Who's to say that you can't have beer with breakfast?Nothing screams "The weekend is here!" like putting beer and bacon in your Saturday morning waffles. You only need to look at a couple of my recipes to know that I'm a big fan of taking straggler bottles and turning them into something interesting.
And, whenever I need to find that something interesting, The Beeroness never seems to fail me. She's got Chocolate Stout Cherry Pie, Beer-Battered Avocado Tacos, and a whole bunch of other dishes that'll make you drool just by reading the titles. I found her recipe for Pilsner Waffles, which recommends using a blonde ale, and my lone leftover bottle of Big Wave Golden Ale seemed like it could fit right in easily.
The original recipe doesn't have bacon, but I decided to add bacon for two very important reasons:
1) Breakfast is better with bacon.
and
2) If syrup is involved, I need to dip some bacon in it. (I'm actually guilty of dipping my bacon in syrup whether there is a waffle or pancake on my plate or not. Fact.)
To start, combine the crumbled bacon with the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
Then, in a separate measuring cup, combine the wet ingredients.
The Beeroness' version only requires milk, egg, and butter. I, however, am never one to waste that smoky bacon fat left in the pan (aka liquid gold), so I used a couple of tablespoons to replace a portion of the melted butter.
The last ingredient is a 12 oz. bottle of Big Wave Golden Ale from Kona Brewing Co, a light-bodied brew with a delicate fruitiness and hint of citrus-y hops.
Last year, while on a 3-hour layover on the way to Kaua'i, I had an ice cold pint glass of this golden ale at the Kona Brewing Co. restaurant. It's touted as a smooth, refreshing beer that goes "down easy after a day out on the water" (or a long day of traveling)...but it's not a bad way to start the day, either.
If booze and bacon aren't enough to make you happy and excited for breakfast, all that you need to do is take a look at this bottle. The turquoise, ocean-inspired label, "Liquid Aloha" inscribed right on the glass, and the fun Hawaiian-Word-of-the-Day underneath the bottlecap...Everybody, take a deep breath and let out a collective "Aaaaaah" as we welcome the weekend.
Finally, to finish up the batter, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the butter-milk mixture.
Add the beer, then whisk to combine. (Mmm bubbles.) The batter may still be slightly lumpy, but all of the dry ingredients should be incorporated.
They come out light and fluffy on the inside and golden-brown on the outside. That layer of melted butter or cooking spray really helps to make them extra crispy on the edges!
These sweet and savory waffles are a perfect weekend brunch item. Serve them with the beer version of a Bloody Mary, the Michelada! The Beeroness has a recipe for a "Brewed Mary," but I also love E is for Eat's Bacon Bloody Mary. (And while we're on the subject, check out the bacon-themed bridal shower that Jaymee put together. Amazing.)
Even after the weekend fun is over and most of the beer is gone, use your leftover bottles to make a delicious weekday breakfast and avoid a bad case of the Mondays. A morning with Beer & Bacon Waffles is a good morning! :)
Big Wave & Bacon Waffles (adapted from The Beeroness)
|
| Print Recipe |
Ingredients:
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 tbsp White Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup Crumbled Cooked Bacon (about 8-10 Bacon Slices)
4 tbsp Melted Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp Bacon Fat
1 large Egg
1/4 cup Whole Milk
1 12-oz bottle Kona Brewing Co. Big Wave Golden Ale
- Preheat waffle iron.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and bacon. In a separate measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, bacon fat, egg, and milk.
- Make a well in the center of the mixing bowl, then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Next, add the bottle of Big Wave Golden Ale. Whisk to incorporate all of the ingredients. (The batter will still be slightly lumpy and not completely smooth.)
- Brush the waffle iron with a little more melted butter or apply cooking spray, then cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Serve waffles with syrup and more crumbled bacon! Enjoy!
