Chili Beer Sauce

[Chris]

This is great if you have a chili bush covered in the little red buggers.

10 birdseye chili (seeded if you don't like the heat)
1 cup of English brown ale (or maybe even stout)
1 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tbsp maltodextrin (optional)
1 dash Worstershire sauce
1 big pinch salt

Simply puree the chili and combine with the malt vinegar, Worstershire sauce and salt.
Add maltodexrin and mix well. If the mixture is too dry, add some of the ale. Aim for a thin paste consistancy.
Reduce the remaining ale over low heat until it starts to thicken slightly.
Add the paste to the reduced ale and heat, stirring constantly for a few minutes, again until it begins to thicken.
Then just bottle (or put in a jar) and enjoy!

It is great on steak and lamb chops, as well as in pies and soups.

[drsmurto]

I made a gravy recently with my dark ale. Only problem is its 40 IBU so when it reduces to a syrup its so bitter its like sucking on a tea bag..... threw it out. Something in the low 20s would be ok.

Mmmmmmm. i have a freezer full of birds eyes......

[KEG]

birds eye chillis or birds eye fish fingers?

good looking recipe, Chris. one question though - with that much chilli, can you notice the ale? i've got no aversion to hot and spicy, but i figure that if you want it mild and only use a little bit in your cooking, you won't notice the ale - and if you want it hot, then the heat might drown it out... or i could be way off.. used it in much yet?

[Chris]

When used in cooking, you don't really ge much ale flavour- it generally just adds to the richness.

You can taste it coming through when used as a sauce- helped along by the salt and vinegar. They bring the ale flavour forward.

[homebrewer79]

I'll be giving that baby a crack. mmmmm I've got a very rich choccy Porter that might go well. We really do need a drool icon

[Chris]

A choc porter sounds like a winner.

[Clean Brewer]

Whats with this oitthuuu person, is this spam, looks like it???????????

[gregb]

Was spam. Is gone.

Cheers,
Greg

[drsmurto]

My jalapeno bushes are succumbing to the cold finally. There are still dozens of chillies on the bushes, some red, some green. Been meaning to make a sauce out of them as thick skinned chillies like jalapenos cant be dried, they rot. My dark ale on tap is 32 IBUs so may be ok if i dont reduce it too much!

Would love to replicate the new beerenberg sauce - Coopers ale BBQ sauce - Linky

Where to find the natural smoke flavour they list in the ingredients..... ??????

[Chris]

Doc, if you want dried or smoked chili, do it yourself!

BBQs are great for both (if you have a roasting hood), or you can do it on the stove. Let me know if you want to know how.

And jalapenos are great pickled if you want to preserve the buggers. Really easy to do too.

[drsmurto]

Doc, if you want dried or smoked chili, do it yourself!

BBQs are great for both (if you have a roasting hood), or you can do it on the stove. Let me know if you want to know how.

And jalapenos are great pickled if you want to preserve the buggers. Really easy to do too.

Pickled the first 2 crops, am really keen on making some chipolte so any clues as to how i can turn my hooded bbq into a smoker is greatly appreciated!

[James L]

you can get smoking wood chips from bunnings... i think they best work with a small weber/charcoal bbq, but it might be worth a look...

[Chris]

What you do is get some of those smoke chips and wrap them in aluminium foil, sit them on the plate (with burners on), and put the chili onto the side that the burners are not on. Once the lid is down it starts to smoke after about 10-15mins. Then just turn the gas right down and let the smoke do its work.

Once the chili have been smoked (a good hour minimum) I like to give them a few quality minutes on the hotplate.

If you are happy to spend the money you can buy a smoke box- I got mine at Aldi for $10. It's better than the Al foil.

[drsmurto]

Cheers for that fellas!

noticed in the latest home hardware catalogue a weber type bbq with an add on smoker kit for $100. Been meaning to buy one but webers cost >$250 and are a complete ripoff IMHO. I recall paying 10 quid for the same thing in the UK only a few years ago.

[Chris]

Webers are incredibly overpriced! You really are buying a brand name, not a bbq.

$100 for a 'smoker kit'? What a rip-off!

I only bought my $10 smoker box to save on Al foil. $100 buys a LOT of foil!

[drsmurto]

oops, add on smoker kit brings total cost to $100!

Sorry for the ambiguous post Chris, my bad.

i agree, weber is a label.

[Chris]

i agree, weber is a label.

It's too bad, as they still make pretty good bbqs. It's funny how they were originally made to be a cheap bbq option. Now they cost more than a 'regular' bbq.

[Chris]

A new variation on the last recipe- added a bit of raw sugar and pectin powder. Chili beer jam. Tasty.

[KEG]

drsmurto, chuck a chilli in a bottle of lager (or maybe a few bottles) and see how it turns out after a few months

[Kevnlis]

I saw a chili beer in Dan Murphys yesterday. Not real sure who makes it but it was called Firefly. They also had a beer called Bluebottle.