Spent beer grain crackers
, by Nicky Stephens, 2 min reading time
Ever wondered what to do with all that leftover grain from brewing ?Why not try using some of that spent beer grain for making crackers to enjoy with cheese, dips – and, of course, your beer !
Ever wondered how you can use up some of that spent beer grain leftover from brewing ? or maybe you’re an extract brewer and it seems a shame to throw out those used beer grains from steeping ?
Why not try using some of that spent beer grain for making crackers to enjoy with cheese, dips – and, of course, your beer !
OUR RECIPE
What you’ll need:
1 cup well-drained spent beer grain
1 cup plain flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil or soft butter
a little water or beer, if needed
and a cold beer while you’re baking…
Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Line 2 trays with non-stick baking paper.
Squeeze any excess liquid from the beer grain. If it seems a little chunky, or you prefer less coarse biscuits, give the grain a quick whizz in a food processor.
Use your hands to mix the flour, salt and oil with the beer grain – depending how dry the grain is, you may need to add a little water (or beer !) to achieve a workable consistency.
Give the dough a quick knead, then roll on a lightly floured surface as thinly as you can manage. Cut into you desired shapes – circles, squares, or large rectangles for your lunchbox. Expect the edges to be a little rough if you didn’t process the grain first. Carefully transfer the biscuits to your baking trays.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crisp but not overcooked. The time needed depends on your oven and the thickness of the crackers.
Enjoy with dips, cheese, as part of a ploughman’s lunch – served with a cold beer, of course !
A few tips:
– Spent beer grain loses its malty sweetness quickly. Refrigerate some if you plan to bake within a couple of days. If you want to serve to match your beer when it’s ready, freeze cup-portions in the freezer until you want to bake.
– Play with flavour additions to suit your beer and grain. Try caraway seeds, cracked black pepper, or sesame seeds. Rosemary and crushed walnuts go beautifully with blue cheese.
– If you don’t brew with grain but want to bake beer grain biscuits, then drop into the shop and grab a pack of steeping grains.
