Executive Chef Sam Niemann: Enhancing Traditional Thanksgiving Dishes with Beer

If the thought of cooking Thanksgiving dinner causes you cold sweats and sleepless nights, we have a word of advice: relax. Rather than a source of stress, Thanksgiving preparation can be great fun, especially when the world's favorite beverage —beer—is involved.

We recently sat down with Anheuser-Busch Executive Chef Sam Niemann to gather tips and tricks for making this year's Thanksgiving meal a success. Each day Sam is responsible for leading food and paring events for Anheuser-Busch, developing unique recipes and working closely with the sales team to build strong relationships with chain restaurants to incorporate beer into their recipes and menus.

Read on to find out how using beer as an ingredient in your meal can enhance the tastes and aromas of Thanksgiving dishes.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish and how to do you make it extra special?

Turkey is by far my favorite dish for Thanksgiving dinner. To prepare the bird, I usually rub the outside and inside with olive oil, spices and herbs and then fill the cavity with carrots, celery and onions.

My secret weapon for the dish? I pour Budweiser into the cavity before roasting it in the oven. The beer really brings out the buttery, roasted herb flavor of the turkey.

Another favorite dish is my very own braised Brussels sprouts recipe, which uses Shock Top. It's a perfect side dish for any holiday meal.

Do you recommend those new to cooking use beer in their Thanksgiving meal? Do you have any suggestions for doing so?

Beer is a great way for any home cook to add a bit more flavor to their dishes – most easily by incorporating it into your dessert, which may surprise you. Fruit pies such as pumpkin, cranberry or apple are perfect desserts for incorporating beer.

If you are uncomfortable with adding beer directly into your pie base, adding beer (like Shock Top's Pumpkin Wheat) to your whipped cream can make for a special dessert topping instead.

Do you recommend pairing your meals with the same beer used in your cooking?

For those less comfortable in the kitchen, I suggest using Budweiser or Shock Top in your cooking and pairing the meal with the same beer used in the dish.

If you are a more experienced chef, pairing the Budweiser roasted turkey with a toasted lager or Stella Artois can complement each other nicely. Just because you cook with one beer doesn't mean that you have to pair the meal with the same beer.

How did you come up with these recipes and do you use them at work?

Cooking has always been my passion, even when I was a toddler, so I am always trying new recipes to create and share with others. When experimenting with new recipes, I am constantly looking for unique ways to create the WOW! factor in dishes, by incorporating beer as an ingredient.

With the cranberry relish recipe (below) that includes orange peel and apricots, the citrus notes of the Shock Top enhance these flavors and the carbonation works to smooth out the spicy cinnamon taste to create an awesome sensation.

I try to use all of my recipes at work as well as at home, especially my Thanksgiving recipes, so that everyone can enjoy them!

Do you have an easy recipe to share using beer?

Yes, I love to recommend my Shock Top Cranberry Relish. Nothing too complicated, and perfect for the holiday season.

Shock Top Cranberry Relish

(Serves 8-10)

• 12 ounces Shock Top Beer
• 1 pound Fresh Cranberries
• ¾ cup dried Apricots, diced
• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ cup Honey
• 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon grated Orange Peel

In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients, bring to a boil and stir frequently. Reduce heat to low, partially cover the pan and cook until the cranberries pop open and the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes), stir occasionally. Let cool and refrigerate. Serve chilled.