Beer has plenty of uses in the kitchen and it should come as no surprise that it can come in really handy when you’re having a BBQ. If you are a beer lover and curious about how you can enjoy this beverage even more, here are some great tips!
The first tip is that you can soak your wood chips in the beer to slow down the rate of combustion. This causes the wood to smolder and smoke rather than burn. You will also give your meat a bit of a beer flavour while you’re at it! Beer and wine are both known for adding flavour to food which is why this is a definite bonus! You can also use beer as a humidifying agent when smoking meat. Add some to the drip pan to keep the meat moist. This will add a delicious subtle beer flavour to whatever you are smoking.
Beer is an excellent ingredient in various marinades. The malt and hops flavour sinks into the meat and works particularly well with pork, chicken, and beef. While the beer adds flavour, it’s also really great at tenderizing the meat and keeping it moist while cooking. You can also use the beer marinade to baste your meet. Mix one cup of dark beer with 1 cup of honey, a stick of melted butter, and a couple of tablespoons of minced ginger. This basting recipe is particularly delicious with pork.
You can also use bottled beer to spray your BBQ meat on the grill. Cover the top, give it a good shake, and allow the foam to spray out of a tiny opening made by your thumb. Alternatively, if you have a clean spray bottle, you can put some beer in the bottle and spray it over the meat as it cooks. Beer can also be used in moderation when making a BBQ sauce. You should not overdo it with the beer because it can leave a bitter taste in your mouth instead of the sweet BBQ sauce flavour.
Finally, don’t forget about beer-can chicken! Using a beer can to keep your chicken moist, tender, and to encourage even cooking offers the added bonus of delicious flavour! Of course, when cooking with beer, the other advantage is that you will surely have beer on hand to enjoy while you grill!