Life
20 Beer Recipes That Put Your Leftover St. Patrick's Day (or Anytime) Brews To Good Use
St. Patrick's Day has come and gone, and chances are you're looking for ways to use up leftover beer that you have hanging around from all the festivities. I mean, come on. If you've ever hosted a party, you know it's always better to overstock. It's usually safe to assume that your guests will eat and drink more than you think, and over-buying just a little bit ensures that you won't have to stress about supplies running out. When you're prepared, you can relax, enjoy the festivities, and don't have to deal with any dreaded rationing that will stress your guests out just as much as you. Plus, you'll have snacks and drinks on deck for the next few weeks — whether you're entertaining again or flying solo.
On St. Patrick's Day, it is tradition for many to summon their inner Irish by wearing green and drinking... responsibly. If you were hosting this year's shenanigans, you likely ended up with some leftover brewskies — and here are 20 recipes to turn those leftovers into some super tasty dishes.
Image: Back to Her Roots
Beer Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cilantro and Jalapeño
While short ribs typically call for red wine, this version from The Crepes of Wrath brilliantly subs in amber beer. Cilantro, cumin, jalapeño, and chipotle chile powder counteract the sweetness of the beer while delivering a totally multifaceted, unexpected take on a classic.
Image: The Crepes of Wrath
Stout Cupcakes with Chocolate Covered Pretzels
This luxurious combination of rich dark chocolate and salty pretzels from My Baking Addiction gets an extra boost from a full 12-oz. bottle of stout in the mix.
Image: My Baking Addiction
Beer-Soaked Chili Cheese Fries
Whether you’re taking the traditional post-SPD hangover cure route of salty/cheesy/starchy or simply looking to indulge a little, these beer-soaked and loaded fries from Back to Her Roots have you covered — and a list of fresh ingredients makes them a lot healthier than you’d expect.
Image: Back to Her Roots
Grapefruit Shandy
I promise not to tell if you use your leftover beer for drinking. This mix of lager and fresh ruby red grapefruit from A Cozy Kitchen is bright, refreshing, and a little (way) more sophisticated than the green variety.
Image: A Cozy Kitchen
Beer and Balsamic Braised Pork Cavatappi
Instead of the usual red wine and tomatoes, this hearty meat sauce from Cooking for Keeps uses wheat beer and balsamic vinegar. Just the homey, comforting dish to revive you from yesterday’s festivities.
Image: Cooking For Keeps
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Beer
While Brussels sprouts, bacon, and shallots have become a go-to trio for cooks everywhere, this rendition from A Spicy Perspective uses beer instead of the usual white wine to deliver something totally new.
Image: A Spicy Perspective
Roast Chicken with Yams, Oranges, and Blue Moon
You would never suspect that this succulent, sophisticated roast chicken from Adventures in Cooking contains a bottle of inexpensive beer. That and the harmony between fresh rosemary and orange amp up the flavors in this Sunday classic.
Image: Adventures in Cooking
Beer and Cheddar Cheese Gougères
Let me save you the Googling by telling you what a gougère is (because I just Googled it). A gougère is a traditional French pastry that typically combines a savory choux pastry dough with some kind of cheese. This version from A Cozy Kitchen combines saison, pilsner, and sharp cheddar cheese for a rich, irresistible combo.
Image: A Cozy Kitchen
Guinness Beef Skillet Mac and Cheese
As if I wasn’t already craving mac and cheese 90 percent of the time, this skillet version by Climbing Grier Mountain just upped the ante with a hearty Guinness and beef concoction. Kind of like an Irish lasagna.
Image: Climbing Grier Mountain
Crock Pot Beer Chicken
This is one of those meals that looks and tastes super impressive when in reality all you did was throw a bunch of stuff in a crock pot. This recipe from The Crepes of Wrath packs big flavor with a host of bold spices and summer ale that infuses the chicken with a little sweetness while keeping everything extra moist.
Image: The Crepes of Wrath
Chipotle Beer Shrimp Quesadillas with Spicy Guac
These quesadillas from How Sweet It Is get their multi-level flavor from shrimp marinated in beer, lime, and adobo peppers. Fresh, spicy guacamole on top makes these the perfect “let’s pretend it’s summer” meal.
Image: How Sweet It Is
Peruvian Seco
This hearty Peruvian style stew gets its signature flavor from onions, spicy serrano peppers, cilantro, cumin, paprika… and beer. A Cozy Kitchen shares the secret to slow-cooked magic.
Image: A Cozy Kitchen
Beer and Bacon Butter Beans
I bet you didn’t realize how badly you wanted a bean dish until now. The Crepes of Wrath does it again with this combination of buttery white beans, rich bacon, citrus, rosemary, honey, shallots, and beer.
Image: The Crepes of Wrath
Beer Crème Brûlée
Ah, yes, nothing goes together quite like beer and… crème brûlée. This high-low mashup from The Beeroness brings the stereotypically fancy dessert down to earth by adding beer to the mix. She uses a honey basil craft beer, but a German wheat beer would work just as well.
Image: The Beeroness
Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese with Beer Cheese Fondue
I feel like this one is self explanatory. How Sweet It Is takes grilled cheese to the next level (or the level above that) with shredded buffalo chicken, four types of cheese (including homemade beer cheese fondue), ranch dressing, and thick, fresh sourdough bread. You’re welcome.
Image: How Sweet It Is
Dark Ale Cottage Pie with Vintage Cheddar Mash Top
The Kitchen Alchemist has taken a traditional shepherd’s pie and turned it up to eleven. The beef and veggie mixture is cooked in dark German beer and beef consommé for rich flavor, then topped off with ultra cheesy, creamy mashed potatoes that brown to perfection in the oven.
Image: The Kitchen Alchemist
Pale Ale Shrimp Po'Boy
Unlike your standard fried shrimp po’boy, Climbing Grier Mountain has instead cooked her shrimp in Old Bay and pale ale for a version that’s just as flavorful and not quite as heavy.
Image: Climbing Grier Mountain
Beer Battered Onion Rings with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
There’s no way I could lead you on this beer-infused culinary journey without highlighting the simple perfection of a classic beer batter. Joy the Baker shows you how to make these phenomenal crispy onion rings, complimented by tangy homemade buttermilk ranch.
Image: Joy the Baker
Crispy Tofu Fishy Tacos
I’ll be first to admit that “fishy” isn’t normally an attractive descriptor, but these faux-fish tofu tacos from Fo Reals Life are delicious enough to satisfy even your most carnivorous friend.
Image: Fo Reals Life
Beer Brownies
Deep, dark, earthy stout beer and two types of chocolate lend serious depth to these rich brownies from Joy the Baker.
Image: Joy the Baker
