Stop, Drop, and Roll: Wrap Recipes on the Go

Hungry but don’t feel like a boring old sandwich? Wraps are the answer.

Wraps should really be considered a superfood because they are so incredibly versatile. You can put a completely new spin on a tired sandwich, or make yourself something entirely original. They’re also great because you don’t need two hands to eat a wrap, meaning you have one hand free for your beer…

If you’re looking for the best wraps to pair with a brew, check out these four tasty ideas:

1. The At-Home Chicken Shawarma

The Shawarma is possibly one of the original wraps, with its roots going back centuries in the Middle East. Traditionally, the meat is cooked on a spit over an open flame and strips of the meat are sliced off to fill up the pita or wrap. However, it is possible to mimic the flavors with the right combination of spices and the right extras for your wrap.

First, you need to make your seasoning for the chicken. This should include cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and black pepper all mixed together with oil, lemon juice and garlic. Coat the chicken in the mixture and leave It to marinate – overnight is best. Bake the chicken in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. When it’s done, you can slice it up or shred it for your wrap.

You can get a nice yoghurt sauce to go with the spices or make your own. To do this, mix Greek yoghurt with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. This sauce should go first on your wrap, then the chicken, and finally, some thinly sliced cucumber and cherry tomatoes to finish it off.

Your wrap will pair perfectly with a nice light ale on a hot, summery day.

2. The Breakfast Burrito

This is a classic hangover food for the morning after, but it’s also a great option to fill you up when you’re enjoying a crisp pilsner or two.

The key is to whip up some light and fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon bits and a good, tangy cheese – a mature cheddar or a pepper jack are top choices. You can also double up on the carbs by including some potatoes. It’s best to fry these up in the bacon fat for some extra flavor and crispiness.

Start with cooking up your bacon and then move onto the potatoes. Next, whisk up your eggs with some milk until the mixture is full of air bubbles. It’s best to wipe out the pan or skillet to get rid of the bacon grease and use some butter for cooking the eggs. As the eggs start to form little clumps, add your salt and pepper to season.

Now to assemble!

Start by warming up your flour tortillas and then you can add in the ingredients. Once you have all the warm, cooked ingredients in, you can look to add some avocado for a little extra flavor profile. Hot sauce or some sweet chili sauce also make a great accompaniment to a breakfast burrito and intensify the taste of that pilsner you’re sipping on.

3. The Lettuce Wrap

For those on carb watch, there are plenty of wrap options that let you save the calories for beers. It’s still possible to enjoy all of your favorite ingredients in a wrap, just substitute the actual wrap for a strong leaf. People use spinach, kale and all sorts of other options, but the most popular is the lettuce leaf.

When it comes to lettuce wraps, most people opt for summery flavors or something with a bit of zing or freshness to it. One particularly great recipe is a cilantro lime shrimp wrap that marries perfectly with the lettuce wrap, as well as with a good IPA or a pale ale.

Start by making the marinade of cumin, chili powder, lime juice, garlic, fresh cilantro and some extra-virgin olive oil. Toss the peeled shrimp in the mixture and leave it to soak up the flavor for around 20 minutes. Once it’s ready, you can cook the prawns and sauce up in a skillet over a medium heat. The prawns should take around 2 minutes on each side.

To assemble, lay out your leaves and place some shrimp and sauce in the center. Add in some slices of avocado and drizzle over some sour cream. You can also add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. Next, wrap up the leaf and enjoy.

4. The Philly Cheesesteak Wrap

There’s nothing quite like a beer paired with a perfectly cooked steak and some provolone cheese melted over it. Wrap it all up into a tortilla and you have a great meal that’s easy to eat, and goes brilliantly with a stout or any darker beer.

You always want to start with the right meat and that’s a flank steak. This should be lightly brushed with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper before you add it to the skillet on a medium-high heat. To get it to the right state for a classic Philly cheesesteak, you want to cook it for about 6 to 8 minutes on either side and then let it rest for five minutes on a board.

Next up, cook some peppers and onions in the skillet until they are nice and soft. Slice up your steak and put it back into the skillet to warm through. Then add your provolone cheese to the top of the dish and leave it to melt over a low heat. Finally, warm up your tortillas and get them ready for wrapping.

To assemble, all you need to do is spoon the mixture into the tortillas and wrap them up tightly. They’re also best served warm so make sure you are ready to eat – although the delicious aroma of the cheesesteak will make it impossible to resist.

There you have it, Four fantastic wraps to pair with your favorite beers. Enjoy the best of both worlds as you bite into your wrap and wash it down with a brew that enhances its flavors.

Who said food pairing had to be fancy? The art of beer pairing is simple yet delicious. A beer and a wrap and you’re good to go!