recipe-book

The Badger Ale
Recipe Book
Over 25 essential beer enhanced recipes

Contents
Badger’s Boots a.k.a. Beer Wellington (vegetarian) with Tanglefoot 1
Champion BBQ Ribs 2
Badger’s Muscles a.k.a. Mussels cooked in Tanglefoot Ale 3
Golden Glory Battered Fish & Chips 4
Beef Casserole with Fursty Ferret 5
Boosy Brats 6
Sausage & Beer Burritos with Blandford Fly 7
Venison braised in Poacher’s Choice 8
English Beer Tanglefoot and Onion Soup 9
Badger First Gold Battered Chilli Shrimp Po’Boy with Tartar Sauce 10
Macaroni Cheese with Tanglefoot 11
Slow cooked Lamb Shoulder with Hopping Hare & Honey and Wilted Seasonal Greens 12
Slow cooked shin of beef with Tanglefoot 13
Beef in Stinger Beer 14
Badger Original Chilli 15
Savoury Ducks with Badger Ale Tanglefoot 16
Lamb Shank Shepherd’s Pie with Golden Champion 17
Steak and Ale Stew 18
Chicken Tagine with Lemon & Olives 19
Washingpool Sausage & Mash with Ale Gravy 20
Tempura Batter with Blandford Fly 21
Pancakes and Cider 22
Golden Glory Sticky Toffee Pudding 23
Glory Trifle 24
Hot Date Cake 25
Dorset Apple Cake 26
Beer & Buttermilk Pancakes 27
Jeremy’s Bread for the Bread maker 28
General advice on using beer as a supplement 29
If you would like to purchase any of the ales from the recipes in this booklet,
simply visit www.badgerdirect.co.uk

Badger’s Boots
a.k.a. Beer Wellington (vegetarian) with Tanglefoot
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 bottle of Tanglefoot
4 firm large open mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 240g tin chestnuts
oil for frying
500g puff pastry
egg to glaze
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 7, 425°F, 220°C.
2. Remove mushroom stalks and put the mushroom heads to one side. Chop the
mushroom stalks finely. Heat oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onions and
mushrooms stalks until soft. Add the chestnuts and enough beer to cover them.
On low heat, simmer gently until chestnuts are soft and the mixture has thickened.
Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Allow to cool slightly. Use the mixture to stuff mushrooms. Roll out pastry and cut
into 4 squares, (large enough to wrap each mushroom). Place on a baking tray. Place
a mushroom on each square of pastry and bring up the corners of the pastry to form
a parcel. Seal edges and glaze with beaten egg.
4. Bake for 20 – 23mins, or until pastry is golden.
5. Serve with green salad and, of course, lots of beer to drink.
Ed Hall, Bristol
Page 1

Champion BBQ Ribs
Here’s a real excuse to get stuck-in – literally! These sweet and sticky ribs are best enjoyed
with some chunky chips, a side salad and a glass or two of Golden Champion Ale.
Serves 2
Ingredients
600g BBQ ribs
½ tsp salt
100ml BBQ sauce
15ml Champion Beer
10ml pineapple juice
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
To serve
Flat leaf parsley & orange wedges
Method
1. Mix the five spice powder, salt, pepper, pineapple juice, peppercorns, garlic and
Champion Beer together and marinate the ribs in the mixture for 24 hours in the
refrigerator before use.
2. Preheat oven to 150°C, gas mark 2.
3. Cover marinated ribs in BBQ sauce and slowly cook for 2 hours in a covered roasting
tray. After 2 hours cooking time, remove foil/lid cover and continue to cook the ribs for
a further hour, until the sauce has reduced to a sticky sauce.
4. Serve garnished with parsley and wedges of orange; chips make a great accompaniment.
AS
SERVED
in selected Hall &
Woodhouse pubs
Page 2

Badger’s Muscles
a.k.a. Mussels cooked in Tanglefoot Ale
This recipe is a twist on the French way of cooking mussels – aka moules mariniere.
In our version, the crisp, dry finish of Tanglefoot lends a decidedly delicious and different twist to the final dish.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 bottle Tanglefoot
1 kilo mussels
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon
cut into strips
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
parsley, chopped
chunks of granary bread
Method
1. Scrub and clean the mussels, discarding any that remain open when tapped.
2. In a frying pan, fry the bacon in oil until crisp. Remove to a warm plate.
Add the onions and garlic to oil in pan and fry gently until translucent.
Pour on beer and bubble for a few minutes.
3. Pour contents of frying pan into a very large deep pan, add mussels, cover with
a lid and shake over high heat until all mussels have opened (about 5 – 10 mins).
Discard any that have not opened.
4. Ladle into individual bowls and scatter bacon pieces and parsley over mussels.
5. Serve with plenty of chunky bread and, of course, lots of beer to drink!
Ed Hall, Bristol
Page 3

Golden Glory Battered Fish & Chips
Interestingly, beer is a long established ingredient in batter making, as it adds body and bubbles to the mix,
which in turn creates a light and crispy crunch. Golden Glory also ensures a rich, golden coloured batter.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 x 200g cod, haddock or hoki fillets
50ml Badger Golden Glory ale
50ml water
50g plain flour
oil for deep frying
sea salt & pepper
To serve
Oven chips, tartar sauce
& lemon wedges
Method
1. Make the beer batter by mixing Golden Glory, water and flour until smooth. Dust the
fish fillets in seasoned flour and coat in the batter mix.
2. Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer, or heat 6-8 inches of oil in a large saucepan to 150°C.
Remember to take extra care if using a saucepan and allow extra room in the pan to
allow for the weight of the fish (To test the temperature of the oil, drop in a small
amount of batter and if it goes crispy immediately the oil is the correct temperature
for frying). Holding the fish fillet edge, carefully lower battered fish into oil and fry
until golden in colour.
3. Remove fish from oil and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
4. Serve with chips, tartare sauce and lemon wedges.
AS
SERVED
in selected Hall &
Woodhouse pubs
Page 4

Beef Casserole with Fursty Ferret
Here’s a fab recipe for beef and ale casserole which works fantastically well with Fursty Ferret.
We’ve tried other beers but, for some reason, the Ferret makes it sweeter, richer and more rib-sticking.
There’s something about Ferret with parsnips.
Serves 8
Ingredients
6 tbsp plain flour
1.5kg diced braising steak
5 tbsp vegetable oil
salt & pepper
3 onions cut into wedges
750g carrots cut into large chunks
400g parsnips cut into large chunks
2 bottles of Fursty Ferret
couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 bay leaves, torn
Method
1. Preheat oven to 170°C, gas mark 4.
2. Place flour on a plate and season generously. In batches, lightly dust the steak pieces
in the flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Heat 1-2 tbsp of the oil in a large ovenproof and flameproof casserole dish with a lid.
Fry the beef in 2-3 batches and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned all
over. Add more oil as needed. Transfer all the meat to a plate and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining oil and add the onions to the casserole dish with the carrots and
parsnips. Fry over a low heat for 5-6 minutes, or until they are beginning to colour.
5. Return the beef to the casserole, pour in the ale and stir occasionally until it reaches
boiling point. Add fresh thyme and bay leaves. Cover and cook in the oven for 2-2½
hours, or until the meat and carrots are very tender.
6. Serve with leeks and mustard mash.
7. Remember – like all casseroles, it will taste even better on the next day after making.
Jonathan Goodall, Beer writer
Page 5

Boosy Brats
These hotdogs are not only easy to make, they go down really well with any of our Badger ales!
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
6 uncooked Bratwursts
6 hot dog rolls or small subs
300ml Tanglefoot Ale
Dijon mustard
tomato ketchup
a little butter and oil for frying
Method
1. Slowly fry the onions until golden brown. Remove the onions from the pan
and keep them warm.
2. Using the same pan, brown the bratwursts. When brown, pour in the Tanglefoot ale.
3. Continue to cook on a higher heat until the liquid is reduced to a sticky sauce.
4. Assemble the hot dogs in the usual way, garnishing with the onions, mustard
and ketchup.
Dennis O’Leary, Worcester
Page 6

Serves 8
Ingredients
8 pork sausages, skins removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed or
finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp each mild & hot chilli powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 small cans refried beans
90ml Blandford Fly Ale
4 flour tortillas
185ml double cream
85g-115g grated cheddar cheese
Sausage & Beer Burritos
with Blandford Fly
An excellent quick and easy dish for lunch or dinner.
The secret to this tasty dish is in the ale-infused refried beans.
Method
1. Heat the oven to 180ºF, 350ºC, gas mark 5.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Add
the sausage meat and break up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the spices,
oregano, chilli powders and season to taste.
3. In a separate saucepan, heat the refried beans, stir in the beer, and continue to
cook on a fairly vigorous heat until reduced. Set aside and cool until the mix
thickens slightly. Stir into the sausage meat mixture. Set aside to cool.
4. When the mixture has cooled, divide it into four portions. Open up a tortilla and put
one portion mix along the middle, then fold the tortilla up into a parcel. Repeat with
the remaining three tortillas and then place in a shallow dish. Pour over the double
cream and sprinkle the cheese over the tortillas.
5. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins.
6. Serve piping hot with a glass of Blandford Fly.
Dorset Farms, Dorset
Page 7

Venison braised in Poacher’s Choice
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g diced venison
1 large onion, sliced
1 large field mushroom, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tin chopped tomatoes
150ml of good beef stock
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
300ml Poacher’s Choice Ale
A rich, mellow and warming casserole; perfect for those chilly autumn evenings.
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a casserole dish. Fry the onion and the garlic
over a medium heat until soft and golden brown. Remove the onion and set aside.
3. Put the flour and the thyme leaves in a plastic bag and season with salt and freshly
ground black pepper. Add the venison pieces and coat in the seasoned flour.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the casserole dish and fry half the seasoned venison until
nicely browned. Add the remaining oil, if needed, and fry the rest of the venison.
5. Return all the meat to the casserole with the fried onions, stir in the sugar and fry
for two or three mins until the sugar has melted. Stir in the Poacher’s Choice Ale,
the beef stock and the tinned tomatoes. Add the soy and Worcestershire sauce
and the diced mushroom. Bring gently to the boil. Taste the sauce and adjust the
seasoning. (It should be rich and flavoursome and not bitter.) Cover, transfer to the
oven and cook for 1-1½ hours, stirring thoroughly half way through the cooking time.
6. Serve with boiled potatoes and carrots.
Dennis O’Leary, Worcester
Page 8

English Beer Tanglefoot and Onion Soup
You can use any kind of shallots and onions in this soup, the more varieties the better. Use about 1kg in total,
plus the leeks. It keeps well frozen or in the fridge, so even if you’re not feeding eight, make the full amount
and keep some for an easy lunch – just re-heat it in a pan and add the cheese. This soup deserves to be served
with a lovely crusty brown roll, buttered and dunked in.
Serves 8
Ingredients
300g shallots
2 red onions
2 medium white onions
1 large Spanish onion
400g leeks
6 garlic cloves
A handful of sage (or thyme
in summer)
1 litre vegetable stock
2 x 500ml Bottle Badger
Tanglefoot Ale
200g Cheddar cheese
25g butter
olive oil
salt & pepper
Method
1. Peel and slice the onions as finely as you can. Cut the leeks into quarters lengthways,
and slice diagonally into 2cm segments. Peel the garlic and pick off the thyme leaves,
if using.
2. In a large, heavy-based pan, gently heat the butter and olive oil, and add the garlic and
herbs. After a couple of minutes, add all the shallots, onions and leeks. Give it all a
good stir, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and leave to cook over a low heat
with the lid ajar for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Take the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes. Make up your hot vegetable stock.
After 15 minutes, turn the heat up and add the beer to the onions – you should get a
lovely whiff of ale and onions as it heats up.
4. Once it starts to bubble, add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then turn back
to a low heat and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Grate the cheese.
5. Remove the soup from the heat and taste and check the seasoning. Pour into deep
bowls, adding a good handful of cheese onto the top of each bowl.
6. By the time you serve the soup, the cheese should be starting to melt, going
deliciously stringy and goo-ey.
Orion Edgar, Barmouth, North Wales
Page 9

Badger First Gold Battered Chilli
Shrimp Po’Boy with Tartar Sauce
This is a delicious new take on the classic sandwich of New Orleans. The ‘Po’Boy’ or ‘Poor Boy’ was originally a
workingman’s meal, packed with flavour and often made with oysters: then the cheapest source of protein around.
This version uses Badger First Gold Ale to provide an indulgent extra ingredient for the coating of meaty prawns
with a dressing of tangy tartar sauce to add a final flourish. There is no better way to enjoy it than with a glass of
Badger First Gold whose crisp, clean flavours are the perfect accompaniment to the finished dish.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the batter
350g of plain flour
320ml Badger First Gold Ale
six ice cubes
1 egg
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh white pepper
½ tsp chilli powder
vegetable oil for deep-frying
For the sandwich
6-10 peeled, raw prawns per person
(depending on size)
4 long, crunchy bread rolls
250g iceberg lettuce (shredded)
unsalted butter (for spreading)
For the tartar sauce
300ml mayonnaise
2 tbsp pickled gherkins, chopped
2 tbsp capers, chopped
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
2 minced shallots
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp white pepper (no added
salt as the capers and gherkins
will have been brined)
Method
For the tartar sauce
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover with cling film and place in
the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
For the sandwich
1. Sift the flour into a bowl and combine with the salt and pepper and chilli powder.
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the egg. Mix in thoroughly with the flour.
3. Add the Badger First Gold and mix well with the flour until you create a thin batter,
which coats the back of a spoon. Let the batter rest for at least an hour.
4. Just before you are ready to fry the shrimp, add the ice cubes to the mixture (this will
result in a lighter, almost tempura like batter).
5. Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan (you can test for the correct temperature by
dropping in a little batter. If it begins to bubble and float to the surface, the oil is ready).
Dip each prawn into the batter and shake off any excess batter.
6. Place in the oil and cook for three minutes turning once, or until the prawns have turned
pink and the batter golden brown.
7. Remove the prawns from the oil with a slotted spoon, place on kitchen towel to drain
and sprinkle with salt.
8. While the prawns are cooking, split the crusty rolls and scoop out the contents from
the bottom half (you can keep these and freeze to make breadcrumbs for another time).
Spread the butter in a thin layer on the bottom of each roll and top with shredded lettuce
and a good dollop of tartar sauce. Place the shrimp on top of the
sauce and replace the top half of the roll pressing down slightly.
9. Serve with a glass of Badger First Gold, of course.
Simon Majumdar, Food writer, www.doshermanos.co.uk
and www.simonmajumdar.co.uk
Page 10

Macaroni Cheese with Tanglefoot
Tanglefoot is a perfect match for cheddar. Take that one step further and put the beer into the
cheese sauce and things get much more interesting, adding a great depth of flavour. This also works
perfectly with a glass of Tanglefoot on the side.
Serves 4
Ingredients
50g butter
50g plain flour
400g mature Cheddar, grated
½ tsp mustard powder or
1 tsp of mustard
pinch cayenne pepper
100ml Tanglefoot
350ml milk
seasoning, to taste
350g macaroni pasta
Method
1. Put the macaroni into boiling, salted water.
2. In a separate pan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring it thoroughly. Allow it to
cook briefly until a light golden brown. Add a little milk and stir. Keep adding milk
a little at a time until there is a smooth and thick sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add
the mustard and cayenne and then add the Tanglefoot (the rest of the beer should go
into your glass) and stir through. Add the cheese a handful at a time (reserving two
handfuls), stirring until all the cheese has melted.
3. Drain the macaroni and pour into a baking dish. When the sauce is thick and
smooth, pour over the macaroni, mixing through. Top with an extra generous handful
of cheese and either bake or grill until golden and bubbling.
4. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
5. As a variation, you can add cooked cauliflower, leeks, chunks of ham
or sausages to the dish.
Mark Dredge, Beer writer, pencilandspoon.blogspot.com
Page 11

Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder with Hopping
Hare & Honey and Wilted Seasonal Greens
Serves 5-6
Ingredients
Groundnut/rapeseed oil
1.81kg/4lb shoulder of lamb, trimmed
2 good handfuls of woody herbs like
thyme, rosemary & oregano
4 bay leaves (tie herbs together
in a bouquet garni)
1 whole garlic clove, cut in
half horizontally
1 carrot chopped in rough chunks
1 onion cut in half
2 celery sticks chopped in rough chunks
4 anchovy fillets
2 tbsp heather honey
1 bottle Hopping Hare
1 litre lamb, chicken or vegetable stock
3 bags or 750g young spinach leaves
4 wild garlic leaves (if in season),
shredded finely
2 bunches of good watercress, roughly
chopped (remove any woody stems)
salted butter
salt & pepper
Method
The lamb can be made the day before and re-heated for an hour or until hot in the middle
in a closed dish with a pint of water. A good tip is to warm your serving dishes for the lamb
and spinach in your oven 10 minutes before serving – and don’t forget to gently warm your
gravy boat too, but not too much or your guests will burn their fingers!
1. Take the lamb out of the fridge at least half an hour before cooking.
2. Heat the oven to its highest temperature.
3. Poke holes in your lamb about three inches apart with knife or skewer and season liberally
with pepper and small amount of salt (not a health thing, it’s allowing for the anchovies!).
4. Add oil to your dish and (if it’s hob safe) heat on stove. If your dish is not direct heat proof,
cook in a large pan.
5. Add your lamb and brown off, remove from dish to a plate. Add anchovies, all root
vegetables and garlic. Lightly fry off all ingredients. When the anchovies have dissolved
and the vegetables have started to lightly brown, deglaze with stock.
6. Add bouquet garni to dish.
7. Return the lamb and juices to dish, rest on vegetable base and pour over Hopping Hare.
8. Put lid on/seal with foil and put in the oven for 30 minutes at max temperature. After 30
minutes turn down to 160ºC and just leave to cook for 4-5 hours, checking liquid levels
occasionally. If levels get low, just top up with water or more beer.
9. The meat should rest for at least 30 minutes, so make the gravy straight away by removing
the lamb from dish and placing on a roasting rack over a large plate. Cover with foil.
10. Scrape the bottom of the cooking dish to remove all brown, sticky goodness and strain
the cooking liquor through a sieve into a pan (discarding the vegetables and herbs) and
place on stove and whisk in the honey.
11. Bring to a rolling boil and then turn down to a simmer, reducing to a desired consistency.
Serving and the greens
1. Once you are 10 minutes away from eating, it’s action time again. Carve your lamb, put
it in your warmed dish with a drizzle of gravy over it, cover in foil and keep in a very low
heated oven.
2. Then brush the inside of your wok with a piece of kitchen towel with
some oil on it and put over medium heat.
3. Rinse all your greens thoroughly under running water, and shake off
any excess water. Add in batches to the wok, adding a good pinch of
pepper each time and a tiny amount of salt with the last batch.
Add to your warmed dish and top with slivers of butter.
4. Place in the middle of your table with the lamb, gravy,
dauphinoise potatoes or Jersey Royals.
5. Raise a glass of Hopping Hare and enjoy your well-earned meal.
Melissa Cole, Beer writer,
girlsguidetobeer.blogspot.com
Page 12

Slow cooked shin of beef with Tanglefoot
Beer and ale is one of the great classic food combinations. Traditionally people used braising steak, but this recipe utilises
shin of beef. Often ignored, this joint is perfect for long slow cooking to release all its rich flavours and soft textures.
And for the perfect partner on the plate, why not add sweet potato or even swede to the potato mash.
The sweetness of the vegetables is the perfect complement to the luscious richness of the stew.
Serves 6
Ingredients
1kg shin of beef, off the bone and
cubed. (Braising steak would equally
be as good.)
500ml Tanglefoot
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp of olive oil infused with chilli
pat of butter or olive based spread
1 tbsp white flour
2 garlic cloves
200ml of beef stock made from
cube or similar
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 onions, finely sliced or four or
five large shallots
1 large spoon tomato puree
1 small spoonful of chopped fresh thyme
or even some sage or savoury
1 dessert spoonful of honey or
brown sugar
couple of crushed juniper berries
salt & pepper
For the mash
750g potato
250g sweet potato
knob butter or substitute
double cream if desired
pepper
Method
Marinade the beef
1. Put the beef into a freezer bag, add the flour, juniper berries, peeled cloves of garlic,
couple of twists of pepper and chilli flavoured oil into the bag. Bash with a mallet or
similar to crush the garlic. Shake it all about and stick in the fridge for a little while.
The longer the better.
Cooking
1. Turn the gas or electric hob on high, heat a good casserole pot until hot and add the oil.
Add the meat and cook so it’s browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Lower the heat a little and add the butter (or substitute) followed by the chopped celery
and onions or shallots. Soften for five minutes and add the honey or sugar and heat for a
minute. Add the tomato puree and cook for a minute. Remove and set aside.
3. Deglaze the hot pan with a splash of beer. Add the browned meat, and the other cooked
ingredients. Add Tanglefoot and stock. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce heat to as low
as you dare. Leave for a couple of hours until tender, occasionally stirring to make sure
the rich stew is not catching on the bottom of the pan.
4. About 15 minutes before serving, throw in the fresh chopped thyme or whatever herb you
have chosen.
For the mash
1. Boil the potatoes together, or in separate pans, until soft – about 20 minutes. Drain.
Mash well, and mix together. Put in a knob of butter or substitute and add a splash of
cream if desired and a grind or two of pepper.
Serve and enjoy with a glass of Tanglefoot.
Tim Hampson, Chairman of the British Guild
of Beer Writers, author The Beer Book,
www.beerandpubs.wordpress.com
Page 13

Beef in River Cottage Stinger Beer
River Cottage HQ Head Chef, Gill Meller, has adapted Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s recipe, Beef in Stout,
from The River Cottage Meat Book
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
1.5kg chuck or stewing beef or shin
(boneless weight), trimmed & cut
into generous chunks
250g pancetta or thick streaky
bacon cut into slightly smaller
cubes than the beef
50g butter or dripping, plus a little
butter for cooking the mushrooms
500g baby onions, peeled but
left whole
up to 50g plain flour, seasoned
with salt and pepper
500ml beef stock
500ml River Cottage Stinger Beer
2 bay leaves
a sprig of thyme
a few stalks of parsley
250g button mushrooms
250g flat open-cup mushrooms,
sliced about 5mm thick
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Heat the butter or dripping in a large frying pan and brown the pancetta or streaky
bacon until the fat runs. Transfer to a large casserole or saucepan. In the same fat
in the same frying pan, gently fry the baby onions, shaking occasionally, until they
are lightly browned all over. Transfer to the casserole. Toss the beef in the seasoned
flour, shaking off the excess, and brown it in the same pan, in batches, transferring
it to the casserole when it is nicely coloured.
2. Now pour some of the Stinger Beer into the pan to deglaze it, scraping any residue
from the base of the pan with a wooden spatula and tipping it all into the casserole.
Pour in the beef stock and the rest of the Stinger Beer, adding a little water only
if needed to cover the meat. Add the herbs, tied into a bouquet garni, and season
with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then set to simmer very gently, with the lid
on but slightly ajar.
3. Cook the stew for about 2 hours for chuck or stewing steak, more like 3 hours
for shin, until the meat is completely tender. Add a little hot water if the meat is
starting to get exposed and dry out. The mushrooms go in about 1 hour before the
end. Sweat them gently in a little butter till the juices have run out of them and they
have ‘tightened’. Add, along with the juices, to the casserole – the juices will help
prevent the stew drying out.
4. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes!
Gill Meller, www.rivercottage.net
Page 14

Badger Original Chilli
With its fruity and spicy notes, our Badger Original Ale adds the perfect flavour to this hearty chilli.
Be warned though, it’s got some kick to it!
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
(seeds removed if preferred)
450g ground beef
168g smoked pancetta cubes
1 heaped tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground coriander
400g tin tomatoes
300ml Badger Original Ale
4 tbsp tomato puree
200ml beef consommé or beef stock
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
400g can kidney beans,
drained & rinsed
Method
1. Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan and place over medium heat. Add the onions
and red pepper and fry until soft. Add the garlic and red chilli and cook for a further
2-3 minutes.
2. Add the beef and pancetta and fry until browned, then add the cumin, chilli powder,
cayenne and coriander and stir for a minute.
3. Add the tinned tomatoes, Badger Original Ale, tomato puree and consommé or stock.
4. Season with the sugar, salt and oregano. Stir in the drained kidney beans, bring to
the boil and reduce to a simmer.
5. Cover and allow to cook gently for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve with rice or pasta to suit.
Paul Coonie, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Page 15

Savoury Ducks with Tanglefoot
A Derbyshire recipe adapted for Dorset beer lovers
Surprisingly, you won’t find any ducks in this dish! A traditional recipe from Derbyshire and Yorkshire, this recipe for
faggots came from poorer families in the past having to use cheaper meat pieces to make tasty and nourishing meals.
Despite its lowly origins, this dish proved so popular, it’s still around today.
Serves 4
Ingredients
450g Pig’s liver, sliced into medium
chunks (lamb or Ox can be substituted,
but do not use chicken liver)
1 pigs kidney diced into smallish
chunks (can be omitted if preferred)
100g of mince pork, lamb or beef
115g diced pork pieces or similar
weight of sausage meat
2 rashers un-smoked bacon with rind
removed, sliced in small strips
1 large or medium onion, finely sliced
300ml of Badger Beer, water or
beef stock
generous pinch of dried sage, thyme,
basil or oregano
½ tsp cayenne pepper or ground
chillies or a ¼ tsp dried red chilli
flakes (can be omitted if preferred)
1 tsp Dijon or English mustard
pinch grated nutmeg
salt & pepper
1 tbsp of powdered ginger (optional)
1 large Cox apple or other eating-apple
chopped (skin on)
1 small black pudding, skin removed,
cut into chunks (optional)
½ cup of fresh brown or
white breadcrumbs
½ cup of porridge oats (omit if
not available)
4 tablespoons of cornflour, plain flour
or chick pea flour
gravy granules
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
2. Place the liver, onions, pork, bacon, kidney, mince, herbs, chilli, mustard, nutmeg and
white pepper in a large saucepan. Add the thyme, sage, basil, cayenne pepper, mustard
and nutmeg. Add enough beer to barely cover the contents of the pan. If required, top
up with water or liquid stock.
3. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for half an hour with the lid on, taking
care not to let the contents boil over. After cooking, strain the whole mixture, whilst
reserving the cooking liquid. Transfer all the cooked meat mixture into a big bowl.
4. Allow mixture to cool slightly. Place half the strained meat mixture into a
food-processor or liquidiser and add two tablespoonfuls of stock. Liquidise the mixture
until it resembles sausage meat i.e. like a course paté. Add more stock if the mixture is
too thick, or it sticks to the sides of the bowl. Keep on with batches until all the meat
mixture is used.
5. Add the diced apple and chopped black pudding to the meat mixture in a large mixing
bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, beaten egg and cornflour. Taste the mixture to check
for seasoning and add salt and pepper if required. Mix in thoroughly all the added
ingredients into the mixture. Add half teaspoon of powdered ginger.
6. After a thorough mixing through you should now have a fairly firm, doughy mixture. The
mixture should be sufficiently stiff and sticky to form into large meatball shapes. If it is
too wet, add more flour and breadcrumbs. If it’s too dry to form into balls, add a little
more stock until it’s just dense enough to stick together and shape.
7. Coat your hands with some flour and scoop some mixture in you hands, about the size
of a small lemon. Shape the mixture into balls, flouring your hands from time to time.
The mixture will make approx 6-10 balls.
8. Place the shaped balls on a non-stick, oiled baking tray, spacing them evenly on the tray.
Pour over a little of the reserved cooking liquid over each ball, taking care to allow just
enough liquid to wet each one, with a small amount on the tray
around each.
9. Bake the faggots in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes, until
browned on all over. After approximately 15 minutes in the oven,
remove the faggots and baste them again with a ladle full of the gravy
stock, if they look like they’re getting too dry and dark.
10. Remove from the oven when evenly brown and allow to cool. Thicken
the remaining stock to make gravy, using cornflour or gravy granules
made into a paste with a little of the beer or water.
11. To warm the faggots through, heat slowly in about an inch of the
gravy in a saucepan.
Serve in the traditional way, with mashed potato,
gravy and peas.
Laurie Prior, Paignton, Devon
Page 16

Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Lamb Shanks
2 lamb shanks
700ml Badger Golden Champion
1 onion roughly chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 sticks of celery roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic chopped
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
For the Lamb Mince Filling
400g minced Lamb
lamb stock cube
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 leek, diced
2 stick of celery, diced
2 tsp of fresh thyme
1 clove of garlic, crushed
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black peppercorns
olive oil for frying
5ml Sherry or white wine vinegar
10ml beer stock
meat from cooked Lamb Shanks
liquor from lamb shanks
For the Pie Topping
2kg potatoes
1 tbsp butter
20ml milk
salt & pepper
Lamb Shank Shepherd’s Pie
Method
Lamb Shanks
1. Place lamb shanks and all other ingredients from the lamb shanks list of ingredients into a
large saucepan with lid and bring to the boil. Simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours until the meat
is falling from the bone. Allow to cool.
2. Remove lamb shanks from liquor, remove meat from the bones and set aside.
3. Return the shank bones to the liquor, return to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain
liquor, skim of any excess fat, return to the heat in a clean pan and cook until the liquid has
reduced by half.
Allow liquor to cool and set aside for later.
Lamb Mince Filling
1. Heat a tbsp of olive oil into a large pan, add the onion, carrot, leek and celery and
allow to soften over a medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan
and set aside.
2. Add a further tbsp of oil to the pan and allow to get very hot. Add minced lamb, crumbled
stock cube, salt and pepper to the pan and fry until the mince is coloured. Strain off any
excess fat. Return the vegetables to the pan, add the garlic and thyme and cook gently for
5 minutes.
3. Deglaze the pan with the sherry vinegar and beef stock. Add the tomato puree, flaked lamb
shank meat and liquor from lamb shanks.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes; season to taste.
To assemble and cook Shepherd’s Pie
1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees, gas mark 6.
2. Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain potatoes, add butter and milk and mash until smooth.
3. Pour the lamb mixture into a deep 8cm x 10cm ovenproof dish.
Top evenly with the mashed potato.
4. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the mash has
a golden brown crust.
AS
SERVED
in selected Hall &
Woodhouse pubs
Page 17

Steak and Ale Stew
This beautiful stew is perfect for a hearty dinner: a dark beer like Poacher’s Choice will give you
a lovely warming wintery gravy, but you could try it with something lighter, like Golden Champion.
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Stew
1kg stewing or braising beef, or brisket
500ml bottle of Poacher’s Choice
3 red onions
3 garlic cloves
2 celery sticks
2 carrots
250g chestnut mushrooms
A few sprigs of rosemary
100g cheddar cheese
2 tbsp plain flour
30g butter
salt and pepper
For a Pie
500g block of puff pastry
100g cheddar cheese
1 egg
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
2. Peel and roughly chop the onions. In a large, heavy-based saucepan or casserole dish,
heat a glug of oil, add the onions, stirring occasionally and fry gently for 10 minutes.
3. Peel and chop the garlic and carrots, slice the celery, and quarter the mushrooms.
Pick and chop the rosemary leaves. Cut the beef into 2cm cubes.
4. After 10 minutes, throw in the butter, followed by the garlic, mushrooms, carrots and
celery and give it all a stir. After a minute or so add the cubed beef and rosemary and a
good grind of salt and pepper. Turn the heat up and stir it for a few minutes, until the
beef is browning. Sprinkle over the flour and stir in. Pour in the ale and add enough
water to just about cover it. Put a lid on the pan and bring it to the boil.
5. Put the casserole dish in the oven for two and a half hours, carefully removing it every
hour or so to give it a good stir. After two and a half hours it should be nice and thick;
if not, give it a bit longer over a low heat on the hob, stirring every few minutes.
6. After cooking, leave it to cool for a few minutes, grate the cheese and stir in. Taste and
a little more pepper if required.
7. Serve the stew straight from the pan, with mashed potatoes and peas, or make it into
a pie – as below.
8. To make a pie, butter a suitable pie dish, and then roll out two thirds of the pastry to
line the bottom, leaving some hanging over the edges. Roll out the rest of the pastry
for a lid, scoring it diagonally with a sharp knife. Once the stew pan is cool enough
to handle, pour the stew into the pie case, then sprinkle the extra
cheese over the top. Put the lid on, and use a fork to squeeze
the pastry lid into the overhanging edges. Beat the egg and brush
a little on to the lid, and then put it all back into the oven for
40 minutes, or until the lid is rising and golden.
Orion Edgar, Barmouth, North Wales
Page 18

Chicken Tagine with Lemon & Olives
This Moroccan classic takes on a Dorset twist, with the addition of the zesty Stinger Nettle ale
in the marinade. Serve with couscous or rice.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
whole chicken, cut into 8 portions
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chermoula spice
(cumin and turmeric)
2 bay leaves
1/2 bottle River Cottage Stinger ale
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 onions, thinly sliced
pinch saffron
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 chilli, chopped (optional)
1 pkt fresh coriander, chopped
1 pkt fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
100g green Spanish olives
3 lemons quartered
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 3.
2. Rub the chicken pieces with the chermoula spice mix, then stir in 1/4 bottle of
Stinger Ale. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Heat the olive oil in a thick-bottomed frying pan and brown the chicken on all sides.
Remove the chicken and add the onions to the oil and fry until golden. Add the
chopped garlic and tomatoes together with the saffron and bay leaves.
4. Transfer the onion mixture and the chicken to a Tagine or deep casserole dish. Add
the chilli, coriander, parsley, seasoning and the remaining 1/4 bottle of Stinger Ale.
5. Cook in a slow oven for 1.5 hours. Remove from the oven, and stir in the olives and
the quartered lemons. Serve immediately.
Wyndhams Fine Foods, Bridport, Dorset
Page 19

Washingpool Sausage & Mash
with Ale Gravy
Ale is a delicious ingredient in gravy as it enriches without overpowering. You can stir in a tablespoon of
grain mustard into the mashed potato for an extra twist.
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
8-10 Washingpool Farm sausages
2 medium red onions, chopped
8oz streaky bacon, chopped
½ pt Badger First Gold
1 tbsp plain flour
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
mashed potato to serve
chopped parsley (optional)
Method
1. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and fry all the sausages until browned all over.
Remove sausages and put to one side.
2. Drain all but 1 tbsp of oil from the saucepan, then add the chopped onions and
brown. Add the flour and stir for a minute. Add the chopped garlic, bay leaves
and thyme.
3. Finally, pour in the ale and season to taste. Add the sausages back into the saucepan,
bring it all to the boil, then cover and simmer on the lowest heat for 20 minutes.
4. Pile mashed potato onto a plate, arrange sausages and pour over the hot ale gravy.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Washingpool Farm Shop, Bridport, Dorset
Page 20

Tempura battered prawns
with Blandford Fly
Tempura is a Japanese style of deep-fried cooking and comes from the word ‘seasoning’.
It’s especially good for shellfish and vegetables. The secret to its light, crispy batter is ice-cold water,
(or in this case Blandford Fly Ale) and minimal beating.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
For the batter
75g cornflour
75g plain flour
1 egg
190 ml Blandford Fly – very well
chilled in fridge
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
50g plain flour
1.5kg uncooked shelled king prawns
For the Thai dipping sauce
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 green chilli seeds removed
and roughly sliced
1 tbsp sugar
2 limes, juice and a little zest
3 tbsp of Nam Pla fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
handful of fresh coriander leaves
Method
Batter
1. Make the batter by sifting together the 75g of flour and 75g cornflour in a bowl.
Make a well in the flour and pour in lightly the beer and egg.
Mix together – doesn’t matter if it is a little lumpy.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
3. Put the remaining flour onto a plate add the prawns and cover well. Dip the prawns into
the batter, and coat well, removing any excess batter. Add to the hot oil and deep fry for
two-three minutes or until crisp.
4. Drain on a kitchen towel. Keep on warmed plates until all the prawns have been cooked.
Thai dipping sauce
1. Place all the ingredients in a liquidiser and blend until it forms a paste.
Serve the battered prawns on separate plates, or on one big platter with the dipping sauce
on the side. Garnish with slices of lime and coriander leaves.
Tim Hampson, Chairman of the British Guild
of Beer Writers, author The Beer Book,
www.beerandpubs.wordpress.com
Page 21

Makes up to 6 pancakes
Ingredients
100g flour
2 eggs
175ml milk
1 bottle of Apple Wood Cider
pinch of salt
6-8 eating apples, peeled, cored
and chopped
1 tbsp of sugar
50g butter
To serve
vanilla ice cream to serve
Pancakes and Cider
A perfect way of using cider to make a dessert which is great all year round.
Method
1. Make the pancake batter by mixing the flour, eggs and milk together, then adding 75ml
cider and the salt. Add more cider if you need to thin the consistency. Leave in the fridge
to chill for 30 mins.
2. Add the chopped apples to a pan with butter and sugar at a medium heat. When they
caramelise, and sizzle add the cider, a little at a time and bubble until soft, adding more
cider if the apple mixture dries out.
3. Fry the pancakes separately, flip and serve with the cooked apples, a drizzle of cider
sauce and a spoon of vanilla ice cream (or even better – cider ice cream).
Mark Dredge, beer writer, pencilandspoon.blogspot.com
Page 22

Golden Glory Sticky Toffee Pudding
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Pudding
170g dates
300ml of Badger Golden Glory
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
60g unsalted butter
170g caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
170g self raising flour, sieved
1 tbsp vanilla essence
Sauce
300ml double cream
60g demerara sugar
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp black treacle
Badger Golden Glory is the secret ingredient in this moorish pud!
Method
To make pudding
1. Preheat oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2. Boil the dates in Badger golden Glory Beer until broken up and soft. Add in the
bicarbonate of soda to cooked date mixture.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a separate bowl, until pale and fluffy. Add the
eggs to the bowl and mix well.
4. Add dates, flour and vanilla essence to the bowl and mix well. Pour mixture into baking
tin and cook in the oven until just firm to touch, approximately 30-40 minutes.
To make sauce
1. Place the ingredients in a pan over a low heat and stir together until blended.
Bring to the boil.
To serve, place slices of pudding on individual plates and pour over sauce and single cream
if desired, over the top.
Washingpool Farm Shop, Bridport, Dorset
Page 23

Serves 4
Ingredients
2 trifle sponges
20ml Badger Golden Glory Ale
80ml strawberry jelly (dissolved
in water as per packet instructions)
10g fresh raspberries
10g fresh strawberries
100g ready to serve custard
40ml whipping cream
5g toasted flaked almonds
1 sprig of fresh mint
Glory Trifle
Badger Golden Glory is a perfect addition to your trifle dessert.
Lightly soaking your sponge in Golden Glory Ale adds that missing touch.
Method
1. You will need a sundae glass or deep dish. Cut trifle sponges into squares and lightly
soak in Badger Golden Glory Ale. Place sponges in bottom of glass & press down.
2. Mix jelly according to packet instructions, allow to cool slightly and pour 80ml into
the glass. Allow jelly to set in refrigerator.
3. When the jelly has set, pour the custard on top to form the next layer. Cut raspberries
in half and strawberries into quarters. Place raspberries & strawberries on top of
custard layer. Whip the cream to soft peaks and spoon on top of the fruit. Decorate
with the toasted almonds & fresh mint sprig.
AS
SERVED
in selected Hall &
Woodhouse pubs
Page 24

Hot Date Cake
The way to your lover’s heart is through their stomach – and this ale-enriched pecan and date cake
will help the romance along!
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
115g unsalted butter
230g soft brown sugar
2 large eggs
340g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp of mixed spice
½ tsp of ground cloves
115g chopped pecan nuts
115g chopped dates
230ml Tanglefoot Ale
Method
1. Heat the oven to 350ºC, 180ºF, gas mark 4-5.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs.
Sift in the flour and spices, pour in the beer, add the nuts and dates and fold
together until thick and smooth.
3. Grease a reasonably deep 8in cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
Pour the cake mix into the tin (you will need a spatula to get all the mix away
from the sides).
4. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check the cake about 10
mins before the end of cooking.
5. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Once removed from the oven, leave the cake to rest in the tin for a while. Turn out
onto a wire rack to cool.
6. When cool, put onto a serving plate and dust with icing sugar.
Honeybuns, Holwell, Dorset
Page 25

Dorset Apple Cake
Officially crowned Dorset’s National Dish, Greg’s winning recipe is a contemporary twist on an age-old classic.
Serve on its own or with a crème anglaise flavoured with Blandford Fly.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
225g self raising flour
tsp of baking powder
25g cornflour
110g butter
110g golden caster sugar
225g cooking apples
peeled, cored and diced
1 lemon zest
1 large egg
1 tbsp milk
50g sultanas (optional)
To finish
1 x large cooking apple
fresh lemon juice
soft brown sugar
For the crème anglaise
60g caster sugar
8 egg yolks
300ml milk
300ml double cream
Method
For the cake
1. Pre-heat oven to 190ºC, 375ºF, gas mark 5.
2. Grease and line an 8 Inch round cake tin. Sift flour, corn flour and baking powder
into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces. Rub into the flour until the
mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, prepared apples, lemon
zest and sultanas (if using) and bind together with the egg and milk. Turn into the
prepared baking tin, and level the surface.
3. To decorate the cake; cut segments from an unpeeled apple, soaked in lemon juice.
Cut into thin slices and soak again. Arrange in a circle around the top of the cake and
dust with soft brown sugar to make a crusty glaze.
4. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
5. Cool in the tin, before turning out onto a cooling wire.
For the crème anglaise
1. To make the crème anglaise, whisk the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
2. Gently heat the milk and cream in a pan until nearly boiling. Pour the hot milk mixture
onto the egg mixture, and keep whisking constantly to avoid curdling. Return to the pan
and stir until thickened.
3. Serve drizzled over the cake
Greg Coomer, Winner of the ‘Dorset’s National Dish’ Competition 2006
Page 26

Beer & Buttermilk Pancakes
Beer isn’t just good for savoury batters – it is also delicious in pancake batter.
The addition of lemon zest and the citrus notes of Stinger Ale make this pancake stack irresistible!
Serve with golden syrup for added indulgence.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 eggs
200g plain flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
284 ml buttermilk
2 tbsp melted butter
grated rind of 1 lemon
2 tbsp River Cottage Stinger Ale
Method
1. Beat the eggs in a bowl using an electric whisk until frothy. Add all the remaining
ingredients and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth.
2. Heat a griddle or large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat and lightly grease the pan
with oil or butter.
3. Pour a serving spoon of batter onto the griddle. The mixture may be quite thick so
you will need to spread it a bit with the back of the spoon. Cook until the surface is
covered with tiny bubbles, the batter is set and the bottom is browned. This usually
takes around two minutes.
4. Flip the pancake over and continue to cook until the other side is brown. Transfer to
a plate and repeat with the rest of the mix.
5. Serve warm with golden syrup and butter. Recipe makes around 8 pancakes.
Dennis O’Leary, Worcester
Page 27

Jeremy’s Bread for the Bread maker
This recipe uses a bread maker with a large loaf, wholemeal ‘raisin’ bake, 5 hour programme setting.
Serves 8
Ingredients
300g Hovis granary flour
300g plain white bread flour
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp yeast
¼ tsp vitamin C
30g/ ¼ cup * sunflower seeds
¼ cup bran
¼ cup wheatgerm
¼ cup dried malt extract
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 dessertspoon Marmite
100ml warm water
300ml Blandford Fly Ale
Method
1. Put the yeast and vitamin C in the baking tin first. Mix the dry ingredients together
in a bowl/jug and put into the tin next.
2. Use the warm water to dissolve the Marmite in a jug, then add the beer. Pour this
carefully over the top of the dry ingredients. Finally add the ¼ cup of olive oil,
carefully, on to the water. *If your bread maker has a raisin/seed dispenser, put the
sunflower seeds in it. If not, just add to dry ingredients.
3. Set the programme (with delay if needed) then press the ‘go’ button.
This recipe can be adapted for any bread maker, or you can just knead the dough
and turn it into bread cakes in an ordinary oven.
If you are adapting the recipe for a different bread maker, refer to the instructions
with your machine. The critical quantities are the total weight of flour (600g),
and total volume of water/beer (400ml).
Jeremy Radford
Page 28

You can take many ordinary recipes and boost them with beer, in much the same way as another person would
add red wine to meat and gravy dishes and white to fish dishes. A good rule of thumb is the lighter the meat,
the lighter the beer needs to be. So pheasant casserole would go well with Stinger. Thus:
Any simple stew like shin of beef will be better for the addition of beer, instead of the full quantity of stock or any
necessary water stated in the receipt. Beef demands a thicker, darker beer.
For an extra zing, try adding a teaspoon of ginger, as it agrees so well with beer. Beef will need to simmer for
1.5 – 2 hours in a low oven having come to the boil first.
Similarly cheese dishes and sauces are improved by beer; so having got the basic roux started in a pan, add beer
instead of milk, a little at a time with a teaspoon of mustard. Keep stirring to keep the sauce smooth.
Lastly, heaven forbid, but there may be some unfinished beer knocking about: this is ideal for the boiling of a
ham before removing the skin and baking it. Put the liquid to one side and allow to cool. Remove excess fat and
use the stock if not too salty (the ham should have been soaked and rinsed before boiling) to make a pleasantly
satisfying pea soup.
Revd. Toddy Hoare, Holton, Oxford
General advice on using
beer as a supplement
Page 29