Beer Cheese

This recipe is pretty much straight from the Tillamook website.  The sharp cheddar cheese covers some of the more noisome notes of the beer and the beer mellows the bite of the cheese.  A great combination in my opinion.

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

• 2 T. butter

• 2½ T.  flour

• ½ c. milk

• ¾ c. beer

• 1½ t. Worcestershire sauce

• 1 t. mustard powder

• ½ t. Garlic powder

• 2 c. (8 oz) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

• Pinch of Salt and pepper to taste

Chef's Tip: The cheese sauce maintains it’s best consistency when warm, so if you have a warming dish, small crock pot or a fondue pot, this would be a good time to break it out.

Instructions:

1.       In a sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the butter.  When melted, add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is incorporated into the butter and the two have formed a paste about the consistency of slurry.

2.       Continue to cook and whisk for 2 minutes.

3.       Add milk, beer, and Worcestershire sauce and continue stirring until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

4.       Add the mustard and garlic powder and continue cooking until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

5.       Remove sauce from heat and add the cheese, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly.  Wait for each addition of cheese is fully melted into the sauce before adding more cheese.

6.       Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.