Variety of beers to grill meat well

Memorial Day, the unofficial start to the grilling season, is also a great time to explore the link between brews and barbecues.

A high-quality beer is more than a thirst-quencher when you’re facing the heat. Beer heightens the flavor of anything you are grilling. Because there’s such variety to beer, you can appreciate the subtle differences in your grilled foods, according to Dan Gordon, co-founder of Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in San Jose, Calif.

There are some rules to cooking with beer, just as with other spirits, says Mr. Gordon, whose expertise is German-style beers.

The first is, don’t skimp.

“You want to have a good-quality beer for cooking, as for drinking,” Mr. Gordon says. “Don’t use old beer that’s been sitting in the fridge for 2 years.”

Next, match the style of beer to the dish.

Bitter and highly hopped beers might not be your best choice in recipes, says Mr. Gordon, who is a cook as well as director of brewing operations. The bitter taste doesn’t diminish when the beer is cooked as part of a dish. If you don’t want that sharp flavor, opt for a milder beer, such as a lager, which has a smoother, rounder profile.

For baby back ribs, Mr. Gordon suggests braising the ribs in a combination of half beer and half water before grilling the meat.

The beer should be on the mild side, not bitter. His formula for barbecue sauce includes beer along with sauteed onions, molasses, chipotle chilies and a commercial barbecue sauce.

Mr. Gordon even includes beer in an unusual and delicious appetizer called obatzda, a Bavarian cheese spread. Here is his version of the combination of brie, butter, seasonings and a little wheat beer.

Obatzda

3 ounces ripe brie or Camembert cheese

1/4 cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

2 tablespoons Gordon Biersch Marzen or other mellow lager

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

Dash of cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 shallot, minced

Several small romaine lettuce leaves or 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into lengthwise wedges

German sourdough rye bread or whole grain bread

Remove the rind from the brie and cut the cheese into chunks. Place in a food processor with the butter, beer, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and shallot. Process until finely mixed, but not a paste.

To serve, arrange lettuce leaves or bell pepper wedges in a spoke design on a serving plate.

Spoon the cheese mixture into the center. Pass bread separately. Makes 2 servings.

Bev Bennett is the author of “30 Minute Meals for Dummies” (John Wiley & Sons).

TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES