Others; a bitter beer would have to be cooked down for longer in order to break down the bitterness.

WE SPOKE to executive chef at Garden Court Marine Parade, Qhawe Tshabalala and chef Luyanda Mafanya about the dos and don’ts of cooking with craft beer.

TSHABALALA’S DOS

REMEMBER, BEER IS THE ‘HERO OF THE DISH’

A craft beer is generally a great substitute for recipes that require water or stock, which help enhance the flavour.

REMEMBER THAT FLAVOUR COMES FIRST

A great craft beer has a strong flavour embedded in it and with some recipes this is a key ingredient. When selecting your craft beer always consider how the tastes develop during cooking and not just what the beer tastes like.

TSHABALALA’S DON’TS

DON’T OVERUSE BEER

Irrespective of the recipe you’re using, do not drown your food in beer as this could lead to it being destroyed. Always use beer in moderation.

Don’t think that all the alcohol from the beer can be cooked off.

While most of the alcohol will be cooked off, there will still be trace amounts left.

MAFANYA’S DOS

Use it as a substitute for yeast for baking and batters. Using beer in baking enhances the flavours, adds moisture and creates a light and delicate texture.

USE IT FOR MARINATING

Beer tenderises meat and breaks down the tough fibres.

This makes your meat more tender and brings out more flavour.

MAFANYA’S DON’TS

Don’t use just any type of beer for any dish.

Understand what flavours you are looking for before deciding on what type of beer to use.

Some beers are more bitter than

DON’T COOK WITH BEER YOU DON’T ENJOY

DRINKING

If you don’t like drinking it, you will not enjoy it in your meals as the beer amplifies in flavour while cooking.