Beer Cheese Fondue
I made this recipe to use up leftover St. Paddy’s Day beer (Smithwick’s Irish Red Ale, specifically), but it’d also make a great app for gathering with friends on the actual holiday. Or on any other day that calls for something comforting and cozy. I’m not here to judge which occasions in your life require beer cheese fondue.
Serves 4. Takes 5 minutes to cook the fondue, and another 20 or so to cook the accompaniments.
Ingredients:
4 oz. Pepper Jacques cheese
1 tsp One Eyed Owl hot sauce (or any of our other Louisiana-style sauces, like Merchant of the Bayou or Truffalo)
1/3 cup Irish Red Ale (or beer of choice)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp olive oil or avocado oil
For dipping: Sourdough bread (cut into cubes), apple slices, roasted baby potatoes, and grilled plant-based sausages, or your picks.
Instructions:
In a sauce pot, sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic in 1 tsp of olive or avocado oil until fragrant.
Add in 4 oz. of Pepper Jacques cheese, and stir to mix until cheese is melted.
Pour in 1/3 cup of beer. Whisk to combine and reduce until the fondue is thick and glossy, and the alcohol has cooked off. About 2 minutes.
Finish with 1 tsp of One Eyed Owl hot sauce, or more to taste. Stir to combine.
Serve hot in a sauce or fondue pot, with wooden skewers and accoutrements for dipping. I served the fondue with sourdough bread, apple slices, roasted baby potatoes, and grilled Field Roast mini sausages. Tofu, roasted broccoli, sliced baguette, etc. would be good too!