Braising with beer is one of the easiest entry points into cooking with beer. One of my favorite recipes is beef short ribs braised with Irish stout. It's pretty simple and takes only about 15 minutes of prep time. Simply sit back and sip some stout while the short ribs braise. Here's how I do it:
Pat dry 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of beef short ribs with paper towels, and season generously with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and just begins to smoke, add the short ribs. Sauté the short ribs, turning until well-browned on each side. Remove to a plate.
Add two cloves minced garlic and half a diced onion to the Dutch oven and sauté until lightly browned, stirring frequently for about two to three minutes. Add a diced celery rib and a diced carrot and cook, stirring frequently for five minutes.
Pour 2/3 cup beef stock into the Dutch oven and stir, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing). Add the ribs back to the Dutch oven, along with 1 rosemary sprig and a couple of thyme sprigs, plus 12 ounces Irish stout, and stir. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
While the stew cooks on the stove, preheat the oven to 380 degrees. Cover the Dutch oven or pot and place it in the preheated oven. Allow the beef to braise until tender, about 2 hours. Remove and discard the herbs. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and/or pepper as needed. Serve with sides such as a crisp green salad, Irish soda bread, pasta or mashed potatoes.