We just returned from a trip to the Smoky Mountains. From where we stay, on a mountain top staring directly across to Mt. LeConte, it’s easy to forget that the town of Gatlinburg is only a few miles away. With a stack of books and movies, some knitting supplies, good friends, and a full fridge, I could easily nestle in for a while. That is, if it weren’t for that damn beer cheese! Yes, truth revealed, we all have a serious crush on the Warm Beer Cheese served at a local brewery. The first time I ordered it, the cheese was served on a bowl of steaming hot broccoli. My husband believes broccoli to be the spawn of the devil and claims that even the smell is enough to destroy all the happiness in the world…. BUT, he kept looking at that cheese. Finally, in a move so bold I was rendered speechless, he dipped his pizza crust into the cheese and ate it - even with bits of broccoli still visible. That is the best way I can describe how irrestible this stuff is. Of course my husband was thrilled to discover that you can order it with pretzels and no broccoli, so we had to add a special trip down the mountain to our usual vacation agenda for a Warm Beer Cheese fix!
On this trip time I was determined to get a handle on the recipe. I had asked before and was nearly laughed out of the restaurant. That particular recipe is a secret they will not part with. This time I went for subtlety I started by asking about the cheese. The waiter said it was white American. I’d never heard of such a thing but trust me, it’s out there. A bit later I asked if they used any other cheese. Answer, “Nope.” Me: “So its just beer and cheese?” Waiter: “Nope.” Me: “So what else is in here?” Waiter: “Seasoning.” This was actually a pretty long conversation for wait-staff in East Tennessee so I decided to be grateful for the info I had and get a “to go” container of the dip. Then I went to work. We tasted a lot of Beer Cheese Dip experiments but now I’ve got THE recipe that we love. I want to say that mine may even be just a tinny tiny bit better, but I guess that’s too much bragging.
Here’s a tip – it’s great on broccoli (well I think so) and we make a sort of version of soft pretzels with pizza crust dough, but it’s also fabulous with a bit of grilled flank steak or some roasted potatoes. Actually it’s perfect with all of them! So go ahead and throw a Warm Beer Cheese Party! You’ll be ever so popular.
Ingredients
2 cups white American cheese (I think you could use a mild cheddar or just plain American cheese)
½ cup half & half or whole milk
½ cup dark beer
½ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp dry mustard
½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
A few drops of hot sauce
Directions
In a double boiler melt cheese with half & half.
In a small bowl mix beer and remaining seasonings.
Using a wire whisk, stir beer mixture into melted cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (You can microwave the dip at this point, but I love to bake it for the slightly browned crust.)
Pour cheese into individual ramekins or into one large one.
Bake for 20 minutes until bubbly.
Serve with any of the following: pretzels, French bread, sausages, steak, veggies, and apple or pear slices. Delicious!
