Meat and Pale Ale

Beer is a traditional ingredient in many meat dishes, particularly in Belgium and Ireland. The beer adds a note of bitterness to the meal; because pale ale has strong hop bitterness, it's ideal for this purpose. It can be used as a marinade, although, unlike a wine marinade, it won't help to tenderize the meat. It simply serves to add flavor. It can also form part of a stew, chili or a sauce, where it helps bring out the robust flavors of the meat.

Beer and Seafood

Fish and chips is the iconic pub meal, so it's no surprise that beer often turns up in the batter. The carbon dioxide in the beer expands as the batter is heated, making it lighter. With its comparatively high level of carbonation, pale ale is well-suited to this role. Pale ale can also be an ingredient in seafood soups, where it provides a slight note of bitterness to complement the overall fishy flavor.

Pale Ale for Vegetarians

Although many people associate ales and meat, there are many vegetarian dishes that can include pale ale. For instance, pale ale can be an ingredient in the sauce of macaroni and cheese. The hint of hop flavor provides a pleasant contrast to the smooth, creamy flavor of the cheese. Hearty winter vegetable dishes such as squash also benefit from the complexity introduced by the addition of pale ale.

Unconventional Uses

Pale ale can turn up not only in sauces, soups and marinades but in more unusual places. One recipe for caramel corn calls for pale ale as the base of the glaze along with sugar, butter and corn syrup. The bitterness of the ale contrasts not only with the sweetness of the sugar but with the spicy kick added by garam masala.