Tavern on the Hill chef and co-owner Gerard Strenger holds a grilled kielbasa sandwich topped with onion-ale sauerkraut. The sauerkraut is marinated in Bass ale. (Photo by April Lisante)

by April Lisante

There are few things more synonymous with football season than beer. We drink it. OK, sometimes we chug it. We tote it along to tailgates. We Birds fans love our beer.

But sometimes, we can elevate our love of the beloved brewski to a whole new level.

We can cook with it.

If your only experience cooking with beer is stuffing a Coors Light can into a Perdue roaster, there is a world of options to help permeate fall dishes with the flavors of your favorite brews, from stews and steaks to desserts.

“Beer is very versatile,” said Tavern on the Hill (8636 Germantown Ave.) executive chef Gerard Strenger. “Beer has a leniency to it.”

Strenger, the Tavern’s longtime chef and co-owner, has a love affair with fall dishes infused with beer. He is running at least four beer-loving meals on the menu right now that use either ales or stouts to evoke the hearty flavors of fall comfort foods.

Now if you’re thinking “Let’s do this!” there are a few caveats. You can’t use just any beer. And you really should pair certain beers with certain flavor profiles and meats.

But first and foremost, don’t drink your beer before you cook, Strenger jokes.

“This could be a recipe for disaster.”

That said, here are a few things to keep in mind.

First, try to cook with a beer you are familiar with and enjoy drinking, Now is not the time to buy high-end stouts and porters that you may not like in your dinner. Even though the alcohol cooks off, the taste remains.

“If you like the taste, you will like the result of your cooking,” he said. “Go ahead and try it, have fun with it.”

Next, try to pair beers with the foods. As a general rule, light beers like lagers go nicely with fish, poultry, pork and vegetables.

The darker beers, like Guinness, and the heavier stouts and porters, are perfect for beef, lamb and game. Think the perfect fall stew. Strenger does a version during the holidays at the Tavern called the Guinness Irish lamb stew.

It is also important to be cautious when you’re dumping beer into pots and slow cookers.

“It does cook off but the flavor can really intensify quickly,” Strenger said.

He recommends shying away from IPAs, or India Pale Ales, because they are quite bitter. If you do happen to get heavy-handed when adding the alcohol (like my Italian grandmother making her infamous Chicken Marsala), you can temper the bitter flavor with a pinch of sugar or a dab of honey.

If you’re on board so far and want to test your skills this weekend for a game-day meal, Strenger suggests marinating strip steaks in beer.

“The sugar in the beer caramelizes so nicely when it is grilled,” he said.

Or, if you want to make something for a crowd and are looking for little or no maintenance, break out the crock pot and marinate beef cubes in beer for a few hours before cooking them.

“Beer is not as acidic as wine, so if you marinate meat and forget about it, it won’t over-marinate,” Strenger said.

Right now, Strenger is featuring a grilled kielbasa sandwich topped with onion-ale sauerkraut. He actually marinates the kraut in Bass Ale. He also deep-fries applewood-smoked bacon in a batter drenched with beer, and he uses beer batter to make a mean fish and chips. The real kicker, though, might be his dark beer-infused bread pudding.

“I think with the beer, it gives it a special kick,” said Tavern owner Kathlyn Egan. “You know there is something different in it, and it’s the beer.”

Still up for trying out a game day meal? Strenger shared his recipe for Slow Cooked Brats N Beer. It requires two, 12-ounce bottles of a nice German beer. What you do with the other four bottles in the six pack is up to you, Eagles fans.

Slow Cooker Brats N Beer

• 3 lbs. pre-cooked bratwurst

• 2 lbs. sauerkraut

• Two 12-ounce bottle German beer such as Becks, or your favorite

• 1 sliced onion

• 2 cloves crushed garlic

• 1 tsp. caraway seeds

• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

• Drizzle of vegetable oil

• 6 to 8 rolls of your choice

• Mustard to top

Saute onions and garlic in the vegetable oil and place in the bottom of your slow cooker. Prick brats with a fork and add them to slow cooker. Add caraway and red pepper flakes. Add sauerkraut with liquid. Add beer, and if necessary, a cup of water to completely submerge brats. Cook on low 4 to 5 hours. Serve one of your favorite rolls spread with mustard.

Serves 6 to 8 people.