The Best Kind of Beer for Cooking Corned Beef

Corned beef is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for cool weather meals. While corned beef can be cooked in water or broth, many cooks prefer to use beer when preparing this classic dish. The beer adds great flavor to the meat while also helping to tenderize it. But with so many beer styles available, what kind of beer works best for cooking corned beef?

An Overview of Corned Beef

Before diving into the best beer options, let’s first take a quick look at what exactly corned beef is. Corned beef starts with a tough, lean cut of beef, usually brisket or round. The meat is cured in a brine solution containing salt, spices, and often nitrates. This curing process both flavors the meat and tenderizes it through the salt. The term “corned” comes from the coarse salt kernels historically used to cure meats.

After curing the corned beef is cooked through methods like boiling simmering, or braising. Traditional corned beef dishes often include root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and cabbage simmered right alongside the meat. The finished dish has a distinctive salty and savory flavor profile.

Why Cook Corned Beef with Beer?

While corned beef can certainly be cooked in plain water, the addition of beer offers some major benefits:

• Enhanced flavor – Beer introduces new flavors and aromas that water alone cannot provide. The maltiness, hops, and yeast notes add character and depth.

• Extra tenderization – Beers contain acids and enzymes that further break down the meat tissue, beyond the tenderizing effect of the initial brining.

• Moisture retention – The brewing ingredients and alcohol in beer help keep the meat juicy and prevent it from drying out.

• Simpler cooking – With the flavor and moisture benefits of beer, other seasonings are needed less

So it’s easy to see why beer is a popular cooking liquid for corned beef. But are there certain beer styles better suited for the job?

The Best Beer Varieties for Corned Beef

While personal taste will play a role there are some general beer style guidelines to follow for the best results

Go for Rich, Malty Brews

Beers on the richer, malt-forward side tend to work better than light, crisp ones. The bolder malt flavors pair well with the salty, savory corned beef. Some top examples include:

• Stouts – Irish stout like Guinness is a natural choice, with its Notes of coffee, chocolate and roasted grain.

• Porters – Like stouts, porters feature robust maltiness and subtle sweetness.

• Brown and Amber Ales – The nutty, toasty aspects enhance the meat.

• Bocks – Strong malty and melanoidin flavors complement corned beef.

Avoid Overly Hoppy or Bitter Beer

While hops can provide interesting flavor, beers on the very bitter side are less ideal for cooking. The bitterness can become concentrated and overwhelm the other flavors. It’s best to avoid very hop-forward styles like:

• IPAs
• Imperial/Double IPAs
• Pale Ales

Select Clean Fermenting Lagers or Ales

Beers that undergo clean, neutral fermentations make good cooking beers, as any off flavors will become more noticeable. Styles like Pilsners, Amber Lagers, Blonde Ales, and Cream Ales are safer bets.

Use Flavorful Adjunct-Laden Brews with Caution

Beers featuring adjuncts like coffee, fruit, spices, or vanilla can add their own complexity. But some flavors may clash with traditional corned beef seasonings. Proceed with care when cooking with beers like:

• Coffee Stouts/Porters
• Fruit Lambics
• Spiced Ales
• Vanilla Porters

Check the Alcohol Content

Higher alcohol beers will impart more of that alcohol taste. For most cooking, an ABV of 6-8% is ideal. Stronger beers like Barleywines may provide too much boozy flavor.

Other Considerations for Choosing Beer

Beyond the style, there are a few other factors to think about:

• Freshness – Choose the freshest beer possible. Aged or oxidized beer introduces off flavors.

• Packaging – Bottled beer is best. The dark environment prevents lightstruck flavors.

• Carbonation – Moderately carbonated beers work well. Avoid flat or highly carbonated brews.

• Color – Deeply colored beers like stouts may tint the broth, if that’s a concern.

• Price – Save premium craft beers for drinking! Cheaper beer brands are fine for cooking.

Recommended Beer Brands

It can be hard to go wrong when cooking corned beef with beer. But here are some widely available brands that are dependable choices:

• Guinness Draught – THE classic Irish stout for corned beef. providing bitter chocolate and coffee notes.

• Murphy’s Irish Stout – Smooth, sweeter stout with hints of cocoa and malt.

• Samuel Adams Boston Lager – A Vienna-style lager with robust, bready maltiness.

• Newcastle Brown Ale – Nutty and mildly sweet British brown ale.

• Bell’s Amber Ale – Well-balanced American amber with light citrus hoppiness.

• Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel – Rich, chocolaty German brown lager.

• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – A moderately hoppy pale ale that adds a floral complexity.

Cooking Tips for Corned Beef with Beer

Once you’ve selected the perfect beer, here are some tips for infusing the meat with maximum flavor:

• Use a ratio of roughly 2 parts beer to 3 parts water or broth. Too much beer can make the dish bitter.

• Add aromatics like onions, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves to the poaching liquid.

• Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer – boiling will cause the beer to overflow.

• Turn the meat occasionally for even cooking.

• Add root vegetables in the last 30-60 minutes so they don’t overcook.

• Let the cooked corned beef rest at least 10-15 minutes before slicing for juicier meat.

• Save some of the broth for making sauces, gravies, or au jus.

Alternative Liquids for Poaching

While beer is the most popular, corned beef can be simmered in other flavorful liquids too:

• Beef broth or stock
• Stout or porter
• Apple cider or hard cider
• Wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel
• Black coffee or cold brew

The options are wide open for experimentation beyond plain old water. Just aim for liquids that will provide aroma, extra moisture, and pleasant complementary flavors.

Enjoy the Perfect Plate of Corned Beef

With its tender and salty meat, corned beef is truly comfort food at its finest. An excellent beer braising liquid takes the flavor to the next level. Hopefully these tips help you choose an optimal brew and cook up the perfect plate of corned beef. From stouts to lagers and beyond, grab a great beer, gather some root veggies, and get ready to enjoy!