Michael Symon Pairs Pyramid Beer with Food

If you've ever watched Food Network, you've heard of Michael Symon. He's an Iron Chef and James Beard Foundation Award winner. Recently, he joined with Pyramid Breweries to bring us some food and beer pairings.

Most of us know beer tastes great with food. But did you know it can be used as an ingredient? Using Pyramid Hefeweizen, Apricot Ale, and Outburst Imperial IPA, Symon created three recipes perfect for summer. Click on the links below for the full recipes. Each includes a video demonstration of Michael preparing the dish. I think the Apricot Ale Pork Tacos look particularly intriguing!

What's your favorite recipe that uses beer as an ingredient? 

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Photo courtesy of Pyramid Breweries

Symon Says: Summer Starts with Pyramid Beer Paired Perfectly With Food

Renowned Celebrity Chef Michael Symon offers tips on how to pair beer with food

PORTLAND, OR — Food celebrity and culinary star Michael Symon – known for his award-winning recipes and restaurants– has teamed up with Pyramid Breweries to create three exclusive beer pairing recipes, just in time for summer. Symon worked closely with a cicerone for Pyramid Breweries to build the recipes complementing Pyramid’s signature brews. The program, dubbed “Symon Says,” celebrates great food and beer pairings around social occasions.

Symon, best known for his Food Network appearances, Iron Chef America role and several others, has a love for craft beer that shows. A James Beard Foundation Award winner, Symon has masterfully developed recipes that focus on bringing flavors together to create a unique beer and food experience.

According to Symon, great pairings start with the ingredients. “With food and beer pairings, ingredients are key. When I first sat down with the Pyramid brewing team, we examined the ingredients in its Hefeweizen, Outburst Imperial IPA and Apricot Ale brews and discussed how that translates to food. For example, an unfiltered wheat ale like Pyramid Hefeweizen brings out the flavors of the meat in a great burger. When we created the recipes, ingredients were top of mind,” Michael Symon said.

Symon’s new recipes feature some of Pyramid’s most iconic and popular brews, including Pyramid Hefeweizen (5.2% ABV), Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA (8.5% ABV), and Pyramid Apricot Ale (5.1% ABV). Each beer takes on a life of its own in Symon’s recipes. 

“One of the things that makes Michael Symon perfect for Pyramid is his appreciation for real, authentic flavors and bringing people together,” said Ryan Pappe, Lead Brewer of Pyramid Breweries, Portland. “Pyramid beer is much the same. Bringing our beers to life through Symon’s creativity is just another way we can pair the universal love of food with the universal love of authentic, craft beer.”

Whether you’re entertaining for a small crew or planning a backyard bash, consider trying one of these Michael Symon recipes for your next summer gathering:

• Outburst Bratwurst with Bacon & Onion Chutney featuring Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA. Beer, bacon and brats… not much more is needed for a savory, flavorful experience. Perfect for entertaining friends, the Outburst Bratwurst will quickly become a favorite that will have guests begging for more time and again.  Symon says: Try cooking your brats 75 percent of the way through, and finish them off in a beer bath of warmed Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA. The brats continue cooking, while absorbing the incredible taste of the beer.  Remember, beer is delicious to drink, but it’s also great to cook with. The key: when cooking with beer, use something you like to drink!

• Apricot Ale Pork Tacos are infused with Pyramid Apricot Ale. This tenderized, slow-cooked pork with Pyramid’s Gold Medal Award Winning Apricot Ale is the definition of a true crowd pleaser. The secret behind this dish? The pork is braised in Pyramid Apricot Ale. Just remember, when braising, keep your meat 75 percent covered; do not fully submerge it in the liquid.  Symon says: Nothing goes better with pork than stone fruit flavors – and apricot is tops. Remember to crack open another Pyramid Apricot Ale as you devour these tacos!

• The Lola Burger features Pyramid Hefeweizen. Symon’s definition of a perfect summer afternoon includes firing up the grill with his buddies for this tasty burger, paired with a refreshing Pyramid Hefeweizen. Follow the simple steps, add fresh lemons to a cold Pyramid Hefeweizen, and sit back and enjoy with friends!  Symon says: to make a great burger extra delicious, you need 20-25 percent fat. Try a combination of sirloin, short rib and brisket, and grind coarsely. Don’t pack your burger too tight. Tip: put a thumbprint in the middle of the meat patty, creating a dimple. This helps to prevent the burger from shrinking during cooking.

Consumers interested in trying the Michael Symon food pairing recipes can visit www.PyramidBrew.com/SymonSays  for full details, ingredients and videos. A mail-in-rebate offer also is available at retail or by downloading an online form. Visit Pyramid Breweries for more information or join the conversation at www.twitter.com/pyramidbrew or www.facebook.com/pyramidbrew.