Beer Cheese Soup - Round 2! The American Version...

My sister sent me an email a while ago asking for a good beer cheese soup recipe and I knew I had posted one previously and liked it but don't remember it being amazing or anything...(that one is here).

There was a recipe in the ATK magazine recently that inspired me to try again and so I did. It was good but lacked the beer taste and zip of the other soup, however, this one was MUCH creamier and less gritty which I attribute to a bit o' American.

My sister hates american cheese, but M - if you're reading this - just try it! It doesn't taste like yucky american cheese, you just use 3x more extra sharp cheddar and it balances out perfectly - no gritty oily soup!

I'm just going to plug my lodge dutch oven here for a sec...
It's sort of really awesome and I make so many things in it. Perfect for soup and I can finally make rice perfectly!!! I got it as a present from my husband a couple years ago and it was the best thing he's ever given me. He loves technology and so usually gets me gadgets but that particular year I specifically requested this and he obliged. Mine is blue, like above, because someday when I can afford to remodel my kitchen, it will be filled with blue things. My friend just bought one too and I don't know if she loves it yet, but I think she will :)

AMERICAN! Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, chopped fine - about 1 cup
2 carrots, finely diced
1 large celery stalk, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 - 12 oz bottle beer (I actually used miller lite this time since it was all we had - I think the lack of beer taste definitely had something to do with it. ATK recommended Miller High Life! which I thought was funny, but my husband reminded me that it's the "champagne of beers", so hey...who am I to judge.)
12 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz american cheese, frozen for 15 mn and then shredded
2 tsp cornstarch
Salt and Pepper to taste
POPCORN!!! for garnish (Mmmmmmmm)

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until lightly browned, 8 -10 mn. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
2. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, about a minute.
3. Slowly whisk in the broth, beer and milk. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently (do not boil) until the carrots are very soft, about 20 mn.
4. Meanwhile, toss the cheeses together in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the cornstarch and toss until well combined.
5. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until completely smooth (safest done off the stove)
6. Return soup to the stove and simmer over medium low heat.
7. Whisk in the cheese a handful at a time, until smooth.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve garnished with popcorn (lots of it!)

Enjoy!

Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup with Tarragon

I had 2 bags of frozen broccoli in the freezer and we don't really love it around here. I like the fresh, but the frozen stuff usually ends up a little mushy so I figured we'd try to make soup. I found this recipe on epicurious.com and thought I'd mix it up with my beer cheese soup. Seriously, I basically just winged it and it turned out pretty good!

Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup with Tarragon:


Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter (1 stick)
2 - 12 oz bags frozen broccoli, defrosted
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup flour
1 - 12 oz can beer (I used miller lite since it was all we had...ATK recommends Miller High Life!)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz cheddar cheese, finely grated
4 oz american cheese, finely grated or cut into small cubes.

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent but not browned, 5-6 mn. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

2. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, about a minute.

3. Slowly whisk in the broth and beer. Bring to a simmer, then add all but 1 cup of the broccoli.

4. Bring entire mixture to a simmer and reduce the heat to low and simmer gently (do not boil) until the broccoli is soft, about 20 mn.
5. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until completely smooth (safest done off the stove). 

6. Return soup to the stove, add the cream and simmer over medium low heat about 5-10 mn.

7. Whisk in the cheese a handful at a time, until smooth.

8. Add the remaining broccoli and simmer until cooked through, about 10 mn

8. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with homemade crackers!

Beer Cheese Soup - pictures to follow

Beer Cheese Soup

1 large yellow onion, diced

3-4 carrots, diced

3-4 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 stick butter (8 Tbsp)

3/4 cup flour

4 cups milk (whole makes richer soup, skim is healthier but not as good)

32 oz carton low sodium chicken broth

16 oz beer - Ale makes the best soup (I used Sierra Nevada)

2 Tbsp worstershire

2 tsp dry mustard

24 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese (for cost reasons, I usually use 1 lb of the cheap kraft cheese and 1/2 lb of a really good cheddar but you can do whatever)

salt and pepper to taste

popcorn for garnish

1. Melt butter on medium heat in large pot/dutch oven - sautee onion, carrot, celery and garlic 5-7 mn or until soft

2. Turn down heat to low and add flour - stir constantly 4-5 mn

3. Slowly add milk, broth and beer - stir well to combine and bring to a simmer for at least 5 mn or until soup thickens

4. Add worstershire, mustard powder and salt/pepper to taste.

(At this point you can either puree your soup with an immersion blender OR you can just leave it - depends on if you like "bits" in your soup or not. I prefer very small bits, so I usually take a few turns with the immersion blender, but I know people that put it in the blender so it's super smooth and know others that like huge chunks so just leave it - it's totally a personal thing...go with your gut.)

5. Slowly add cheese by the handful, making sure it's melted before adding more. When all cheese has been added, let simmer for at least 10 mn - although I like to let mine sit on low for about a half hour.

6. Ladle into bowls and top with popcorn!

Mmmmmm.....this is the part of living in the Midwest that I DON'T hate when it's below zero :)