Craft Beer, Fine Wine, Artisan Spirits, and Mouthgasmic Food.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Roast beef beer bread sandwiches with Independence Brews

With the Superbowl just days away, you might need some finger foods to feed a crowd.  Here's an combination that I haven't mentioned much before (online anyways).  When I used to do water rescue training heavily in the Summers, I frequently brought these roast beef sandwiches to the lake.  Because of that, these sandwiches are a bittersweet memory of my late trainer, Dick Shumer.  Tasting them again reminded me not only of my great mentor, but also of why beer makes things a thousand times better.  Hearty roast beef and mild baby Swiss cheese sandwiched with malty beer bread and spicy, pungent mustard not only makes a great picnic snack, but also a great (and easy) dish for football watching.  I hope you enjoy these sandwiches as much as I have. 

Beer bread roast beef and baby Swiss cheese sandwiches (makes ~8 sandwiches or ~16 sandwich triangles)
  • 1 loaf of beer bread (recipe follows)
  • 1 pound of thinly sliced roast beef (more if you like more meat)
  • 1/2 pound baby Swiss cheese thinly sliced
  • Beer mustard (recipe follows)
I feel awkward writing out steps on how to assemble a sandwich.  Nonetheless, here it is.  Slice bread, dress with mustard (be conservative as my recipe is very spicy), arrange roast beef and cheese on top.  Cover with another piece of bread.  Stuff into your face.  Also, the thinner you slice your bread, the more sandwiches you get to make. 

Beer bread recipe (self-rising version) makes 1 small loaf:
  • 1 cup beer (I used Independence Bootlegger Brown and Austin Amber, separately. Both loaves were soft in texture and malty.  The Amber loaf had a slight hoppy finish.)
  • 3 1/2 cups (or more) self-rising flour
  • 1/3 cup of malt extract (extra pale)
  •  It is okay to substitute honey, molasses, or agave nectar. 
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add more or less self-rising flour to achieve a fairly thick batter.  It should be less thick than bread dough, but more dense than cake batter.  Humidity might also play a role in how much flour you need.  Pour into a greased loaf pan or into a 9x11 inch pan.  This recipe doesn't need to rise. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the center is no longer jiggly. Cool and slice with a serrated knife.    

Independence Bootlegger Brown Beer Mustard (very spicy, will blow your panties off)
  • 1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/2 cup brown mustard seeds
  • 1 cup yellow mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon Oriental mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon malt extract ( I used extra pale)
  • 3/4 cup Independence Bootlegger Brown
Soak the mustard seeds in the beer for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge.  Then add all the other ingredients and mix until it has a smooth paste like consistency (with the grains of mustard seed still intact).  The malt extract can be difficult to mix in, however a fork will help with it.  Allow to sit for 20 minutes so that the flavors can begin the bloom.  Serve immediately or store in a tight jar, refrigerated.  As this recipe is pretty spicy, the Oriental mustard powder can be substituted with the yellow mustard powder to decrease the spiciness.  These powders can typically be found in higher end grocery stores or specialty food stores.  I purchased these spices in the bulk section for less than $4 total at Central Market in Austin, TX. 

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