Cooking with Nettle Beer

Well i was excited today as my first ever batch of the nettle beer has finished after leaving it for an extra few days as it had a slow start and I must admit that I quite like it. It is a light bronze colour, quite clear and tastes a bit like cider which I actually prefer. I have included a picture of a glass of the finished product garnished with a nettle for artistic flair :0) If you would like the recipe for nettle beer then you can find it in one of my previous posts nettle beer.

Since it tasted better than I thought it would I was inspired to cook with it this evening to see how it added flavour to one of my favourite casseroles. I had some beef skirt so I added 300mls of the nettle beer to the stock and cooked it slowly, adding some vegetables such as potato, carrot and peas. Finally, towards the end when the beef was succulent and the vegetables cooked through i thickened the sauce with a butter and flour mixture known as a beurre manie which is French for kneaded butter. I often use this method of thickening sauces, stews, and casseroles as the butter gives extra flavour and a silky finish to the sauce. I have to say that the smell of dinner cooking was filling the kitchen and if it tasted as good as it smells I would be very happy indeed with the experiment of making the nettle beer. I have posted a picture of the finished casserole and I can tell it tasted delicious and will definitely be trying it with pork cheeks next.

I think I will be busy foraging for more nettle tops in the next week as I am looking forward to making more to both drink and cook with.

If you would like to learn more about my exploits foraging for free wild food and the recipes I have cooked with my herbs and grow your own then please have a look at some of my other posts :)

My Beef in Nettle Beer Casserole

A glass of homemade nettle beer