Beer Cheese Soup

 

Football Sunday…gotta feed all the boys.  I have to figure something out every weekend. They watch football all day long and take every opportunity to let me know that they’re hungry.  And when I say “opportunity”, I mean “commercial.”

They.eat.so.much.

This particular Sunday, it’s raining. I certainly don’t want to go the store and it feels like a soup-y day.  I need to figure out a way to combine all the things that men watching football love.  Beer…check.  Bacon…check.  Cheese…check.   I guess the “watching football” part doesn’t really matter here.  Men love this stuff all the time.

Now, if I could only find a few cheerleaders to come by and serve it to them, I’d truly be their hero!

Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

6-10 slices bacon (I like to use the thick cut kind for this recipe)

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add this to taste – if you like it spicy, add the full teaspoon)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup medium to dark beer

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups half & half

1 to 1-1/2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded (I’ve used sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack, also – both are yummy!)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

green onions and croutons to garnish

Preparation:

Heat a large pot on high heat.  Cut the bacon slices into small piece and pop them into the pot.  Cook bacon them until they’re good and crisp. Remove the bacon from pot to a plate – you’ll add it back in later.

Add the butter to the pan drippings.  When melted, whisk in the flour and spices.   What you’re essentially doing is making a roux and then a variation on a bechamel sauce.   (How about that? You’re getting all fancy and French-y in the kitchen!) Add the beer, broth and half & half.  Whisk to combine and bring to a slow simmer.  Add the cheese and whisk again to combine until smooth.  Add the Worcestershire sauce and bacon.

Simmer until you’re ready to serve, stirring occasionally. You can add more liquid (half & half or broth) if it gets too thick.

These soup crocks are perfect for a nice “guy” sized serving! We like to garnish with green onions and croutons, though it’s good all on it’s own.  More bacon and a sprinkle of cheese on top might be good, too.  Heck, a drizzle of beer and a couple of onion rings would even be tasty.

As you might have noticed, this is NOT a soup for those watching their weight or trying to eat healthy.  However, it’s definitely a dish worth eating when you cheat!

 

Beer Cheese Soup 2

 

 

 

44 thoughts on “Beer Cheese Soup – Quick and Easy!”
  1. Anything with bacon has to taste good! Thanks for linking up with the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board!

  2. This looks wonderful. My family loves soup, and cheese. 🙂 So this would be perfect. And, frankly, you cannot go wrong with something that has cheese AND bacon.

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