Cooking with Beer - Drunken Pork Chops

The Yuengling brewery is located in my home state of Pennsylvania; Pottsville, Pennsylvania to be exact.  It holds the distinction of being the oldest brewery in the United States and is the second largest American-owned brewery . . . second only to the Boston Beer Company, makers of Sam Adams beer.

Starting in 1829 the founder David Yuengling, a German immigrant, made beer for thirsty coal miners in Pottsville.  In the 1940’s Yuengling was a struggling company barely making ends meet. Now it’s sells 1% of the country's beer.  And for good reason . . . it’s good beer!

Yuengling, pronounced ying-ling,  is German for "young man"; which is appropriate considering that it’s a family owned company that changes ownership by the offspring of the previous owner. However, currently there are no more young men to carry on the family tradition -- only young women.  The current owner is training his four daughters the ins and outs of the brewing business and one day they will take over . . . will the brewery then change it’s name to Yuengdame?

Just askin’  . . .



















Yeungling Drunken Pork Chops

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Unsalted butter
5-6 Pork Chops- Bone-In or Boneless
Salt And Pepper To Taste
1 Bottle Of Beer (The Darker The Beer, The More Flavorful The Sauce. I Used Yeungling Black And Tan.
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Ketchup
Bread Crumbs

Marinate the pork chops in the beer overnight.

Coat the chops in the bread crumbs.  Reserve the beer.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Place the breaded chops in the skillet and brown 10 minutes on each side.
















While the pork chops are browning, combine beer, ketchup, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil and turn down to a simmer.

Remove pork chops from the pan.  Pour the sauce into the skillet. Stir to loosen up the browned bits. Bring to a high simmer and thicken the sauce a bit. In a small cup, combine 1 TBSP of cornstarch in 1/4 of water. Stir to combine and add to boiling sauce, whisk so no lumps form.

Serve the chops with mashed potatoes or rice. Top with the thickened sauce.

Knitted Beer Socks

The following is a simple pattern for Beer Socks. The finished material is stretchy enough to fit most beer cans and bottles. The socks help keep your beer cold with the added benefit of keep condensation off your hands.

This is a simple pattern that requires basic knitting skills.  Once you get started, this is a quick project; the hardest part is knitting in the round.

The yarn pictured here is Sensations Smania Yarn which is a ribbon type yarn, but you can use any medium weight wool blend or cotton blend yarn. You can make about 4 - 6 beer socks from one skein of this particular yarn - figure 24 yards for each sock.








You will need:

• a set of 4 size 6 US double pointed knitting needles
• a stitch marker
• scissors and yarn needle

Cast on 36 stitches. Evenly distribute your stitches onto 3 double pointed needles - 12 stitches per needle. Join in round; be sure to arrange the stitches so that they are not twisted. Place a stitch marker if desired to mark end of round.

Using the free needle, knit the first stitch. Pull the loop on the right needle through the stitch on the left needle.

















Continue knitting with the free needle in a ribbed pattern - knit 2, purl 2 around - working the stitches on the left needle.

When all the stitches are worked off the left needle, that one will become the free needle and work the stitches off of the next needle in the "triangle".

When you get to the stitch marker, you've reached the end of the first row.

Continue working in the established ribbed pattern for 3.5 to 4 inches.

Bind off loosely. Cut yarn and weave in ends.