Hello hello. I know this post might seem a bit belated, but I wanted to write about how beer could be integrated into a big holiday feast (in a different way than simply drinking it). If you are anything like me, you are just crawling out of the food coma that was Thanksgiving and smiling at the fun times had with family and friends. I love this holiday because it centers around food and there are no other requirements then to conquer a huge feast and enjoy the company of the people you love. In my house, my mom handles the cooking and tries to keep it exciting by attempting new ways to cook the turkey every year. Usually, mom doesn’t think too hard about the experiment, she just acts on an impulse and voila! It’s been upside down, right-side up, stuffed, unstuffed, and basted with numerous concoctions.
This year, I must’ve inspired my mom as when she was preparing 26-pound “Tom the Turkey” and she asked me to grab a beer from the fridge. I passed her a Saranac Scotch Ale and she popped off the top and poured it into the already full pot. The beer served as a baste base as well as a primary gravy ingredient. Everything turned out deliciously. It was a really simple beer-integration but it added a fun kick to the meal and I swear that the turkey was extra moist. If you are thinking about adding some brew to your next turkey dinner, my suggestion would be to make it a darker beer with a noticeable spiciness to it. The winter seasonal brews out now are a good place to start.
I found a few other recipes/blogs that offered some mouthwatering (and legit) recipes. Check them out!
http://beer.about.com/od/beertastinganddrinking/a/HolidayBeerPair.htm
http://www.homebrewchef.com/BeerInspiredThanksgivingMenu.html
http://www.nbwa.org/Beer_Route/Article.aspx?ArticleId=203
Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! I am very thankful to still be posting and to have great people still reading Brewnette (like your gorgeous self). So thanks! and Cheers!
brewnette 