Not Healthy: Guinness Beef Stew Recipe

With the cold months arriving it is a great time for getting soup and stew recipes together for warm winter meals. I am typically not a big fan of beef stews because too many suffer from goopy textures and bland flavors. One way to pack flavor into a beef stew is to add a rich and flavorful beer. Dark beers, like stouts and porters, tend to work very well because they add dimension with roast, chocolate, caramel and molasses that reduce down and integrate with the beef and vegetable to add richness without adding sweetness. (Think about it like coffee-crusted steak rather than pouring maple syrup on a steak.) This recipe is reasonably healthy while hearty. It has a thicker consistency that you want in a stew but without the goopy texture I despise. This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from an issue of Draft magazine provided by the recipe at Restaurant Six89 in Carbondale, Colorado. (However, I found the original recipe sort of bland.)


Selecting the right beer for this stew matters although it does not have to be a Guinness stout. Guinness has long had an incredibly effective marketing campaign that has made the brand ubiquitous even before craft beer became something serious in America. It was the dark beer thanks to its marketing. Its marketing reaches into food and you can easily find Guinness in all sorts of recipes. Aside from the marketing, Guinness works in many dishes as a great beer. The reason Guinness works so well is that it is not overwhelming in flavor and it is more acidic than many other stouts. When you reduce Guinness you can bring the flavor out while still using the acidity to balance the roasty and chocolate flavors. It works more like red wine reduction than a sweeter or maltier beer. So no matter how much of a beer snob you might be, Guinness is a really effective beer for cooking.

However, there are other good options. Other stouts or porters will work well, along with other dark beers like bocks, marzens/Oktoberfests or brown ales. When working with these less acidic beers you need to account for the lack of acidity and keep some malt vinegar on hand to adjust the acidity of the stew and brighten it up. Taste the stew about an hour before serving to see if it needs some punch to it. If it does, add a 1/2 a tablespoon of malt vinegar, stir and let it integrate into the stew for the next hour. You don't want to taste the vinegar, just get the acidity. Taste again and if it needs more add another 1/2 tablespoon and cook for another thirty minutes. Repeat if necessary.

There are also lots of beers to avoid. Avoid beers with unusual ingredients like vanilla or cherries. Be careful about adding hoppy beers because the hop character can reduce down to an unpleasant bitterness. Personally if I used a beer with hop flavor I would stick with something herbal or piney so it tastes more like an herb addition than some of the fruity hops that would give you a weird fruit flavor in a beef stew.

Picking the right beef is also important. You can usually buy stew beef at the store fairly cheaply. They tend to be tougher meat that breaks down over a long cook and the collagen that makes it chewy when fried or grilled is released into the liquid and helps give the stew body. I prefer to use leaner round or eye roasts over chuck. I find the combination of flour plus excess fat in the stew creates that goopy texture I dislike so much. You want a little fat for flavor.

Feel free to play with the herbs and vegetables. I really like potato in my soups and stews but you can leave it out or substitute other starchy ingredients like barley, wheat, rye, lentils, rice, etc. Avoid anything that breaks down too easily when stewed. The biggest offender here is russet potatoes. They are great for baked potatoes or mashed potatoes but when you stew them for hours they fall apart into an unpleasant grainy texture. Go with white, gold, or red potatoes. Some people like tomato in their beef stew. If you use tomato then you may have enough acidity if you do not use Guinness to not need to add vinegar. I use frozen peas and pearl onions for ease and availability but if you want to mess around with peeling pearl onions then be my guest.

This recipe is relatively healthy but I marked it as "Not Healthy" for the flour and beer, which add carbs that you may not want to consume on a clean diet. You could always clean the stew up in to more of a beef soup by omitting these ingredients but then it wouldn't be a stew recipe. 

Guinness Beef Stew Recipe

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours

Equipment:

• Dutch oven or crock pot
• Frying pan (if not using dutch oven)
• Stove
• Kitchen utensils, measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowl
• Knife and cutting board

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cubed beef stew
• 16oz. low sodium beef broth
• 1 bottle Guinness or other suitable beer
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 carrots
• 2 cups pearl onions (peeled if bought fresh)
• 1 1/2 cups green peas
• 2 white or golden potatoes (not russet potatoes)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
• Malt vinegar (if not using Guinness)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Chop carrots and celery into 1/2 inch pieces. Chop potato into 1 inch cubes (does not have to be perfect). If your beef is not already cubed then do that now.
2. Mix beef, flour and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Make sure beef is fully coated.
3. If you are using a dutch oven instead of a crock pot then add the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. If using a crockpot, do the same in your frying pan. Once the oil starts to smoke, reduce the heat to medium and add the beef, shaking off excess flour before adding. 
4. Brown the beef on all sides. 
5. Once the beef is browned, add the bottle of beer. Mix thoroughly and gently scrape up any bits of beef or flour stuck to the bottom of the dutch oven or frying pan. Simmer for 1 minute.
6. If you are using a crock pot, then add the contents of the frying pan to the crock pot. If you are using the dutch oven, treat the following steps as though it says "dutch oven" when it says "crock pot". 
7. Add the beef broth, celery, carrots, pearl onions, potato, 1 tbsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper to the crock pot. Turn the heat to low on the crock pot. (For dutch ovens, turn the heat down on the stove to keep the stew simmering.)
8. Cook for seven hours. (Taste and see if you need to add malt vinegar as explained above.) Add 1/2 tbsp dried thyme, 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary and peas. Mix thoroughly. Cook for an additional hour (or more if desired). 
9. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve.

Healthy: Basic Kimchi Recipe

Inspired by the recipes in "Kimchi: Essential Recipes of the Korean Kitchen" I decided to try my hand at making kimchi at home. As a homebrewer I am familiar with the process of fermentation and all of the usual aspects of watching fungi and bacteria turn foodstuff into something glorious. However, the idea of watching food bubble and ferment was a new one for me. However, I have been trusting the same yeast and bacteria that work in kimchi to make some of my favorite beers so although I was skeptical about the merits of a bubbling jar of cabbage it actually develops quite nicely with very little work.

Kimchi is a spicy Korean sour cabbage that can be compared to German sauerkraut if sauerkraut was spicy. Kimchi actually relies on more ingredients for spicing than sauerkraut but the process of making either fermented cabbage is the same. Submerge cabbage in a slightly salty liquid and let the bacteria naturally present on the cabbage do the hard work souring it. That's really all there is to it. There are a number of variants to develop flavors but this simple recipe for kimchi relies on ingredients you can find at most supermarkets. The difficult ingredient to find, which may require a trip to an Asian grocer, is Korean chili powder (gochugaru). However, I was able to concoct a substitute that I feel is 95% of the way there. Otherwise, everything else I used in the recipe came from my local Kroger here in Fort Worth. It is cheap and easy to make. There are more complex recipes out there that use other ingredients that may also require a trip to an ethnic store for authentic ingredients but this is a good entry point.

Here are a few tips/modifications to consider in making this recipe:

1. Consider the right vessel to make kimchi: You need something that can hold up to acidity (so no aluminum) and ideally glass or ceramic works well because it is unaffected by the acidity in kimchi and it will hold up to pressing the cabbage in to make a tight fit. Old glass jars or mason jars work fine but be careful about the metal lids. The acidity in kimchi can eat away the finish/paint on the lids. If you use anything with a metal lid be sure to wipe down the mouth of the glass before removing kimchi to remove any finish/paint that has leaked off onto the glass.
2. Also consider how much kimchi you are making: A medium head of cabbage will make approximately 72oz of kimchi. During active fermentation there will be bubbling and if the top of the kimchi liquid is close to the mouth of the vessel then you may get some overflow. So although you want to avoid too much open space at the top of your vessel you need enough to prevent spills. Keep your vessel(s) on a pan or plate so any spills are contained.
3. Release the pressure: It's a good idea to keep some kind of lid on the kimchi to keep out bugs but you don't want too tight of a fit on the lid. Keep the lid slightly ajar and release the lid further (in case overflowed liquid has dried on the lid and created a seal) to release any built up CO2. Exploding glass is a really bad thing. 
4. Chop the cabbage appropriately: Many recipes call for making kimchi by quartering the cabbage but you may find it difficult to work the cabbage tightly into your vessel that way. Because you will likely end up chopping up your cabbage once it has fermented, consider grating or further chopping the cabbage to make this process easier. 
5. Keep the vegetable underwater: Wet vegetable exposed to air can rot and grow mold. Neither is good for your kimchi. This is less of a problem once fermentation has soured the vegetable but you still want to avoid air exposure as much as possible. If you prepare the kimchi for souring and find you do not have enough liquid in the vessel then top it up with clean, chlorine-free water. (Chlorine kills bacteria and you want that bacteria to sour your kimchi.) Many people use a plate or a water-filled plastic bag to weigh down the vegetable matter. Consider this approach if you can't avoid floating cabbage.
6. Leave it alone: Once you prepare your vessel(s) for souring, leave them alone for a week or two. Clean up any messes, release the pressure if necessary and top up with water (especially if you have some spills) but do not otherwise bother the kimchi. No stirring or tasting is necessary. Just let it do its thing.
7. Gochugaru substitute: If you can't find Korean chili powder then use an equal volume substitute of one half red chili pepper flakes and regular chili powder. It isn't perfect but unless you are a true connoisseur of kimchi it is close enough that you will be happy with the results. Or go buy yourself some gochugaru.

Lastly, once your kimchi has fermented and sat for 1-2 weeks you can tighten the lid or transfer to a sealable container. It will stay good for 1-2 months (keep that in mind when you decide how much to make) and a little longer in the fridge. The flavor will develop over that time. If you prefer the flavor of younger kimchi then after a couple weeks you should store it in the fridge.

Basic Kimchi Recipe

Serving size: Roughly 72 ounces of kimchi
Prep time: 1.5 hours with 1-2 weeks of aging
Cook time: None

Equipment:

• Knife and cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Vessel(s) for storing kimchi
• Large bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head of cabbage
• 3.5oz (by weight) of kosher salt
• Water
• 7oz (by weight) Korean chili powder
• 10.5oz (by weight) leek
• 14oz (by weight) daikon
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt

Directions:

1. Chop the cabbage into quarters. Remove and discard the hard stems. (Optional: further chop cabbage as explained above.)
2. Place cabbage in large bowl with 3.5oz kosher salt. Fill with water until it covers the cabbage. Let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes flip over the cabbage and let it sit for another 30 minutes.
3. While the cabbage is soaking, shred the daikon and leek. Grate the ginger.
4. Once the cabbage has soaked for an hour, drain the water and rinse the cabbage to remove the salt. 
5. Set aside the cabbage and dry out the bowl. Add all the ingredients from the chili powder to the 1 tbsp of salt to bowl. Mix together. Add cabbage and mix thoroughly until the cabbage is coated by the kimchi paste.
6. Add the cabbage to your vessel a small portion at a time. Try to squeeze the cabbage in as much as possible so it tightly fits. The cabbage should release water and help fill the vessel. Top up with clean, non-chlorinated water if necessary. Place weight on cabbage if necessary. Cover and let sit for 1-2 weeks.
7. If necessary, chop kimchi before serving.

Healthy: Crispy Skin Salmon

As a kid the idea of eating fish skin sounded disgusting. And it is disgusting when it is soggy and slimy. However, it adds a nice flavor and texture when it is crispy. That crunch can help out the whole dish, as salmon fillet are often served with soft rice or other grains and soft vegetables (steamed or grilled). So it's important to get the skin sufficiently crispy without turning the entire fillet into a fried salmon puck. Due to the frying involved in crisping the skin I had mixed feelings about categorizing this dish as healthy but if you use only the necessary amount of oil to crisp up the skin and keep it from sticking then it's not much less healthy than throwing it in the oven and baking or broiling it.

Prep & Cooking Tips

Cooking crispy skin salmon is not difficult but it requires good technique. Ideally you want a crispy salmon skin with a medium-well cooked interior. That requires having a good skin surface and an even fillet of salmon. If you buy frozen or pre-filleted salmon then the scales should already be removed and the salmon fillets are ready to be cooked. If you buy an entire side of salmon then you need to descale and fillet the salmon. (If you buy a whole salmon then butchering the fish is your first step.) Descaling is not difficult although it can be somewhat messy. There are good video tutorials out there.

Then you need to fillet the salmon. Six ounce servings are the norm. To fillet the salmon you are just cutting through the fish into equal portions. Before filleting the fish you should check for bones left in the fish. Running your fingers horizontally along where the spine used to be will usually uncover any small white bones left behind. Remove them with tweezers or your hands. Be careful but to destroy the meat getting the bones out. I also like to go ahead and salt and pepper before filleting but that is up to you. The fillet where the tail section was should be larger by surface area than the fillets by where the head was because the meat is thicker near the front of the fish. Fillet the fish by making one smooth cut vertically across the fish. A sharp knife with a sharp tip should cut through the fish and the skin in a single smooth cut. If you don't get all the way through the skin then make additional smooth long cuts with the tip of the knife until you separate the fillet. Do not saw at it. This will tear up the meat.

When frying the salmon fillets, use as little oil as necessary to keep the skin from sticking to the pan. If you use too much oil you will get a fried fish-like texture and you will end up with an oily salmon. Not only is that not a healthy option but it ruins the light texture of salmon. When placing the fillets in the pan, place them in skin side down and run the first half you lay down around the oil to get a good coat of oil where it counts. The oil that isn't under the skin isn't doing you any good. Then place the rest of the fish down in the pan by laying it down away from you so you don't splatter oil on yourself. I like to gently move the fillet back and forth to make sure the entire skin surface is oiled.

This recipe cooks the salmon at a lower temperature for a little longer than other recipes. You can cook salmon hotter but at the lower temperature you get a more moist fillet with an even cook and less albumin on the surface. Albumin is the white protein that develops on the surface of salmon. There's nothing wrong with it but it has a weird texture and many people find it unappetizing. A lower cooking temperature will reduce the amount pushed out of the fish. You can't completely avoid it but you should see less this way.

Crispy Salmon Recipe

Serving size: 4 (assuming you have four fillets)
Prep time: 10 minutes (assuming you need to descale and fillet salmon)
Cook time: 10 minutes

Equipment:

• Frying pan
• Knife and cutting board
• Fish spatula (or other thin spatula)
• Stove

Ingredients:

• 4 6oz. salmon fillets
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil or olive oil

Directions:

1. Descale and fillet salmon. Add salt and pepper to the flesh side of the fillet. 
2. Heat oil in frying pan over medium-low heat.
3. When oil is ready add fillets to pan skin side down (see above for recommended approach).
4. Cook for seven minutes. Fillet should be 3/4 cooked.
5. Turn over and cook for three minutes. Serve.