A twist on comfort food: Guinness Gravy

Cooking with beer is a great way to add flavor and depth to a dish, and there are many hearty comfort foods for winter months that can be enhanced with beer.

A classic Irish dish we love is bangers and mash, which of course is sausage and mashed potatoes. It’s a warm, hearty dish for the cold weather.

Bangers and mash is often served with a gravy, and we’re going to take the gravy recipe to the next level – and tie in more Irish heritage – by making a Guinness gravy. Guinness is a classic Irish stout, and it’s a great ingredient for cooking and baking, as well.

You’ll want to make your mashed potatoes ahead of time. Then take your cooked sausages and sautée them in a pan with a little bit of olive oil to crisp up the skins. Place them in aluminum foil to keep warm.

Now here’s how to make the Guinness Gravy:

  • In the same pan, over medium heat, add 4 tablespoons of butter.
  • Once melted, whisk in 1/4 cup of flour until melted and smooth.
  • Then slowly pour in 2 cups of Guinness stout and 1 cup of beef stock while whisking continually. The Guinness is going to add a richness to the gravy with notes of roasted-coffee and chocolate.
  • Now add in 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and ½ teaspoon of onion powder.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Bring the gravy to a boil, until it starts to thicken. Then you can add your sausages in to rewarm them.

Finally, serve the sausages and gravy over the mashed potatoes.

When cooking with beer, the alcohol is cooked away so the food is family friendly. But for adults who enjoy a beer, pairing this meal with a Guinness will complement the flavors and bring out some of the warm roasted notes in the gravy.

There are lots of options to enhance your favorite dishes by cooking with beer. Just remember that if you are going to pair your food with a beer, remember that the best recipe for a great dinner is to drink responsibly and designate a sober driver.

Watch the video below to see Rachel Duke make this gravy on WVLT Channel 8.