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Fall is in full swing, and as the days get shorter and temperatures drop, our craving for all things warm and cozy has officially kicked in. Whether you’re into stews, savory casseroles, or piping hot bowls of soup, adding beer to your favorite fall recipes is an easy way to bring something extra to the table.
While you might be more accustomed to enjoying it in a pint glass, bottle, or can, beer brings flavors ranging from mild, bright, and citrusy to malty and sweet, and everything in between. Depending on the type of beer you use, adding it to a recipe can bring out additional savory notes, balance richer ingredients, or add a subtle sweetness or bitterness. It’s a simple way to add greater depth and complexity to familiar dishes.
I’ve worked as a personal chef and cooking instructor for more than 20 years, and I’ve often relied on beer to elevate dishes. These fall favorites are the perfect recipes to discover how a little beer can have a big impact in the kitchen.
Chili
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Nothing signals fall like a pot of simmering chili. It’s hearty, filling, and the perfect antidote to crisp evenings. While broth or water can help give chili the consistency you want, beer can introduce another layer of richness and flavor.
There are a variety of beers to choose from, but stouts, porters, and darker lagers are especially good options for chili. Stouts bring roasted coffee and chocolate notes that work well with smoky spices and beef, while porters add a taste of caramel that can balance the heat of chili peppers. Dark lagers aren’t quite as bold as some stouts or porters, but they offer toasted malt notes that can also blend well with chili’s seasonings. All of these beers have enough flavor to stand up to the other ingredients without overpowering them. Remember to add the beer early enough in the cooking process to give it time to mingle with the tomatoes, spices, and other ingredients.
Stews and Pot Roasts
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If stews and pot roasts are on your menu this fall, don’t forget to keep a stash of beer on hand to give these dishes an added layer of savory goodness. Both rely on slow cooking to transform tougher cuts of meat into tender, flavorful dishes, although the techniques differ. Pot roasts are typically braised in a relatively small amount of liquid, while stews simmer smaller pieces of meat in enough liquid to largely cover them. Adding beer to either dish can bring extra depth and complexity to the cooking liquid.
Choosing the best beer for a pot roast or stew ultimately comes down to your recipe and personal taste. Guinness is a classic choice due to its sweet undertones of chocolate and coffee, which can give the cooking liquid a rich, roasted character. Porters are another excellent option. While they can share some of the roasted notes found in stouts, many porters lean more toward caramel and toasted malt, adding a slightly sweeter dimension to the dish.
For a pot roast, start by adding about half a cup of beer to the pan after browning the meat, gently scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Then add your broth or stock until the liquid comes about halfway up the meat. For stew, add the beer along with the broth or stock, using enough liquid to cover the meat and other ingredients. In either case, allow the dish to cook slowly until the meat is fork-tender and the liquid has developed a full, satisfying flavor.
Cabbage
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Root vegetables often take center stage in fall, but cabbage is a hearty option that shouldn’t be overlooked. This cruciferous vegetable is generally available year-round, and the green variety has leaves sturdy enough to braise. Braising cabbage transforms it into a delicious side dish, and using beer as part of the cooking liquid makes it one worth savoring.
When it’s raw, cabbage has a sharp, peppery bite, but that sharpness mellows as it cooks. Beer gives cabbage’s mildly sweet, earthy taste another layer of flavor. A lager’s lighter, more delicate flavors can contrast with the cabbage’s earthiness, while a malt-forward amber ale can add a caramel-infused sweetness that blends with the natural sweetness cabbage develops during cooking. Both are tasty choices if you want the beer to enhance the dish without dominating it.
For a more robust take on beer-braised cabbage, you can experiment with darker beers like porters or stouts. Their roasted malt flavors can provide a deeper, more pronounced contrast to the cabbage’s natural sweetness.
Fondue
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A bubbling pot of melted cheese alongside a platter loaded with crusty bread, crisp apples, and vegetables ready for dipping has all the makings of a cozy fall evening. And there’s no better way to level up your next batch of fondue than by adding a splash of beer. Traditional Swiss cheese fondue is typically made with white wine, but swapping the wine for beer puts a delicious spin on this classic dish.
Beer can add a little acidity to balance the richness of the cheese, while its malty notes can introduce toasty, nutty flavors. Lagers and pilsners are excellent choices due to their clean, crisp taste and mild bitterness. Their relatively subtle flavors complement the cheese without overwhelming it.
To make beer fondue, gently heat the beer before adding freshly grated cheese, a handful at a time. Stir until each addition melts before adding more, and keep the heat low to prevent the cheese from separating.
Short Ribs
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Short ribs are known for their rich, beefy taste, making them an excellent candidate for a slow beer braise. As the ribs cook, beer mingles with their juices and the aromatics in the pan, adding depth to the cooking liquid and creating a savory sauce that’s just as delicious as the ribs themselves.
So, what’s the best beer for braising short ribs? Stouts and porters are great choices when you want a bold, hearty sauce. Brown ales offer a similar but more mellow taste, making them a good middle ground if you prefer something less intense.
Other styles can work, too. An amber ale brings more noticeable malt flavors, while a pale lager keeps the beer’s presence more subtle, allowing the beef and aromatics to shine. Ultimately, the beer you choose will shape the flavor of the sauce, while the slow braise is what makes the ribs tender.
Soup
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If you’ve never added a splash of beer to your favorite soup, you’re missing out on a mouthwatering opportunity. Beer can bring flavors to the pot that you won’t necessarily get from broth or stock alone, whether it’s a pleasant hint of bitterness, a little sweetness, or a more pronounced roasted taste. The trick is matching the beer to the soup you’re making.
Citrusy, wheat-based brews can be a nice match for creamy chicken or seafood soups, offering a refreshing contrast to their richness. Meanwhile, if you’re making French onion soup, a porter or stout can bring a darker, roasted taste that complements the deeply browned onions.
If you’re unsure how to introduce beer into your soup, start by replacing a small portion of the broth or stock rather than pouring in an entire bottle. You can also use beer in place of the wine called for in a recipe; just keep in mind that the finished soup will taste a bit different.
Brisket
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A beautifully cooked brisket is worth the wait, especially when beer is part of the equation. Adding beer to the braising liquid brings its own distinctive tastes to both the brisket and the sauce, ranging from mild sweetness to subtle notes of bitterness. However, before you pour, it’s important to know that the cut of brisket can help determine which beer to choose.
Cut from the cow’s lower chest, brisket is typically divided into two cuts — the flat and the point. The flat cut is leaner, while the point has more fat and marbling. Both are tougher cuts of meat that benefit from long, slow cooking. For the fattier point, consider a porter or stout. Their assertive, roasted malt flavors can stand up to the richness of the meat and add depth to the braising liquid.
If you’re cooking the leaner flat, an amber ale or pale lager can be a good choice if you want the beef to remain the star. Amber ale can bring a more noticeable malt presence to the brisket, while a pale lager has a lighter, crisp, more neutral taste.
Risotto
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Creamy, comforting, and endlessly customizable, risotto deserves a spot on your fall dinner menu. Whether you’re stirring up a simple Parmesan risotto or tackling a more complicated recipe, this Italian favorite is traditionally made with white wine, which adds acidity and depth to the dish. But you can always switch things up and use beer instead.
The beer you choose can make a big difference in how your risotto tastes. A pale lager is a good starting point, bringing subtle malt and grain flavors that won’t overwhelm the other ingredients. Brown ale contains a more noticeable malt presence, with caramel-like notes that complement the savory, salty flavors of the cheese and broth. If you like a little more bite in your risotto, a pale ale can introduce a touch of bitterness that contrasts the richness of the butter and cheese.
To make beer risotto, add between one-third and one-half cup of beer to the pan after toasting the rice. Let it simmer until the beer has mostly reduced before gradually adding stock or broth. This allows the beer to cook into the dish without leaving a raw beer taste.
Dining and Cooking