In addition to water, beer is made with three essential ingredients: barley, hops, and yeast. This probably has what made this drink a very good ingredient for cooking. Because alcohol has a lower boiling point than water, it evaporates quickly during cooking and the natural flavors of the beer become more concentrated, giving your recipe the bright taste of beer.
I also use beer in my cooking, especially in my marinades. The acidity of the beer not only adds flavor but helps to tenderize the meat. It is also ideal for steaming shrimp, clams and crabs. Using beer in place of water provides a tangy flavor that complements the saltiness of the shellfish, and I find it an ideal substitute for broth or wine in my soups and stews. My sons enjoy a slow-cooked beef casserole in a combination of beef broth and stout. The hours of slow cooking increased the bitterness in the hop content of the beer creating a very tasty contrast of flavors.
There are many ways to use beer to make stock. If you want a thick soup or stew, don’t add a lot of beer at first. Remember that starting with too much beer can make the soup watery, and if you try to boil the liquid, it can also turn too bitter. Add your beer gradually, or better yet, mix a small amount of broth with cornmeal and stir the mixture back into the pot. This will gently thicken your soup nicely. If you are unsure, follow the cooking instructions in your recipe. When using beer in soup, be sure to slightly reduce the salt.
Malted beer brings a delicious “malty” flavor to your soup recipes. Cooking with this type of beer does not overwhelm the flavor of the other ingredients in the recipe. While it may be true that the alcohol content in beer is mostly removed during the cooking process, the benefit may still remain. A soup with beer is still full of vitamins and minerals that are good for general health. It helps in the production of nerves and the process of metabolism. Increases blood circulation and helps you focus. Take, for example, beer and cheese soup. The combination of beer with cheese results in a very tasty taste; And while beer in your cheese soup results in a high-fat, high-calorie dish, including beer-cheese soup in your diet can boost your vitamin A intake.
For your festive-tasting beer soup, serve it with wonderful homemade bread. You can even create your own method for using beer in soups. Believe it or not, from your simple sauces to rich desserts, the secret ingredient can be the beer of your choice. So if you want an even tastier bowl of soup or broth, don’t worry about trying to substitute other liquids for beer in your recipes.