Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Internet's Most Popular Beer Bread Recipe




From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This post really should begin with a trumpet blast or drum roll. According to Google.com the recipe for this humble hearty bread is the most popular in the world. The recipe, found here,  was posted by Gerald Norman on Food.com where it has been reviewed by over 600 amateur and professional cooks. A bread quite similar to this one is also featured in Rebecca Rather’s cookbook, The Pastry Queen. The bread is, of course, delicious, but what makes this version of the loaf so singular, is the ease with which it comes together. No special equipment is required to make it, and if you have a bowl, a wooden spoon and a loaf pan you've darn near got yourself a loaf of bread. People tend to complicate simple things, so as you read reviews you'll find treatise-like discussions of what types of beer or flour should be used. Heed them only if you choose. Truth be told, any and all work well, so choose your favorite. I use whatever I have on hand, sometimes that's imported and sometimes it's one of our more humble domestic brews. While I'm presenting a bare bones version of the recipe, finely grated cheese, chives or chili peppers can also be added to the mix. The bread is mildly sweet and hoppy and has a crust that is memorable. Its color and final flavor will depend on the type of beer you use. The loaf is ridiculously easy to make and I think you'll enjoy it as a sometime replacement for corn bread. I also thought it would be the perfect way to introduce a series of ridiculously easy, but simply scrumptious dishes that I'll be featuring this coming week. Here's how the beer bread is made.

Beer Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Gerald Norman courtesy of Food.com

Ingredients:
3 cups flour (sifted before measuring and spooned into cup after sifting)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 (12-oz.) can beer
6 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 loaf pan. Set aside.
2) Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a large bowl. Add beer and mix just until combined. Spoon mounds of dough into prepared pan. Do not level top. Pour melted butter over dough. Do not stir or poke. Bake in middle of oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and place pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan and serve while still warm. Yield: 1 loaf.







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22 comments :

Gloria Baker said...

Look amazing Mary.I would like try this look delicious:)

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Intriguing loaf - pinning it!

Sutapa said...

awesome recipe Mary ..thanks for sharing! happy weekend!:)

Lilli said...

yum!! xoxo

Sprigs of Rosemary said...

I have made this bread dozens of times and added many of the variations you mention -- chives, cheese, olives, dill, etc. -- all with great success. (I was even thinking about making a loaf today to make toasted tomato and cheese sandwiches -- may still.) One thing I found though is that, since there are so few ingredients and it is so simple, you really need to sift the flour so as not to end up with a big biscuit.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

I have several recipes for beer bread and I'm so glad to know someone has narrowed the field down to "the one." You are right - it is ridiculously easy to make, even for a non-baker such as myself. I'll be saving this. Beer bread makes nice toast and a very good sandwich.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend Mary.
Sam

Kathy said...

Mary, I love beer bread…it is so easy to make! I’ve actually made it using blueberry beer and apricot beer…throwing in a handful of blueberries or chopped dried apricots. Absolutely wonderful!! Your loaf looks perfectly delicious! Great post!

Barbara said...

Yes, I've read about this bread, Mary. I think I pinned it recently too. Pleased you liked the recipe, I'll be sure to try it this fall. The additions would be perfect.

Red Nomad OZ said...

A simple beer bread recipe?? Every Aussie who tries this will buy a 6-pack to make sure there's enough!!

PS An Aussie 6-pack is 6 bottles of beer, not a washboard stomach!!

teresa said...

I found this recipe a few years back and just love it. Up until then, I was spending $$$ on the tastefuly simple beer bread kits. Once I found this, my son was making it up every other day. He is one of those "the type of beer makes the bread" type folks (a lot to learn yet at 17) but its not the best beers he likes to use. His preference is cheap, High Life. Says that bread is the only thing those cans are good for LOL.

My Unfinished Life said...

this is easy!!!.....

am a bit afraid of baking any type of bread..but since you are saying that this one is easy...maybe its time for me to give baking bread a try!!

http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I love these quick breads Mary. If I remember that far back I do believe that a beer cheese bread with garlic was the very first bread I ever baked as a teen.

Cranberry Morning said...

I'll have to try that! It sounds like baking powder biscuits with a twist, plus a nice, crusty top. That would be my favorite part. :-) Thanks for the recipe.

Shug said...

Bread is my downfall. love it!
Have a blessed day...
shug

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

Now here's a great way to use up that stray bottle of beer that's been in my refrigerator forever!

David said...

Mary, Simple and sooo good! I like the crusty top and we like it with cheese added. Spread it with butter and it's practically a meal in itself... Thanks and Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

the wandering fork said...

WOW that looks sooo good!

Clau said...

Hummmm isso é muito bom!Eu já amo pâo....e com cerveja deve ficar melhor ainda!Abraços.

Tender B. said...

I totally hear some drums rolling in the distance.

Kit @ i-lostinausten said...

Very interesting & looks really good too! Bookmarking this recipe! Thanks for the sharing! :)

Jenni said...

I have made this bread! It is indeed so easy and SOOO delicious! :)

Veronica Miller said...

I looove beer bread. I now add an egg (Please try it!) and stir the butter into the batter (a whole stick-hehe) because it makes it soooo soft and it actually stores well, whereas it gets kinda dry after storing without the egg. I love making this b/c it's so much faster than yeast bread, but you still get that satisfying yeasty flavor from the beer!

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