Five Steak And Beer Pairings You Need To Try
If you're like many people, you feel almost obligated to order a glass of rich red wine to complement your meal whenever you visit your favorite steakhouse restaurant. This classic pairing is so universal that anything else may not seem quite right to you, even though you're secretly longing for a beer. However, beer and steak bring out the best in one another, so don't hesitate to ask your server at your steakhouse to recommend a nice beer to go with your steak dinner. Following are five suggestions to get you started:
Smoked Porter With a Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
One of the greatest feats of modern cooking is filet mignon wrapped in bacon. This is accomplished by lightly searing the steak in olive oil before wrapping it in bacon and roasting it in the oven until it reaches a sublime state of tenderness. Pairing this steak with the right beverage is important in order to properly complement its strong flavor profile -- some too light, for instance, will taste weak and insipid, so go with a smoked porter. The deep smoky accents provide the perfect accompaniment to the rich combination of bacon and beef flavors.
Amber Ale With Grilled Ribeye
Ribeye steaks are excellent for outdoor grilling, and amber ales are both rich enough to stand up to their rather strong flavor profile yet light enough to make a good summer-weight beverage when appropriately chilled. Ribeyes are usually charbroiled at steakhouses, allowing you to have that fresh-from-the-outdoor-grill flavor no matter what time of year.
IPA or Wheat Beer With Top Sirloin
As one of the leanest cuts of beef, top sirloin calls out for the crisp hoppiness of a classic IPA. If the bitter hop tang of an IPA but don't please your palette, try a wheat beer instead. You'll get the clean, crisp finish that goes well with lean meats without the bitter bite.
Stout With T-Bones
Stouts are on the dark side of the beer spectrum and complement tender T-bones perfectly. Stouts are often flavored with accents of chicory, chocolate, or coffee -- and all of these pair very well with T-bone steaks.
Summer Ales With Barbecued Steak
You can count on a bright summer ale to bring out the subtle fruity undertones in good barbecue sauce. These seasonal ales are generally only available from May through the end of August, so enjoy them with your favorite barbecued steak while you can.
Keep in mind that there are no strict and fast rules concerning pairing beer with a steak. When in doubt, just your favorite beer with your favorite cut of steak and enjoy a fabulous meal.