With the baseball playoffs here and football seasoning in full swing, chances are you could find yourself looking for something to make while you are watching the big game. Last night we had a crew over and I decided to make up a pot of beer cheese soup. We served it with soft pretzels, popcorn and I ate way too much! I think I could’ve called it “best ever”, but I don’t want to come off as too confident. But really, you know it’s going to be good if the recipe begins with 2 sticks of butter, right?
Really Good Beer Cheese Soup
2 sticks butter, unsalted (16 tablespoons)
2 cups yellow onion, small dice
1 cups celery, small dice
4 cloves garlic, fresh, minced
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons chicken soup base (I use Better Than Boullioun)
12 ounces lager beer (I used Sam Adam’s)
3 cups milk (2% or whole)
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese
2 pounds sliced American cheese
3 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons ground mustard
popcorn or soft pretzels for serving
Directions:
In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the butter, onions, celery, and garlic over medium heat and cook them until the onions are translucent and the celery is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or just until the mixture no longer smells like “raw flour”. If the mixture starts to darken, turn the heat to low. Increase the heat to medium and whisk in the water, soup base, beer, and milk. While stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Add cheese and remaining ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Keep the heat on low until you are ready to serve. (You won’t want to heat the soup too much because it will cause it to break and become grainy)
Serves 12 (6 quarts)
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