/2 tsp. black pepper, cracked
2 each pork shanks, fresh (about 3 lbs. each)
8 oz. apricots, dried
750 mL Allagash Tripel or other Tripel
2 each bay leaves, fresh
2 each sage sprigs, fresh
1 cup cream, heavy

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Make sure the racks are set to hold a Dutch oven in the center of the oven.

In a small bowl, add the mustard, honey, salt, thyme and pepper. Mix well with a whisk. Wash each shank well. If there are any hairs still left, a torch will take them right off. Once the shank is washed and dried, rub half of the mustard mixture into each shank and then set into a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid. Repeat with the remaining shank. Next, add the apricots (whole or cut up), the Tripel (pouring the ale down the side of the pot, so as to not wash off the mustard coating on the shanks), bay leaves and the sage. Nestle the apricots and herbs into the beer, then place onto a burner and bring the contents of the pot just up to a simmer. Cover the pot, place into the oven and braise the shanks for 3 hours. The meat should be very tender and read 210°F or so.

Using tongs, remove each shank carefully to a serving platter, then wrap lightly with aluminum foil to keep them warm. Place the pot with the braising liquid over a burner on medium-high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce the volume by half. Then, add in the cup of cream and cook for 1 minute. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt/pepper if needed. Pour the sauce over the shanks, and serve.

The rich, fall-off-the-bone-tender pork meat mixed with the slight sweetness and hint of tart from the apricots, plus the flavor of the Tripel, combine to make a great sauce. A simple risotto, cooked lentils, creamy mashed potatoes or simmered white beans would be great starches to serve with this entrée.

Photo by Sean Z. Paxton

Belgian-Style Pot Roast
I love the wonderful flavors that a traditional Flemish Carbonnade brings to a cold evening’s meal. Applying the concept of a meat braised in an Abbey Ale sauce and layered with caramelized onions to a pot roast seems only natural.

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients:
4–5 lbs. chuck roast, boneless or beef shoulder
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper, cracked
2 tsp. flour, all purpose
4 tbsp. butter, unsalted
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 each onions, yellow, large, peeled and sliced (about 6 cups)
2 each leeks, cut in half, washed and dirt removed, sliced (about 4 cups)
2 each bay leaves, preferably fresh
2 tsp. thyme, dried or 1/4 cup fresh leaves (about a bunch)
1 tsp. kosher salt
750 mL Abbey Ale, like Chimay Red or Brewery Ommegang Abbey Ale

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the pot roast onto a large plate, and coat each side with salt and pepper. Let the meat sit for an hour to allow the salt to pull some of the proteins to the surface (helping to create a wonderful brown crust when seared) and warming the meat to room temperature. Place a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil, and let the butter melt. Lightly coat the roast in the flour, then brown each side for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the pot and place on a plate. Add the onions and leeks, along with the bay leaves, thyme and salt. Sauté the onions and leeks until they are tender and lightly browned. Place the pot roast in the center of the pot, rotating it back and forth to wrap it in the onions and leeks. Pour the Abbey Ale down the side of the pot, then seal the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Place the Dutch oven into the preheated 325°F oven and braise for 3 hours, without opening the lid or the oven door. The pot roast should be fork tender and the onions caramelized.

Remove the pan from the oven and, using tongs, carefully remove the pot roast to a warm plate. Place the pan over medium heat and reduce the “sauce” by half. Check and adjust the seasoning of the sauce with salt and pepper, if needed. To serve, cut the pot roast against the grain of the meat into half- to 1-inch-thick slices. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat and serve with buttered egg noodles, parsnip or celery root purée.

Photo by Sean Z. Paxton

Sour Ale Braised Fennel and Belgian Endive
This recipe can be a vegetarian main course or a side dish, depending on the portion size.

Serves: 4 as an entrée, or 6-8 as a side dish

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. butter, unsalted
2 each carrots, peeled and chopped on the bias
2 each celery stalks, washed and chopped
1 each onion, yellow, peeled and chopped
1 each bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme sprigs, Italian leaf parsley tied together)
4 each fennel bulbs, tops removed, quartered
4 each heads of Belgian endive
750 mL Russian River Brewing Co. Sanctification, or other Sour Ale or Lambic

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a braising pan placed over medium heat, add the butter, carrots, celery and onions. Cook slowly for about 15 minutes to lightly caramelize the vegetables, creating a depth of flavor in the final dish. Add the bouquet garni (a bay leaf wrapped around 5 sprigs of thyme and 3 sprigs of Italian leaf parsley, tied together with kitchen twine), fennel and endive to the pan (season with salt and pepper), tossing to coat with the butter. Pour the Brett beer or Sour Ale over, to just cover the vegetables, then seal with a lid and place into a 325°F oven. Cook for 45–60 minutes, until the fennel is fork tender, and remove from the oven. To serve as an entrée, place a few pieces of the fennel and endive into a bowl, crossing/stacking each over the other. Then, ladle the beer sauce over the top and garnish with the fennel fronds. ■