I was at a restaurant this weekend and ate a delicious soup made with dark stout and cheddar cheese. If there had been bacon salt in it, it would have truly constituted the Trifecta of Wonderfulness.
I’d love to make something similar at home – anyone have a recipe for beer 'n cheese soup?
Actually real bacon in it is awesome. I can’t wait till winter so I can make and freeze a big 'ol batch of beer-cheese-barley-bacon soup. Warms ya up real nice up.
Oh yeah I can give ya guidelines(not really a recipe) for how I make my version of beer-cheese-barley-bacon soup.
Real slab bacon is the best so you can cut it into 3/8 inch chunks, thick cut is next best, then standard wimpy cut bacon.
Brown bacon in a big soup pot(enamed dutch-oven is what I have). When the bacon is just about browned throw in some minced garlic, for a minute or two
Pour in a cup or two of low-sodium(I like to put my own salt-in thank you very much)chicken broth. Throw in the Barley, and lightly boil for about 30 minutes. Turn down to a very low simmer, add a bottle of beer, let get back to low simmer.
Then slowly add cheese. I like about 2 cups of a young cheddar that melts well and smooth. And 1 cup of an old sharper (expensiver :()cheddar. Doesn’t melt as well, but has lots of flavor. Stir it in a small handful at a time, and Don’t let it boil, and be patient to get it all melted in. Once it’s all in let it simmer another 15 minutes. Mean while microwave some butter in a little bowl, Add some flour and mix into a slurry(Tablespoon of each?). Then pour the slurry into a cup of so of milk. Pour the milk into the soup and bring back to temp. Salt and pepper to taste.
(All amounts are best guess aproximations, as I go along by feel. It’s possible this may turn out really thick or thin. If it feels like spackle add more water or chicken stock. It’s also possible I totally forgot something).
Wolfman, thanks for the recipe!
And this is exactly how I cook, too. Or rather, how I explain how I cook.
“Put in enough butter–”
“How much is enough?”
“You know, enough to make it… good.”
ETA: By the way, what kind of beer do you suggest? The kind I had was made with the restaurant’s oatmeal stout and the beer flavor was strong and delicious.
I’ll bet Bass Ale would be pretty good.