Stout Skirt Steak

This is a remarkably flavorful meat marinated in a hearty stout.  The beer tenderizes and flavors the skirt steak to perfection.  Delicious!

I used Narwhal Russian Imperial Stout which was amazing.  But you can use whatever stout beer you like.

Stout Skirt Steak

2 1 1/3-Pound Flank Steaks
1 Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning
1/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 12-Ounce Bottle Stout
1/2 Cup Worcestershire Sauce

Place steaks in container large enough to hold the steaks.  It's okay if you have to fold them over.

Drizzle the meat with olive oil and make sure they're coated evenly.  Sprinkle steaks on both sides with Chachere Creole Seasoning.  Add beer and Worcestershire sauce, turning steaks several times to coat both sides.

Cover and chill at least 3 hours or up to a day ahead, turn occasionally.

Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before your going to cook them to bring up the temperature.  They will be more tender if they are at a warmer temperature than if you cook them straight from the fridge.

Preheat your grill to medium-high. Grill steaks to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes total per side for medium-rare

Transfer steaks to cutting board; let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice steaks across grain.

Serve as a main dish with your favorite sides or on a sub roll with beer glazed onions or  serve on homemade beer tortillas, with aji Sauce, guacamole and shredded cheese.

Stout Mudslide

Although technically this recipe isn't really cooking, but it is food related.  Ice cream is food, right?  Sure it is!

This recipe is so easy it's ridiculous and it's super tasty.

The bitter beer mixes with the sweet chocolate and ice cream and blends together to make a rich mudslide like creamy shake.  

Make it.  You know you want to!





Stout Mudslide


2 Dark Chocolate Klondike bars
2 oz. Stout 

Cut Klondike bars in half and place in a blender with the stout.

Pulse to break the bars into smaller pieces and then blend on high until smooth.

Beer Braised London Broil

I love beer.  Beer is good with just about anything.  But it also makes a fantastic addition to a dish when used as an ingredient.  It adds flavor, tenderizes meat and makes a rich, flavorful sauce or gravy.

This recipe makes the most of those qualities to make a savory, tender braised beef with a delicious onion gravy.  Served over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles it makes for a comforting meal on a cold night.

Beer Braised London Broil


2 Pounds Thick Cut London Broil, Trimmed
2 Tsp. Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Thyme
1/2 Strip Uncooked Bacon, Cut Into Pieces
1 Large Clove Garlic, Peeled And Cut Lengthwise Into 8 Slivers
1 Large Sweet Onion, Sliced 1/4 Inch Thick
1 Bay Leaf
1 Cup Stout, At Room Temperature
1 Teaspoon Honey
2 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce


Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Sprinkle meat on both sides with Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning. Dredge the meat in the cornstarch,  Press the cornstarch into the beef.





Sprinkle the bacon with the thyme. With a sharp knife, cut 8 gashes evenly spaced across the meat. Push 1 sliver of garlic wrapped in a piece of bacon into each gash in the meat.

Sear the London broil on both sides in a lightly oiled heavy dutch oven pot or oven-proof casserole. Arrange onion slices on top of meat.

Combine bay leaf, stout beer, honey, sherry vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine. Pour mixture over the top of the onions.  Place a layer of heavy duty foil over the top of the pot, and cover tightly with a lid.

Bake 3 hours without disturbing. When done, remove from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes. Carve into slices cut against the grain and place on serving platter.

Make a slurry of a cornstarch mixed with cold water.  Stir into the pan juices.  Heat and continue stirring until thickened.

Serve over sliced meat.

New Brew Thursday - Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout

The other day we thoroughly enjoyed Rogue's 2011 XS Russian Imperial Stout.  My hubby picked this one out of our horde . . . er . . . stash of craft beers.  And it was a great choice!

First of all, I'd like to comment on the bottle.  It is quite impressive and a fitting vessel for this outstanding brew.   The bottle is a  ceramic bottle painted charcoal black with a swing top stopper.  There is no way light is penetrating this bottle to skunk this brew!  Awesome!

To add a touch my own personal style, I served this beer in a mason jar . . . I'm nothing if not classy. :/

This extra special stout pours dark as pitch with a creamy mocha head.  The aroma is an abundance of coffee and a hint of booziness; at 11% ABV this isn't unexpected.    

Not for the faint of heart nor for the meek beer drinker. This is a BIG . . . nay . . . ginormous beer.  

The first taste . . . I wasn't sure if I was drinking a beer or a coffee.  The big coffee taste is complemented by dark chocolate notes.  It has a clean finish complemented by a bitter hoppiness.  It had a bubbly mouthfeel  and not as creamy as I expect in an imperial stout.  That's not a bad thing, just different from what I anticipated.  

The flavors intensify as it warms . . . as does the burn that accompanies such a high alcohol beer.  It's all good and just gets better.

I am truly impressed.  Gotta love Rogue!

This beer is perfect for anyone who is a fan of coffee and/or stouts.    Outstanding in it's awesomeness.  I give it two thumbs up plus any extras I can find laying around!

Cheers!!

Visit Rogue's website or check them out on Facebook. 

New Brew Thursday - Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout

I've gained a bit of notoriety at the store where I normally shop for my beer.  They have an amazing selection of craft brews and I can usually count on them for a beer that I am specifically trying to find.

Almost every time I go in there I have a list of beers I’m looking for.  The staff is extremely helpful, fairly knowledgeable and never fail to ask if there’s anything they can help me find.

The recognition comes into play quite nicely.  I am greeted and suggestions are offered as to my particular tastes.  It’s pretty cool and I ofteb find a gem that I may not have chosen for myself.

Take, for instance, last week when I was making a beer run.  I had a couple ideas of what I wanted but nothing set in stone.  As soon as I walked in the door, I was recognized and the greeter suggested Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout.

I’m not a huge stout lover but my husband is and my prior experience with Samuel Smith beer has been good so I grabbed a bottle.

I popped it open for “dessert” . . . and all I can say about this beer is WOW”!  This stout  is one of the most remarkable beers I've ever had.  Amazing.

It pours dark as night with a thick taupe head.  It is perfectly effervescent . . . light and smooth and creamy.  The taste . . . WOWZERS! . . . it’s like drinking lightly carbonated dark chocolate.  Really . . . that’s it . . . like alcohol laced liquid devil’s food cake.

 

O . . . M . . . G . . . YUM!

Forget the whole organic thing . . . unless that's important to you . . . this beer is nothing short of awesome.

If you like beer and you like chocolate and you’re looking for a new beer to try, move this to the top of your list.  I promise you will not be disappointed. 

For more information go to Samuel Smith's website.

Firewater Friday - Guinness Cream Soda

I found a recipe for a cocktail using Guinness.  It's called "Guinness Cream Soda".  I don't know if that's what *I* would have named it because it tastes more like a ginger beer, but who am I to criticize.    I've altered the recipe somewhat . . . basically because the original recipe called for Navan Vanilla Liquor which is extremely expensive and not easily acquired in the US and Domaine De Canton Ginger Liquer which is also expense.  I wouldn't consider either of these suitable mixers for mixing with beer.  Let's face it . . . this isn't a high-end fancy-shmancy high-class cocktail.  My results were delicious!  

Also, I recommend using the Guinness Draught from the can as opposed to Guinness Extra Stout in the bottle.  You will have better results . . . basically because the bottled version is meant to be drank straight from the bottle and not poured (see this blog post for more information)

It's interesting to note that you can have two distinctly different drinking experiences with this cocktail.  You can float the Guinness much like is done with a Black and Tan.  Or, you can mix it all together with a gentle stir.  Either way is good . . . just different.






Guinness Cream Soda 

2 Ounces Ginger Liqueur
2 Ounces Vanilla Liqueur
1 (12-ounce) Can Club Soda, Chilled
1 (14.9-ounce) Can Guinness Draught, Chilled

Combine the liqueurs in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill then mix with club soda, stir gently to combine.

Fill a chilled pint glass halfway with the club soda mixture. 

If floating the Guinness, hold a spoon over the glass, slowly pour the Guinness over the back of the spoon until the glass is full. 

Otherwise combine half the club soda mixture with half the can of Guinness.  Stir gently if.

Serve immediately.

Makes two cocktails

New Brew Thursday - Back East Brewing

Hubby and I went to the official Grand Opening of Back East Brewing.  It was a hot, sticky day with thunderstorms looming. Oh boy was I looking forward to some cold, yummy beer!

I don’t know what I was expecting but I was surprised by the volume of people who had shown of the event.  The place was packed.  There were lines of people everywhere . . . a line to get in, a line for each of the tasting stations, a line for the brewery tour . . . a line for everything.  

I’m certainly not finding fault in that.  I am happy for the brewery for having such a successful grand opening.  It was just so oppressive  . . .  both weather-wise and people-wise.

As we entered the gate we got our hand stamped, a cup, and tickets good for six 4-ounce samples.  So far so good!

I shouldn’t have been surprised by this . . . a myriad of politicians showed up to wave and smile and snip ribbons.  Yeah, they’re everywhere . . . especially during so close to an election.

 

We found the end of a line leading to a beer sampling tent and were looking forward with happy anticipation to our first taste of Back East beer.   Hubby and I each selected a different beer . . . I chose the Back East Amber Ale and he got the IPA.

Back East Amber Ale is their Flagship brew.  It had a good strong taste up front but pretty much empty of flavor on the finish.  It was smooth and nicely carbonated but generally lacking . . . something.  It was good but not great.

Misty Mountain IPA.  India Pale Ales are my favorite, so I was really looking forward to a taste.  It has a nice hoppy bitterness but is otherwise missing the other characteristics (citrus, pine, malt) of a good IPA that I’ve come to expect in a good, hand crafted IPA.  Again . . . good but not great.

We drank our beer while waiting in line for the brewery tour and tasting room . . . by this time, the dark clouds are building and I was hoping we got inside before all hell broke loose.  Thankfully, we did. 

We declined to take the tour due to time constraints.  But we did take the opportunity to sample a couple more beers while passing through the tasting room.  We also grabbed a couple bottles of the limited edition imperial stout  . . .  hubby 's favorite style of beer.

This time I grabbed a the Golden ale and hubby got the stout.

The Golden Ale was my favorite among all the beers I tasted.  It was very drinkable . . . crisp, light, tasty.  It was nothing special but it was good.

The Imperial stout . . . it was kind of disappointing.  It had almost no carbonation, watery mouth feel. Smokey but wanting other flavors to compliment it . . . like coffee or caramel or chocolate or toasted malt.

Overall I thought all the beers were good but really nothing special.  I was actually kind of disappointed because I’d been looking forward to this event all week.

Not to be a downer but I  . . . in my honest opinion, for what that’s worth . . . Back East needs to kick it up notch or three.   There are so many new and established craft brewers in Connecticut that are producing some of the best, most creative and amazing flavorful beers.  What I had at the open house simply wasn’t up to the standard I’ve come to expect from the little guys brewing fine craft beer in Connecticut.

Hubby’s take on the quality of the beer is that perhaps they since this was a free event and that the brewery doling out gallons of free samples that maybe they didn’t put forth their best brews. 

On some level that makes sense, but I would think that since it was an open house and the first exposure to their beer for a lot of people . . . myself included . . . that they would want to pour the best tasting beer they make. 

I’ll grab a bottle or two of  Back East Brewing from my local store and give them another give them another go around and see what happens.

Visit Back East Brewing's website or check them out on Facebook

New Brew Thursday - Clown Shoes Vampire Slayer

Clown Shoes Beer has only recently been allowed entry into Connecticut.  My first taste of beer from this brewery was when hubby and I were out to dinner and found Tramp Stamp Belgian IPA on tap . . . it was a truly amazing beer.


So, when I spotted  Vampire Slayer  on sale at my local beer store I immediately grabbed a bottle. Vampire Slayer is an imperial American stout brewed for their second anniversary.


The label sports a boy in the process of impaling a vampire in the heart with a stake  . . . the young man is wearing clown shoes, of course.  Heh!  


Rumor has it that this beer is supposedly brewed with holy water and malts smoked with ‘vampire killing stakes.’  I'm dubious but I'll go along with it just for fun. 


The beer pours a rich dark amber with a thick tan head.  Strong coffee and chocolate prevail in the aroma so I was looking forward to my first sip.  All I can say is "wow!" . . . I literally said that when I tasted it.  It is so smooth and creamy it's like drinking velvet.  Yummy coffee chocolate velvet.  


There are other flavors that come through as well; such as caramel and a bit of smoke.  And there is a slight but definite booziness to this stout.  Not surprising considering it is a hefty 11% ABV.  


Stouts and porters are not my favorite style of beer but I think that this is a seriously awesome beer! Give it a go . . . mmm, mmm, good!


Visit Clown Shoes' website or check them out on Facebook.

New Brew Thursday - Ballast Point Imperial Stout

Ballast Point is a new-to-me brewery.  Founded in 1996 by a pair of backyard brewers in California, they continue to lovingly craft their micro brews and luckily we can get them here in Connecticut.

Ballast Point labels feature fishes of all shapes and sizes.  The Sea Monster Imperial Stout sports a real life sea monster . . . a vicious looking angler fish.

Sea Monster is an American Imperial Stout.  It pours a dark rich brown with a dense foamy head.  Like any good imperial stout it has notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate but it also has hints of berry and vanilla and a touch of hoppiness that add complexity.  



Sea Monster is definitely a BIG beer with a hefty 10% ABV . . . there is a touch of booziness due to the high alcohol content but it doesn't in any way detract from the rich, full flavors of the yummy beer. 

This is a sipper . . . not a guzzler.  Take your time and enjoy Sea Monster.  As it warms in your glass, experience how the flavors different ingredients come forward, intensify and change ever so slightly.

With all that this stout has going on it has a smooth, silky mouth feel . . . really quite nice.

Overall, a very good beer.  Cheers!

Check out their website or visit them of Facebook.

New Brew Thursday - Imperial Stout Trooper

I admit it . . . I am a fan of the Star Wars movies.  So, too, must be the maker of Imperial Stout Trooper.


I've been drinking New England Brewing Company's owner/brewmaster Rob Leonards's beer for many years . . . way before he acquired NEB in 2001;  I first sampled his brews in the 1990's when he was making beer for John Harvards Brew House in Westport, Connecticut and the Brewhouse Restaurant in Norwalk, Connecticut.

I love and support local breweries and this one is no exception.   The New England Brewing Company  is located Woodbridge Connecticut . . . just a hop, skip and a jump from where I live.  

When Imperial Stout Trooper was first released in limited quantities in 2010 I quickly snatched up a few bottles . . . they were hard to come by and I paid a hefty $14.99 per bottle.   The label portrayed an image very similar to a Star Wars Imperial Storm Trooper.  George Lucas was none too flattered . . . he issued a cease and desist order to get his Star Wars imagery removed from the the Stout Trooper label.

Those first year bottles have become something of a collectors item.  My husband saw a bottle listed on Ebay that was going for over $100.


The following year Imperial Stout Trooper was once again issued in limited edition . . . this time with an amusing new label . . . Groucho Marx glasses and 'stache to disguise the trooper beneath.  


A few weeks ago I picked up a few bottles of the 2012 edition.  So limited is the distribution of this beer, my local booze store would only let me buy two.  Of course, I went back and got more . . . two is certainly not enough.

This a truly amazing hand crafted brew.  It pours dark as  night with a light tannish head that quickly dissipates but clings to the sides of the glass.  It has a caramelly, smoky, coffee aroma and the flavors to back up the nose tease.  

The taste is everything I've come to expect from an imperial stout . . . a complex combination of very slightly sweet dark chocolate, caramel and molasses perfectly balanced with coffee, smoke, licorice and malt.
  
Stout Trooper is not a heavy beer nor as heavy as is to be expected from a Russian imperial stout BUT very enjoyable.  It is medium bodied and medium carbonated which equates to a pleasant mouth feel. 

As good as this beer tastes, you kind of have to put the brakes on due to its high 8.5% ABV.   Share a bottle or two with friends . . . sip, relax, enjoy. And then wait another year to grab a couple bottles of this limited edition brew.

Drink it, it's good . . . indeed.

For more information check out NEB's website or visit them on Facebook.

New Brew Thursday - Double Tap . . . Southern Tier 2X Stout & Marston's Oyster Stout

I recently ventured into a new realm of stouts . . . I tried a milk stout and an oyster stout.  


Milk stout are not made with milk, per se.  They are called milk stouts (AKA sweet or cream stout) because they contain lactose, which is the sugar that is extracted from milk whey.  The yeast used to make beer is lactose intolerant . . . which is to say that the yeast cannot ferment this sugar . . . and because this sugar is left unmolested by the brewing process milk stouts are sweeter in tasted and creamier in texture.    


Oyster stouts . . . are they actually made with oysters?  Yeah, some actually are . . . not all, but some.  Some brewers will chuck a handful of oysters in to the batch, some will used crushed oyster shells in the brewing process.   

There is a 300 year long history of pairing oysters with beer.  Why?  They taste good when you consume them together . . . much like red wine and dark chocolate.  Brewers didn't start adding oysters to beer until the 1920's; the added proteins add body to the finished product but most of the mollusky essence is cooked out. You don't see a lot of true oyster stouts these days.  Many oyster stouts are so-called because they pair well with the slimy buggers.    Read the label if the thought of oysters in your beer turns you off.

I enjoyed a Southern Tier 2X Stout at one of my favorite restaurants for beer, Plan B.  


Southern Tier Brewing Company is a smallish brewery in Lakewood, New York.  They make several varieties of craft beers that are sold in most of the United States and exported to several other countries, as well.


2X is a double milk stout.  It is dark and rich with a creamy mouth feel.   The  thick tannish head holds out for a little while and grabs the sides of the glass for some nice lacing effects.  It is sweeter than a typical stout but not sweet-sweet, if you know what I mean.  


2X has notes of dark chocolate, vanilla and malt with a mildly bitter finish.  A light boozy burn is evident due to the high alcohol content; 7.50% ABV.

This is a big . . . but not huge  . . . beer.  2X has lots of flavor and body with a smooth clean aftertaste but it's not gut-busting heavy.   Simply put . . . it's a good beer.

Check out Southern Tiers other offerings at their website or on Facebook.

Marston's Oyster Stout . . . 


Marston's  Beer Company has several breweries across the pond in merry ol' England. And is considered Britain’s largest premium ale brewer.

Marston's is one of those not made with oysters oyster stouts.  But is touted as being a beer that goes well oysters.


This is a very dark stout . . . nearly black with a quickly dissipating tan head.  It has a creamy, smooth texture that should be expected with this style of beer.  It tastes of chocolate, coffee and hints of fruit and finishes with a mildly hoppy bitterness; overall, a nice balance of flavors.

This stout is rather light, due to it's low carbonation and low alcohol content, which makes it very drinkable (4.5% ABV).


I liked it . . . but didn't love it.  I can't say I'd run out and grab a few but I certainly wouldn't turn one down, either.  


Check out Marston's other offerings at their website or on Facebook.

New Brew Thursday - Dogfish Head Double Tap

As I was browsing my favorite beer store I spotted a lonely bottle of Dogfish Head beer.  Not knowing a thing about this particular brew but liking the Dogfish Head beers I have had in the past it was a no brainer . . . I popped that little $10 a 12 ounce bottle into my basket and went on my merry way.


What I ended up with was World Wide Stout and was nothing short of WOW.

Here's the low-down . . . the label declares it to be a very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley.  First brewed in 1999 it was, at the time, the world's strongest dark beer.  This Dogfish Head beer comes in at an astounding 18% ABV!


This is a seriously BIG beer . . . strong, rich and very intense.  Definitely NOT for the casual beer drinker.

WWS pours an inky blackness with a only a swirl of foam. Don't expect a lot of bubbles; the low carbonation creates a creamy, smooth mouth feel.  The heady aroma is a pleasant combination of chocolate, coffee and fruit.  The first sip was incredible;  dark malt, rich molasses, bitter chocolate and a nice boozy warmth.  Very interesting for a beer and not at all unpleasant.

Swirl it in the glass like a fine cognac . . . allowing it to warm only intensifies the already amazing flavors.


Don't be put off by the high price tag or the high alcohol content.  This is truly an excellent beer.

The second Dogfish Head beer was a surprise.  The first surprise was that it was on tap then second was a flavor that was entirely unexpected.  Again, I knew nothing about this beer other than that it bore the Dogfish Head name and thus was willing to give it a try.


I ordered the Black & Blue and when my beer arrived at the table the first thing I noticed was the color . . . a berry red color.  The first sip was was . . . well, it was a surprise.  Again with the berriness.  

At this point I whipped out my handy dandy tablet to find out exactly what it was I was drinking.  Ahh . . . now I get it . . . black and blue.  Black and blue berries.  


Black & Blue is a Belgian-style golden ale fermented with blackberries and blueberries. Real berries give this beer a very berry flavor.  This is a fruit beer but it's not overly sweet.  The sweetness is nicely balanced the hoppy bitterness.


This is a strong full flavored, full bodied ale.  Sip it and enjoy.  (10% ABV)




Visit Dogfish Head at their website  or on Facebook