Super Bowl Recipe: Beer & Cheddar Dip

The Super Bowl is fast approaching. You may have heard me mention my love for football before, but to be honest I'm much more of a college fan than pro. It's just what happens when you grow up in an SEC town. That being said, I never need an excuse to come up with fun new appetizers.

This beer and cheddar dip is the culmination of many other recipes I've made over the years: beer cheese soup, stove top mac and cheese, and nacho sauce. Yes really, it's a combination of all of the above. I created this appetizer with all of those things in mind, using the best parts from each. Even better, it totally worked!

The great thing about this dip is that you don't need a football game as an excuse to enjoy it. It's the perfect winter snack for après-ski or après-work. Technically it's just America's version of fondue. And who doesn't like fondue!?

I'm not sure where I'll be watching the big game this year, but I can tell you one thing, this dip will be making an appearance.

Beer & Cheddar Dip
Serves 4-6

1 cup (8 ounces) evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
10 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup amber beer
2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bacon crumbles and green onions, for garnish (optional)
Pretzels, pretzel bread, or crudités, for serving

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together evaporated milk, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and half of the shredded cheese. Once the cheese sauce begins to warm, add the beer and cornstarch-water mixture (aka the slurry). Whisking frequently, gradually add the remaining cheese and cook until the sauce reaches desired thickness, about 10 - 12 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep warm over lowest heat setting, stirring frequently, until ready to serve. Garnish with bacon crumbles and green onions and serve with pretzels, pretzel bread, or crudités.

Comments (11)

Just a technical question...why a slurry and not a roux? Not that there would be a functional difference I'm just asking why you went in one direction vs. the other.

I believe a slurry is an uncooked mixture, i.e. mixing cornstarch and water. A roux is flour cooked with a fat - butter, oil, etc.

Uh, what? YUM! I've always loved beer cheese soup and this seems like a perfect vehicle for the bread, which is mostly what I ate the soup with anyway (who eats beer cheese soup only with a spoon?).

So trying this out for my next party. Which will not be the Superbowl. Sorry, televised sports events (especially football) do not fly in my household. Even the boyfriend doesn't like watching sports on TV (though he does like playing some of them or watching real-life games).

Can't complain about all the yummy party food that erupts on the internets because of the Superbowl, though!

I believe you've done it again! My husband saw this recipe open on my iPad last night and was VERY interested.

#RickM: I think it's because there's plenty of fat to be found in the cheese already so there's no need to add butter or oil to thhe recipe. :)

how do you think this would be traveling? if i made this before my superbowl party and then heated it up in my crockpot's lil dipper, would it recover from the trip?

Just made it. It's cooling on the stove, and I'm doing my best not to go over and start attacking it with a spoon. Goodness, it's delicious! And it makes so much. I'd say there's at least 3-4 cups o'dip in my saucepan.

Gotta admit, for a second there I was worried it wouldn't thicken up, but I gave it a few more minutes and thicken it did. Hooray! Thanks for this fabulous recipe. Can't wait to share this afternoon!

made this for the superbowl, and am eating it during. GOOODNESS, and the consistency on the stove while on low stays perfect, it doesn't harden, or burn on the bottom.

Definitely a keeper in the dip column :) thumbs up.

I made this over the weekend, but mine didn't come out nearly as smooth! What do you guys think I did wrong? Maybe added ingredients too fast?

Did anyone else have that issue?

On the plus side, it was still absolutely delicious!! I would definitely make this again and hopefully next time, I can have it come out looking a bit more like the photo.

This has already been asked but I don't think anybody answered; how well would this reheat in my Lil Dipper?

I prepared this dip last night and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe!