Every cookbook that you will see that contains Irish cuisine will inevitably contain at least one recipe that stars the omnipresent symbol of Irish culture, Guinness beer.
 Cooking either with Guinness undiluted or a Guinness reduction is something that you generally want to do with a meat dish. Guinness adds a fuller and more robust flavour to stews, and an interestingly non-bitter taste to meats.
Proper Reduction
Reducing Guinness by a third (simmering away one third of the amount poured into the pan) yields a bitter reduction that you generally don’t want to use for cooking. The further it reduces, the less bitter and fuller the taste. Some like to add brown sugar to fill out the flavour further, but remembering this simple rule will already make you better at cooking with Guinness.
Red Meat or Chicken?
While it is possible to incorporate Guinness into a chicken dish, the most popular recipes by far are for red meat dishes. The taste of Guinness tends to take away the traditional “bloodiness” of red meats, particularly richer meats such as lamb. It is important not to get too experimental with the famed brew – recipes which try to incorporate it into desserts are not big favorites with anyone except the most die-hard Guinness lovers.
Slow and Low
It has been argued that the best results of roasting with Guinness are seen when a slow cooker is used, particularly if the meat involved is venison or something similar. The act of slow cooking removes any “gamey” flavor to the meat and sets off the Guinness well, allowing it to naturally reduce to its non-bitter state.
Stew for You
The most common use for Guinness, and arguably the easiest, is in a traditional Irish stew. Here is a simple recipe for which the ingredients – including the Guinness – are easy to find.
Irish Beef Stew With Guinness
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds stewing beef, cut into cubes
4 bay leaves
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme, whole
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 teaspoons flour
¾ cup beef stock (Bovril or equivalent)
½ cup Guinness
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parley
½ pound carrots, sliced
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper (added at end to taste)
Heat a 6-quart casserole dish to high heat on the stove and add the oil and the bay leaves. Cook the bay leaves for about 30 seconds and add the meat. Brown the meat on both sides. Add onion and cook for a few minutes until onion slices are clear. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme, rosemary and flours, and stir well until smooth.
Add the beef stock and stout; simmer, stirring constantly, until the stew thickens a bit. Add the remaining ingredients and cover. Place the pot in a 275 degree oven for about 2 hours, stirring a few times.
Delicious Fishes Dishes
Guinness with parsley and cream is a great replacement for white wine in a sauce for mussels. Oysters, similarly, profit from Guinness, a drop of Tabasco sauce, and a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
A Guinness reduction also makes an excellent marinade for salmon with some garlic and dill. Try it the next time you are looking to punch up a salmon dish. It is traditionally used in many pubs around the world as a base for batter to deep fry fish.
Traditional Guinness Fish Batter
Ingredients:
4 pieces of Cod or Haddock roughly 1/3 rd lb each
1 sprig fresh parsley
For the batter:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 egg
1 cup Guinness
In a bowl, sift the flour and salt. Add the egg and whisk the mixture. Add the beer, whisking constantly. Keep adding the beer and whisking until the batter is thick. Set aside.
Place the oil in the pan, no more than a third of the way up the side. When the oil is hot, place the frying basket in the pan. If you have a deep fryer, follow the usual instructions.
Wash and finely chop the parsley. Sprinkle flour on the cutting board and sprinkle the parsley over the flour.
Wash fish under cold water and roll in the flour/parsley. It should now be coated in flour and parsley. Make sure the oil is hot. Dip the fish pieces, one at a time, into the batter and drop into the oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove with the basket, place on a paper towel to drain and serve immediately. Serve immediately to maintain crispness.
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