Stardust Room: Good for what “ales” you

Sandra Bell

Everyone has probably cooked with wine at some point or another but how about beer?

Rich full-bodied beers and ales have long been popular in American culture but are also gaining popularity with cooks, brew masters and chefs across the world.

It is dubbed “beer cuisine.”

It’s no wonder.

Beer is a beverage linked with celebration, from the ancient rituals of harvest to the friendly family and friend outdoor barbecue.

Festivals are not complete without beer tents and music. The first fermented beverages were possibly created by accident back in the Stone Age.

Some very surprised caveman left gruel or berry juice in a stone jar for a long period of time, later drank the contents and realized he was onto something!

The first food purity laws date from the Babylonian times when brewers who would make bad beer would be condemned to be thrown into the river!

According to Egyptian writings, beer, bread and onions fueled the workers who spent their lives building the pyramids.

Females originally made up the majority of brew masters, beer making went right along with the daily baking (both involving yeast). In England, early taverns were run by brewesses or alewives.

They would advertise their wares by hanging an “alestake” a tap /strainer device over their door.

In colonial America beer was served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. A ration of beer was even part of everyday wages of an agricultural laborer in the 17 and 1800s.

Some of our founding fathers were excellent brewers and actually used wheat grown and malted on their own plantations.

Thomas Jefferson kept careful notes on his process of making beer in his Garden and Farm Books. George Washington was a well known home brewer and a lover of porter.

Washington, Jefferson, and Madison actually encouraged the making of beer to sway citizens off hard liquor that at the time, was drunk in amounts that would astound present day American consumers.

A progression from the taverns of the 17 and 1800’s, the saloon became fashionable in the late 18 to 1900s.

Just as the tavern had been the focus of small-town life in colonial America, the saloon functioned as a social club, union hall, political club and neighborhood center. Free lunches or buffets came into fashion.

Meager or extravagant, free or maybe the cost of a nickel, the saloon lunch had it’s heyday from the 1880’s until the dark night of the American death, Prohibition.

Back in the day, a long table would be set up at about 11a.m. and would be piled high with salty, spicy and hearty eats. The rule of the day was to buy a pint and then sidle up to the table laden with such delicacies as fried oysters, clams, sardines, canapes, breads, cured meats, pickled eggs, hard cheeses and a variety of olives, radishes and salads.

Even cakes, pies and pastries were served as it is said that many a man liked a good pastry with his pint!

The saying “bum’s rush” comes from free-loaders who would attempt to sneak through the door and grab a plate without a pint in hand. They would be escorted out and thrown face first onto the sidewalk.

The Waldorf Astoria in New York and San Francisco’s Palace of Art were famous for their sumptuous buffets.

Today of course, the cost of living has curtailed these wonderful traditions. We do serve wonderful food to go along with those pints here at The Stardust Room Southern Pub, but at a reasonable price.

Cooking with beer has become one of my favorite hobbies, my husband and male friends are always intrigued by the concept. Beer is a natural flavor enhancer and also a great tenderizer for meats.

It creates a tasty broth for stews and soups and even adds a little kick to cake making! Some of the following recipes are served everyday at The Stardust Room (Ribeye Steak in a Shiner Bock Marinade).

Others are made for parties and special events (Shiner Blonde Beans). Still others make a great Sunday meal such as St. Arnold’s Brown Ale Carbonnade Flamande (Belgian for pot roast) and a lovely cake made with Shiner Hefeweizen.

I have chosen to showcase beers made in Texas. Our first restaurant was located 15 miles from the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas. It is the oldest independent brewery still in existence in Texas and has been brewing up wonderful beer since 1909.

It is in the heart of Bohemia land and if you are ever traveling I-10 on your way to San Antonio, be sure a take a short detour onto US-90 and visit the lovely town and brewery (brewery tours are during operating hours Mon-Fri).

Don’t forget to stop at Howard’s Beer, Bait & Ammo for all of the brews on tap after you have had your fill of free tastes at the brewery. You might even get lucky and see Ben Bell & The Stardust Boys picking and playing on the back porch/ biergarten.

St. Arnold’s Brewery is the first craft (micro) brewery in Texas. It shipped its first barrel in 1994 and has had a fanatical following ever since. St. Arnolds is located in the heart of Houston and tours can be taken every Saturday at 1p.m.

If you do not want to drive that far, we serve all these beers at The Stardust Room right here in Huntsville. Shiner Bock is our top selling tap beer and Shiner Blonde, Shiner Hefeweizen is served by the bottle.

We are the only pub in Huntsville that currently serves St. Arnold on tap. We serve their seasonal offerings (we just ended Oktoberfest and now have St. Arnold Christmas Ale, once the brew is out of stock we will have St. Arnold Winter Stout).

We also carry St. Arnold Brown Ale and Lawnmower in a bottle. St. Arnold Divine is hard to come by, but we order it as available.



Shiner Bock Marinade for Ribeyes with Grilled Mushrooms & Onions

(as served at The Stardust Room)



Ingredients:

4 -6 Ribeye Steaks (thick cut)

1 yellow onion (sliced in thin rings)

1 package of medium to large white mushrooms (sliced medium/thick)



Marinade:

2 bottles of Shiner Bock

1 cup of Teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped green onions or scallions

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Place steaks in dish deep enough to hold marinade. Rub the steaks with chopped garlic, black pepper and brown sugar. Add the Shiner Bock and Teriyaki. Sprinkle with chopped green onions. Place the mushrooms and onions around the steaks so they touch the marinade. Allow several hours to marinade (preferably 24). Grill or pan sear the steaks to desired doneness, when the steaks are flipped saute the mushrooms and onion mixture in a separate pan if grilling or in same pan if searing in skillet.



St. Arnold Brown Ale Carbonnade Flamande (Pot Roast in Beer)



5 lb chuck roast, bottom round or rump roast

roasted garlic pods (about a dozen pieces)

teaspoon paprika

teaspoon thyme

teaspoon tarragon

teaspoon cayenne

teaspoon rosemary

sea salt & cracked black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs onions, peeled, halved & thinly sliced

6 carrots diced

6 celery stalks diced

tablespoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons molasses

2 bottles St. Arnold Brown Ale

1 tablespoon brown mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons malt vinegar

one package of wide egg noodles



Prep of meat: cut slits in meat and stuff with whole pieces of garlic, rub meat down with the seasoning mixture. Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven casserole pot. Sear meat on all sides. Remove from pot. Add onions, carrot, celery, chopped garlic and molasses, cover.

Allow to caramelize (about 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat). Add the beer and place meat back in pot. Reduce heat and cook on low until meat is tender (about 2 hours).

Remove meat and keep warm. Add mustard and malt vinegar to the dripping and allow sauce to gently boil until it becomes syrupy.

Prepare egg noodles as directed on package. Add cooked noodles to the sauce and then place roast on top. Serve with crusty sourdough bread and green salad.



Shiner Blonde Beans



2 cups pinto beans (soaked overnight)

2 cups red beans (soaked overnight)

2 cups white beans (soaked overnight)

6 cans low sodium chicken broth

6 cups water

2 bottles of Shiner Blonde beer

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 can Rotel

1 can diced green chilies

1 tablespoon pureed chipotle peppers

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

4 cups yellow or white chopped onion

1 cup chopped green onion or scallions

1 cup of fresh chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon cumin

2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

8 pieces of thick cut bacon (cut into small pieces)



In large pot, fry bacon and onions until onions are translucent and caramelized (about 6 minutes). Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low. Allow beans to simmer for several hours or until tender. If more liquid is required, add a little more Shiner blonde.



Shiner Hefeweizen Spice Cake

4 eggs (separated)

1/4 cup natural sugar

1 cup honey

1/3 cup veg. oil

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon all spice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup Shiner Hefeweizen beer



frosting:

1/2 box powdered sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted softened butter

3 tablespoons Shiner Hefeweizen beer

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon ground ginger

milk as needed



In large bowl, beat yolks with sugar until creamy. Add oil, honey beating after each addition. Beat until smooth and creamy. Sift flour, combine with salt, baking powder and spices.

Add dry ingredients alternately with the beer to the sugar mixture, only until blended, do not over mix. Whip egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 inch square or round pans.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in 350 pre-warmed oven (check with toothpick inserted into middle, when it comes out clean, cake is done). Allow to sit for several minutes and remove from pan and allow to cool. Mix all frosting ingredients with a mixer except milk. Add milk as needed for spreading consistency. Frost and stack cake once it is cooled.