Grilling with Homebrew
Twenty years of professional cooking and teaching has taken me across the United States and introduced me to some amazing cooks. Now as the Executive Chef Lecturer in the School of Hotel & Restaurant Management at Northern Arizona University, I am thrilled to be teaching the techniques I’ve learned throughout my professional career to the amazing students here in the southwestern United States. An added bonus is that I am the faculty advisor for our on-campus brewing club here. Having homebrewed for the past three years, and earning a gold certificate in the first round American Homebrewers Association (AHA) competition, I eagerly swallowed the “red pill” and am discovering how deep the craft beer hole really is.
Beer and food pairing is a match made in Heaven. No other beverage has such heights, depths and breadths with which a cook can explore. I introduce local craft beers in my hands-on cooking class demonstrations and encourage students to be playful, but profitable in their creations. For example, students have made an IIPA seafood stew with grapefruit zest and tarragon, Bierwurst with spent grain pretzels, and milk stout sorbet. This “craft-beer-food” world is just carbing up and I am bubbling over with excitement to see where it heads. The adventurous nature of craft brewers paired with the artistic nature of passionate cooks is a recipe for continued hope in American daring ingenuity.
Many of my favorite foods to pair with homebrews come from the barbecue. And I’m sure many a backyard grillmaster-slash-homebrewer would agree. Here are some of my favorite barbecue recipes paired with some of my favorite homebrew recipes — guaranteed to make this summer’s homebrew club meeting in your backyard a success!
Honey Cured Bacon (with Honey Kölsch)
Ingredients
1 each pork belly, skin on, trimmed 2 square and cut so you have equal halves (approximately 5 pounds/2.3 kg for each half)
10 oz. (283 g) Kosher salt
1.5 oz. (43 g) sodium nitrite (aka: “pink salt”)
16 oz. (453 g) honey
Step by Step
1. Mix the Kosher salt and sodium nitrite with the honey to make a sticky paste.
2. Slather half the mixture on half of the pork belly and place the whole thing in Ziploc bag, removing as much air as possible.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with other half of the pork belly. Label the skin sides of the bacon with date on the outside of the bag. Place the curing bellies on a plate and place them in a refrigerator.
4. Flip the bags every day to ensure proper overhauling (think even curing).
5. After five to six days remove the cured bellies and rinse them very well under cold running water.
6. Once the bellies are dry, smoke the bellies with indirect heat using your favorite moist wood, or even spent grains, until you get your desired color and flavor. I usually smoke my bellies with hickory at 130 °F (54 °C) for about one hour.
7. Once the smoking is complete, keep the bellies in the refrigerator until you are ready to slice and cook.
Honey Kölsch
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.007
IBU = 23 SRM = 4 ABV = 5.4%
Ingredients
7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) German Pilsner malt (2 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Munich malt (9 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) dextrin malt (2 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) honey (0 min.)
2 AAU Hallertuer Mittelfrueh hops (first wort hop)(0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 AAU Perle hops (90 min.)(0.25 oz./7 g at 8% alpha acids)
1.1 AAU Tettnang hops (20 min.)(0.25 oz./7 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertuer Hersbrucker hops (15 min.)(0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 whirlfloc tablet (5 min.)
Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch) or White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Create a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter in advance of brew day. This is a single infusion mash. Heat 3.16 gallons (12 L) strike water to 162 °F (72 °C) to stabilize the grain bed at 149 °F (65 °C) and hold for 90 minutes. Double-batch sparge with 6.62 gallons (25 L) of water to raise mash bed to 168 °F (76 °C). Toss in the first wort hop during the sparge.
Bring the wort to a boil and boil for 90 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. After the 90 minute boil is complete, remove the wort from the heat and add the honey. Quickly cool the wort to 60 °F (15.5 °C), oxygenate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment for 10 days at 60 °F (15.5 °C). Once the primary fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to a secondary vessel. Drop the temperature to 50 °F (10 °C) and allow the beer to condition for one month. Bottle or keg as normal.
Honey Kölsch
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.007
IBU = 23 SRM = 6 ABV = 5.4%
Ingredients
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Munich liquid malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) honey (0 min.)
2 AAU Hallertuer Mittelfrueh hops (first wort hop) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 AAU Perle hops (90 min.)(0.25 oz./7 g at 8% alpha acids)
1.1 AAU Tettnang hops (20 min.)(0.25 oz./7 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertuer Hersbrucker hops (15 min.)(0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 whirlfloc tablet (5 min.)
Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch) or White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/ Kölsch) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Create a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter in advance of brew day. Bring 5 gallons (19 L) of water up to about a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the dried and liquid malt extracts as well as the first wort hops. Stir until all the extract is dissolved then return the brewpot to the heat. Boil for 90 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. After the 90 minute boil is complete, remove the wort from heat and add the honey. Quickly cool the wort to 60 °F (15.5 °C), oxygenate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment for 10 days at 60 °F (15.5 °C). Once the primary fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to a secondary vessel. Drop the temperature to 50 °F (10 °C) and allow the beer to condition for one month. Bottle or keg as normal.
Hop Rubbed Beef Brisket (with India Red Ale-Brunhilde)
Ingredients
1 each beef brisket, silver skin removed, trimmed fat to about ¼-inch thick (approx. 8–12 lbs./4–5 kg)
Hop rub:
2 oz. (57 g) salt
1 oz. (28 g) brown sugar
1⁄2 oz. (14 g) ground cumin
1⁄2 oz. (14 g) smoked chili powder
3⁄4 oz. (21 g) freshly ground black peppercorns
1⁄4 oz.(7 g) cayenne
2 oz. (57 g) smoked paprika
1⁄4 oz. (7 g) granulated garlic
1⁄4 oz. (7 g) Simcoe® hops (crushed pellets)
Zip sauce:
32 oz. (0.9 kg) Heinz ketchup
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1.5 cups brown sugar
1 Tb. crushed red chili flakes
1⁄2 cup Jack Daniels
1⁄4 oz. (7 g) Amarillo® hops (crushed pellets)
Step by step
1. Combine the ingredients for the hop rub and either use a mortar and pestle to combine, or pulse the mixture in a food processor until it is well combined.
2. Combine the ingredients for the zip sauce in a separate container and reserve.
3. Rub the brisket evenly with the hop rub, wrap it with plastic wrap, and place it in a refrigerator for 24–48 hours (longer = stronger flavor).
4. Using indirect heat, barbecue the brisket with the fat side up between 300–350 °F (150–175 °C) until the internal temperature is around 200 °F (~90 °C).
5. Once you hit your internal temperature, wrap the brisket completely in aluminum foil, coat it with the Zip Sauce, and place it in a 275 °F (135 °C) oven for two to three hours until the brisket is quite tender. Slice the meat against the grain and serve with hop BBQ sauce drippings.
Brunhilde India Red Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.016
IBU = 75 SRM = 15 ABV = 6.6%
Ingredients
7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) 2-row pale malt
5 lbs. (2.27 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
10 oz. (0.29 kg) caramel malt (120 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) caramel malt (40 °L)
1 oz. (28 g) black patent malt
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (60 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
8.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (30 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
5.5 AAU Cascade hops (5 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (5 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) gypsum salt
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 Whirlfloc® tablet (5 min.)
White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This is a single infusion mash. Heat 4.78 gallons (18.1 L) of strike water to 169 °F (76 °C) to stabilize the grain bed at 152 °F (67 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Double-batch sparge with 5.13 gallons (19.4 L) of water to to raise the mash bed to 168 °F (76 °C).
Bring the wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes, adding gypsum directly to the boil and add the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. Cool the wort to 67 °F (19 °C), oxygenate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment for 10 days at 67 °F (19 °C). Once the primary fermentation is complete transfer the beer to a secondary, add the dry hops and wait seven days. Bottle or keg as normal.
Brunhilde India Red Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.016
IBU = 75 SRM = 15 ABV = 6.6%
Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Munich liquid malt extract
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) extra light dried malt extract
10 oz. (0.29 kg) caramel malt (120 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) caramel malt (40 °L)
1 oz. (28 g) black patent malt
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (60 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
8.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (30 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
5.5 AAU Cascade hops (5 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (5 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) gypsum salt
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 Whirlfloc® tablet (5 min.)
White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the crushed grains in a large steeping bag. Steep the bag of grains in 1 gallon (3.8 L) water at 170 °F (77 °C) for 15 minutes. Lift the bag out of the wort and into a colander over the brewpot and rinse with 2 qts. (2 L) of 170 °F (77 °C) water. Add water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort (more if your brewpot can hold the volume). Bring the wort to a boil, adding the dried malt extract, and boil for 60 minutes, adding gypsum directly to the boil and the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. With 15 minutes remaining add the liquid malt extract.
Cool the wort to 67 °F (19 °C), transfer to a fermenter, and top off to 5 gallons (19 L). Oxygenate the wort and pitch yeast. Ferment for 10 days at 67 °F (19 °C). Once primary fermentation is complete transfer to secondary, add dry hops and wait seven days. Bottle or keg as normal.
Coffee Malt Pulled Pork (with Threefold Cord Robust Porter)
Ingredients:
1 boneless pork butt (5-6 lbs./2-3 kg)
Chocolate malt rub:
1 oz. (28 g) chocolate malt, ground fine in coffee grinder
1 oz. (28 g) sweet paprika
1 oz. (28 g) brown sugar
1 oz. (28 g) kosher salt
1 oz. (28 g) freshly ground black peppercorns
Hop mop sauce:
1 cup hop tea (1⁄4 oz./7 g Cascade hops and 1 cup boiling water)
1⁄2 cup malt vinegar
1⁄2 stick unsalted butter (melted)
1 Tb. of chocolate malt rub (above)
Step by Step
1. Rinse the pork with cold water, pat dry, then rub evenly with the chocolate malt rub. Let rest in refrigerator overnight uncovered.
2. Using indirect grilling, smoke the pork butt at 200-250 °F (95-129 °C) with wood chips of your choice (apple/cherry or even spent grains) for two to three hours, mopping with sauce every 20-30 minutes. Wrap pork butt completely with foil and place in 250 °F (129 °C) oven until fork tender (4-6 hours).
3. Once cooked to fork tender, shred the pork, roughly adding any leftover mop sauce and extra malt vinegar if needed.
4. Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce, coleslaw, homemade pickles, and a nice soft bun.
Threefold Cord Robust Porter
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.014
IBU = 35 SRM = 38 ABV = 6.5%
Ingredients
11 lbs. (5 kg) English 2-row pale malt (3 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt (450 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) flaked barley
3 oz. (85 g) black patent malt (500 °L)
1 oz. (28 g) roasted barley (600 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) maltodextrin (20 min.)
8.5 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
2.8 AAU Cascade hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
2.8 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
1⁄3 tsp. (2 g) table salt
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 Whirlfloc® tablet (5 min.)
Lallemand Nottingham or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) or Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This is a single infusion mash. Heat 4.8 gallons (18.2 L) of strike water to 164 °F (73 °C) to stabilize the grain bed at 150 °F (66 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Double-batch sparge with 5.1 gallons (19.3 L) to order to raise mash bed to 168 °F (76 °C). Bring to a boil and boil for 60 minutes, adding the salt directly to the boil and the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. With 20 minutes left in the boil, add the maltodextrin. After the final addition of Cascade hops, remove the wort from heat and wait about 5–10 minutes prior to chilling the wort.
Cool to 67 °F (19 °C), oxygenate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment for 14 days at 67 °F (19 °C). Once the primary fermentation is complete transfer to the secondary, and condition the beer for another 7 days at 67 °F (19 °C). Bottle or keg as normal.
Threefold Cord Robust Porter
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.014
IBU = 35 SRM = 38 ABV = 6.5%
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Muntons light dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt (450 °L)
5 oz. (142 g) dextrin malt
3 oz. (85 g) black patent malt (500 °L)
1 oz. (28 g) roasted barley (600 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) maltodextrin (20 min.)
8.5 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
2.8 AAU Cascade hops (60 min.)(0.5 oz./14 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
2.8 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.)(0.5 oz./14 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
1⁄3 tsp. (2 g) table salt
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 Whirlfloc® tablet (5 min.)
Lallemand Nottingham or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) or Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the crushed grains in a large steeping bag. Steep in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C) for 15 minutes. Lift the bag into a colander over the brewpot and rinse with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of 170 °F (77 °C) water. Add water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort (more if your brewpot can hold the volume). Bring the wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes, adding the salt directly to the boil and the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. With 20 minutes left in the boil, add the maltodextrin. After the final addition of Cascade hops, remove the wort from heat and wait about 5–10 minutes prior to chilling the wort.
Cool to 67 °F (19 °C), oxygenate wort and transfer to the fermenter. Top off the fermenter to 5 gallons (19 L) then pitch yeast. Ferment for 14 days at 67 °F (19 °C). Once primary fermentation is complete transfer to secondary, and condition the beer for another 7 days at 67 °F (19 °C). Bottle or keg as normal.
Blood Orange and Coriander brined Chicken (with Blood Orange Wit)
Ingredients
1 whole quality raised chicken
1⁄2 Gallon Brine:
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup Kosher salt
1⁄2 Tb. black peppercorns
1 Tb. coriander seeds
1⁄2 Tb. Fennel seed
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
5 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
3 blood oranges, quartered
Step by Step
1. Combine all the ingredients with 1⁄2 quart (0.5 L) boiling water in 1-gallon (3.8-L) container making sure to squeeze the juice from the oranges. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, add the remaining 1.5 quarts (1.5 L) of ice water and submerge the whole chicken. Cover and place in a refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
2. Rinse the bird completely under cold running water and return to the refrigerator to dry for 12 hours.
3. Heat the oven to 400 °F (~200 °C) and place the chicken breast side up with 1 quartered orange stuffed into the cavity along with 1 Tb. coriander seeds. Cook until the skin achieves desired color (check after 20 min). Now turn the oven down to 325 °F (~160 °C) until the thickest part of chicken breast reaches 160 °F (70 °C). Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
4. Serve with fresh herb mesclun salad, blood orange supremes, roasted new potatoes, and coriander beurre blanc.
Blood Orange Wit
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.051 FG = 1.010
IBU = 15 SRM = 6 ABV = 5.4%
Ingredients
5 lbs. (2.27 kg) Pilsner malt
5 lbs. (2.27 kg) flaked wheat
8 oz. (0.23 kg) flaked oats
4 oz. (113 g) melanoidin malt
0.5 oz. (14 g) Briess roasted barley (300 °L)
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) rice hulls
1.2 AAU Hallertauer hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 4.8% alpha acids)
3 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz/7 g at 12% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) zested blood orange peel (5 min.)
0.75 oz. (21 g) freshly crushed coriander seed (5 min.)
White Labs WLP400 (Belgian Wit Ale) or Wyeast 3944 (Belgian Witbier)
1 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This is a single infusion mash. Heat 4.34 gallons (16.4 L) of strike water to 164 °F (73 °C) to stabilize the grain bed at 150 °F (66 °C) and hold for 90 minutes. Double-batch sparge with 5.9 gallons (22 l) of water to raise the mash bed to 168 °F (76 °C). Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding the hops and spices as indicated in the ingredients list. Cool to 70 °F (21 °C), oxygenate the wort and pitch the yeast. Ferment for 14 days while slowly ramping the temperature up to 75 °F (24 °C). Transfer to a secondary and condition for 14 days. Bottle or keg as normal.
* An extract option is not available for this recipe due to the large quantity of unmalted grains that require mashing. It is possible to make a wit with extract and grains using wheat malt extract, however for this recipe the results will not create a similar beer.
