Beer Cheese Dip

paula

13 years ago

I have been trying to recreate a beer cheese dip/sauce that one of my favorite German restaurants serves. My latest version turned out to be very tasty! The mixture of the different cheeses along with a light flavor of an ale really worked.

One of the keys to a smooth cheese sauce is to slowly melt the cheeses and have a white sauce base (flour and butter) and/or used some processed cheese (Velvetta, etc). Although it won’t separate, it does need to be kept warm so it won’t become too solid for dipping.

Recipe: Beer Cheese Dip

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Wondra or All-Purpose flour
2/3 c. milk
3 oz. beer
3 oz. cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
2 oz. Velvetta cheese, cubed (small)
3 oz. Gruyére, Jarlsberg, or good quality Swiss cheese, shredded
pinch of salt, to taste/li>
pinch of paprika, to taste

Instructions

Melt butter in a saucepan.
Add flour and cook until a light brown paste (roux) is achieved.
Slowly add beer then milk, stirring constantly ( a whisk works best).
Add cheeses a little at a time until they are totally melted and mixture is smooth.
Add salt and paprika to taste.

Notes

Use quality cheeses.
DO NOT USE shredded cheeses from bags. Pre-shredded cheese usually contains ingredients to keep it from sticking together, etc. and does not melt as well.
Cook over medium-low heat and slowly melt cheeses a little at a time for best results.
Keep warm to keep dip in melted form…it will set when cooled.
The beer will not add much alcohol to the dip once it is cooked. It will add flavor so, choose your ale,stout, etc. to your taste.

This dip is great with pretzels, chicken tenders, bread sticks, apples, ham cubes, and veggies.

Enjoy!