Jason Greer pours a bottle of Modelo Negra beer into a container of seasoned and twice-ground pork sausage, then begins massaging it, marrying the distinct flavors that beer gives to food. It’s a two-day process that culminates in beer-infused sausage links, which are a new item on the menu at Sugar’s Ribs (2450 15th Ave.).
Beer, he says, gives the sausage the perfect hint of sweetness that he was looking for when devising his recipe for the sausage that, once encased and made into links, will be smoked in-house and become part of a sampler platter that includes Sugar’s smoked ribs and chicken. And in the summer months, “We’ll get creative,” Greer says, adding that Sugar’s patrons may find the beer-infused sausages in the form of hot dogs and more.
“Beer adds a layer of flavor to dishes that water just can’t,” he says. “I don’t know who came up with the idea, but it was probably someone who was drinking a beer while he was cooking and thought, ‘Hmm, I guess I’ll just add some of this in there.'”
There’s a lot of beer brewing in Chattanooga restaurants, and not just beer poured from the taps. We’re seeing brews on menus in many forms, from appetizers and soups to entrees and sides.
Mike’s Tavern