YORK, Pa. — It's probably not a problem you run into often—but if you ever find yourself with an abundance of beer and no desire to drink it, Iron Hill Brewery has some suggestions to make sure it doesn't go to waste.
Cooking with beer can add dimension to the flavor of your dish and provide an easy starting point for choosing the perfect drink pairing.
"It's always a safe bet, if you're cooking with it, it'll pair really well with the food," chef Brendan Mullan said.
He also recommends selecting a contrast pairing—for example, drinking a bitter, hoppy beer while eating a rich meal.
Beer can go in everything from appetizers to entrees to desserts. Mullan says Iron Hill tries to cook foods that go well with beer, but they also use it within recipes whenever possible. The restaurant recently launched a new menu with an emphasis on food that incorporates beer.
If you're a bit apprehensive about using the liquid ingredient, Iron Hill is here to help along the way.
"I'd say the most approachable beer to cook with is our Vienna Red Lager," Mullan said. "And we have QR codes on the boxes that you can scan and it'll pull up a recipe that you can cook at home."
And even thought the recipes include an alcoholic beverage, they're still safe for youngsters. Mullan says cooking with beer burns the alcohol off, which makes it safe for children.
