Happy Happy Belated Birthday to Me!!

So, I turned 30 waaay back in January. It came, and it went. What can I say? I was lucky to have dinner at the Wild Onion Pub in Lake Barrington (across the street from my neurologist actually) for my birthday. Let me tell you, that was one AMAZING dinner, so good in fact I am writing about it two months later!

I have been trying to get to the Wild Onion for a long time, because I love the Onion’s brews (If you don’t live in the area, you are missing out). I love the Summer Wit, Hop Slayer (it might be my favorite), and I just could not wait to try more. I hadn’t really even thought about the food aspect of it to be honest.

But the food. Omigod! The FOOD! We had the sausage appetizer, a plate of sausages grilled and served with sauerkraut and Hop Slayer mustard. AMAZING. I don’t know what they did to get those sausages, where they got them, or if they made them themselves, but they were amazing, and have launched a subsequent bratwurst binge in my house (that is a euphemism). Both of our entrees were fantastic, and we even ordered dessert (something which I never, ever do) where we shared a slice of euphoria inducing bourbon pecan pie (and then promptly ordered a second slice). If you don’t care about beer (why are you reading my blog?) you will LOVE the Wild Onion. End of story.

BUT, if you like beer, even a little bit… this place will blow your mind and make your taste buds extremely happy. The Onion Brewery makes some very awesome beer (I am repeating myself I know). I had Drago, which was incredible. It is a Russian Imperial Stout (one of my favorite beers) and this would be one I would hand to somebody to make them fall in love with this sort of beer… and then immediately take it back so I could finish it myself.

Of course I also had a Hops Slayer Double IPA

I do give this one out as a gift, because it is so good. Seriously, good.

There are a lot of other beers, seasonal and year-round, that I want to try; and of course there is the sausage plate… so I think I need to go back, maybe when I go for my next neurologist appointment, or this weekend, and next... Who wants to come with me?

PS Do you want to see what I am drinking? Send me a friend request on Untappd, I am hoppybeergirl. You could send one to Blake too… he is addicted to Untappd. 

Beer Brined Smoked Turkey-Cooking with Beer (and fire)

I did something amazing. I smoked an ENTIRE turkey. I was afraid… very afraid. But it wasn’t like I was competing in a cook off or trying to do anything that crazy, and I have a pretty good track record with smoking meat… so I gave it a try.

I came across the Home Brew Chef’s website (which is awesome and you should check it out) and searched his website for a beer turkey recipe… which I found (here it is)

Beer Brine Ingredients:

Beer (about 6 cans is what I used, because that is what I had)

Ice and Water- enough to cover the bird completely and keep it cold while brining

2 Cup Kosher Salt

1 Cup      Sugar

4 Each    Bay Leaves

3 Bunch Thyme, fresh

3 Each    Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped

3 Each    Carrots, sliced

4 Each    Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced

A few big dashes of liquid smoke (I am addicted to using this no matter what)

1 Turkey (suppose you could use a chicken)

A clean cooler or 5 gallon bucket (or cauldron if you have one I suppose) with which to bring the turkey in. I bought one of these bad boys at Home Depot

Mix together the brine ingredients well (excluding the water and ice). Make sure the water and salt is dissolved well. Then add the bird and enough water and ice to cover it completely.

Turkey is covered with brine, water and ice (yes those are flower shaped ice cubes)

Place in the refrigerator or ice cooler for 24-48 hours. My five gallon bucket didn’t fit in my fridge, so I packed ice around it and in it every 4 hours for 24 hours (I was very tired, but food safety is worth it)

Bucket in my sink

You can cook this in the oven just like a regular turkey, and I am sure it would be gorgeous, and delicious. But you know I want to use the smoker as much as I can.

Flaming hickory chunks

I used chunks of hickory to smoke this turkey, I thought I had apple wood as that was one of the recommended woods, but you have to make do with what you have. If you are using chips and not chunks of wood, make sure you soak the chips (Home Brew Chef suggested soaking in the beer you brine in which I thought was genius! So really check it out!)

Bird on fire

My 14 pound turkey took me 9 hours to smoke on low heat (I don’t have a thermometer on the smoker) I pulled it off when the meat thermometer read 165* F. If you don’t know, you need to check the temp of a turkey and chicken in the meat between the leg and breast, which is the densest part of the bird, and takes the longest to cook.

Then I let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving.

The finished product

It was one of the best turkeys I have ever made, and I make a mean Thanksgiving turkey

I used Summer Shandy, I thought that the citrus would make up for the lemon that the recipe called for that I forgot to buy… it was light but still gave the bird a great flavor. I think next time I might try something with a little more oomph, like an Oktoberfest (or even a pumpkin beer!!). I think I would stay away from dark beers; don’t want to overpower the turkey.

Let me know if you try it, and what you think. I have to tell you, I ate my turkey with the New Belgium Pupkick (pumpkin and cranberry) beer.

 I was hoping for a pseudo Thanksgiving thing in my mouth, but the beer fell a little short. It was good, and a bit sour from the cranberries, but not like Thanksgiving…

When You Know, Without A Doubt, That You Are No Longer Cool-And May Never Have Been

If you didn't know, I have a younger sister (6 years younger), who lives in the city, and has cool friends, and a cool apartment, and a few cool jobs, and a cool band. Usually I am just so excited to go see her that I forget that her world, and my world (almost 30, with a soon to be 4 year old, steady job, husband, and no social life that I can escape to without snacks and juice boxes in my purse) seem to get further and further away every time we see each other.

Recently I went to see my sister's band (Property of Saints) play at the Township with 13 Monsters. I was a little worried that I might embarrass my sister in front of her new drummer by falling asleep in the bar (which I did once before at Goose Island but that is another story). Prepare to witness my epiphany-of-no longer-cool.

Conversation between me and my friend Amy at work before going to see my sister:

Me:        I just have to remind myself to have no more than two beers because I have to get up early tomorrow to pick up Autumn from my dad’s.

A:            How early do you have to be there?

Me:        Christie’s band is the last to play, and the first band doesn’t start until 9… so it will be a long night. If I have alcohol on top of that I will fall asleep in the bar (again). Blake still teases me about the last time… but I woke up at 4:30 this morning to take care of his daughter, so I think I deserve to sleep at the bar if I want

A:            Gotcha.

Me:        I really turned into an old person there didn’t I?

A:            I know how you feel. But you have to get over the hump of your normal bedtime. On Saturday, I was exhausted around 9:00 but I got up, started moving around and I was ok.

Me:        That is why I am going to do my best to not drink…

A:            Or wait until later in the night to start drinking.

Me:        Yeah, usually I get handed a beer upon entering a bar… I think that might not work. We are supposed to get there around 8 to eat dinner with the band. I am not sure how to tell them that we are old and usually eat dinner around 5:30/6:00 and 8:00 or later might turn me into a gremlin

A:            City people never eat dinner before 7:00… but then again I normally don’t either.

Me:        That is because you are some sort of Human/City dweller hybrid!

A:            This is true.

Me:        Well I suppose you are mostly human… 

What do you think, does handing out crackers to the hungry people make up for the fact that I put the crackers in my purse for my daughter and make me cool? Does having a beer blog make up for ordering coffee all night at a bar? 

PS, Be sure to go check out both of those bands, and give them a listen... your ears will thank you