Ribs and beer go together like salt and pepper, Martin and Lewis, football and Sunday. They’re both OK on their own. But put them together and it’s magical.
Newcastle Brown Ale in a Wellington glass
Malt makes it good
English-style brown ales are most noted for their aggressive use of malt to provide the bevy of flavor. This tends to make them robust, but not defined by bitterness like an India Pale Ale. The malt lends them a distinctive deep-brown/red color and a flavor high on nuttiness with a gentle touch of citrus.
Brown ales are inherently drinkable due to a flavor that doesn’t overwhelm. And, at a moderate 4.7% alcohol content, Newcastle Brown makes for a fine session brew.
A calming effect
Today’s pairing puts Newcastle Brown Ale with a very simple recipe for oven-baked scallion-stuffed beef rolls.
The scallions, ginger, and soy sauce give the rolls a heavily spiced punch.
The Newcastle’s subtle caramel flavors will act as a calming, creamy counterpoint to the intense sodium spice the rolls offer, making for a cool, refreshing finish.
Scallion-stuffed Beef Rolls
Ingredients
- 12 scallions, cut diagonally into 1½-inch pieces
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup dark soy sauce
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 pound beef top round, sliced paper-thin at an angle into 5 x 1½-inch strips
- sprinkle of salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F and place oven rack in highest position. Lightly spray a baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Blanch scallions in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to a boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ginger. Return to heat and boil for 2-3 minutes longer, or until mixture has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Arrange beef slices on a plastic cutting board or piece of plastic wrap. Place one scallion piece across each slice at the end closest to you. Tightly roll up beef around scallion to form a log. Repeat with remaining beef slices and scallions.
- Place beef rolls in a shallow baking dish, seam-side down. Pour marinade over them, turning carefully to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Remove beef rolls from marinade, allowing excess to drip off (save marinade). Arrange rolls seam-side down on prepared baking pan. Bake in oven 4-5 minutes, turning once with tongs, until beef develops a brown crust. Meanwhile, return marinade to saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and set aside.
- Pour warm marinade into a shallow serving dish and arrange rolls in the sauce. Serve warm.
Alternatives
Newcastle Brown Ale is distributed across the United States. However, if you can’t find it where you are, here are some other English-style brown ales that pair well with these ribs:
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