Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Soup
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
4 Cups Chicken Stock - can substitute vegetable stock if desired
1 Bottle (12oz) Beer - any amber, blond, or pale ale (I like Fat Tire®)
1 Large Carrot - diced (apx ¾ cup)
½ Large Red Bell Pepper - cored and diced
Kosher Salt to taste (apx 1 tsp)
Ground White Pepper to taste (apx ½ tsp)
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbs Dijon Mustard
2 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
4 Tbs Salted Butter - OPTIONAL-
⅛ tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
A Dash of Favorite Hot Sauce (I use Franks® OR Tabasco®)
1 ½ Cup Heavy Cream - can substitute half-and-half if desired
1 lb Sharp or Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Grated
3 Tbs Cornstarch
-OPTIONAL GARNISH-
Additional Grated Sharp or Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
A little Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Popped Popcorn (I know it sounds strange but it is common in Wisconsin! - Give it a try)
Preparation:
- Place chicken stock, beer, carrot, bell pepper, salt, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, butter (if using), nutmeg, and hot sauce into the slow cooker (Crock Pot®) and cook covered on low for 6-8 hours (high for 3-5 hours) until vegetables are very soft
- After appropriate cooking time, switch slow cooker to high (if not already) - Add heavy cream, mix to combine, and allow to come back to temp (apx 10-15minutes)
- Whisk a handful of the grated cheddar cheese into the soup until completely melted and smooth - Repeat until all of the cheese has been incorporated
- Mix cornstarch with ¼ cup water to make a smooth slurry - Add to the soup and thoroughly combine
- Using an immersion blender*, purée until VERY smooth
- Allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes after blending to allow cornstarch to thicken
- Adjust seasoning - Adjust thickness (if too thin, allow to cook uncovered for a while longer - if too thick, thin with a little heavy cream/half-and-half or chicken stock)
- Garnish and serve Hot with a good 'hunk' of crusty bread OR in a bread bowl (pretzel bread is best if you can get it!)
*
Transfer to a blender (in batches if necessary) as alternative and return to slow
cooker
