Big Moments

Two Dad-approved beer recipes for Father’s Day

You can do a lot with beer for Father’s Day – gift it, make a beef and beer pie, and even roast a chook on your favourite can. Treat Dad with these delicious beers.

Read Time 6 Minutes

By First Choice Liquor Market

Wondering what to cook for Father’s Day? This year we’re putting beer front and centre of the celebrations – and not just for drinking. Of course, beer makes an effortless gift, as well as unbeatable drinks choice for your Father’s Day lunch, but you can up the ante on Dad’s favourite beers by adding them to the menu. Whether you go for the chicken or the beef, pale ale or lager, we dish up two great recipes using beer for Father’s Day.

How to make Beer Can Apricot Chicken

This genius way of roasting a whole chicken over beer for Father’s Day is far more than a gimmick. Yes, it looks amazing, but by standing the chicken over a half-full can of lager, the beer gently steams the chicken, keeping it tender and juicy and infusing it with extra flavour. Plus, the beer in the glaze adds a light malty flavour that pairs beautifully with the sweet apricot jam and spicy sambal oelek.

Ingredients (serves 4)

355mL can Wolf of the Willows DAD lager

160g apricot jam
2 tsp sambal oelek
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1.8kg whole chicken

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a roasting pan with baking paper. Pour 160mL of the beer into a small saucepan, reserving remaining beer in the can. Add the jam, sambal oelek and vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the jam dissolves. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins or until mixture thickens and forms a glaze.
Stand the reserved beer can on the prepared pan. Carefully position the chicken over the can so it stands upright. Roast for 25 mins.
Remove the chicken from the oven and brush with half of the glaze. Roast for 15 mins. Brush with the remaining glaze and cook for a further 15 mins or until cooked through, covering with foil if chicken is overbrowning. Remove the can and cut the chicken into pieces.

How to make Beef & Ale Pie

Together, beer and beef make a bromance for the ages. In this beef and ale pie recipe, bacon, onion and garlic provide the flavour base, which is enhanced with chuck steak and malty pale ale. Simmer until rich and tender, then sprinkle over brown sugar to round out the bitterness of the hops. Topped with a lid of golden crispy pastry, it’s a Dad-worthy classic.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tbs olive oil
1.2kg beef chuck steak, cut into 4cm pieces
150g rindless bacon, coarsely chopped
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs plain flour
375mL bottle Coopers Original Pale Ale
500mL chicken stock
60mL tomato passata
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme, plus extra leaves to serve (optional)
3 tsp brown sugar
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, just thawed
1 egg, lightly whisked
Mashed potato, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole pan over medium-high heat. Season beef. Cook, in batches, for 3-5 mins on each side until browned. Transfer to a plate.
Heat remaining oil in the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until onion softens. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min. Gradually add beer, stirring constantly. Stir in the stock, tomato passata, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and beef. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Place a piece of baking paper over the beef and cover with a lid. Bake for 2 hours or until beef is very tender. Add sugar and season.
Set aside for 10 mins to cool slightly. Spoon into an ovenproof dish. Place pastry over the beef, trimming excess. Use a small sharp knife to cut a 3cm hole from the middle of the pastry. Score a spiral pattern into the pastry and brush with egg. Bake for 30 mins or until golden and crisp. Sprinkle with thyme leaves. Serve with mash.

Tip: To save time, skip the pastry topping and serve as a beef and ale stew with mash.

Stock up on these Father’s Day beers

We think the beers you drink with Dad on Father’s Day should honour him by combining a touch of tradition with a splash of novelty. One family that knows a thing or two about great beer is the Coopers clan – they’ve been brewing beer in South Australia for six generations now and the ever-reliable Coopers Original Pale Ale is proof that they’ve perfected their craft. From another independent family-owned brewery, this time in Victoria, Wolf of the Willows DAD lager is a limited-edition craft lager that’s spot-on for Father’s Day. It’s made using a classic blend of Aussie and German hops that give it fruity floral undertones with a hint of melon and citrus.