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- 1
Make the cheese toasts
Slice the baguette into 12 half-inch rounds and lay them on a baking sheet. Spread each with a little garlic butter and scatter 2 ounces of the shredded cheddar over the top. Broil about 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and bubbly, then set aside.
- 2
Crisp the bacon
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Move it to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, but leave those drippings right in the pot — that's where a lot of the flavor lives. Once cool, crumble the bacon.
- 3
Soften the vegetables
Add the butter to the bacon drippings. Dice the onion, finely chop the celery and carrot, and mince the garlic, then add them all to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened.
- 4
Build the roux
Stir in the flour and mustard powder and let it cook for 1 minute to shake off the raw-flour taste. It'll look like a thick paste coating the vegetables — that's exactly right.
- 5
Add the liquids
Slowly whisk in the beer a little at a time until smooth, then whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream in small additions. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, smoked paprika, and thyme.
- 6
Simmer until thick
Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking as you go. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and fish out the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- 7
Melt in the cheese
Set aside a small handful of the cheddar for topping. Off the heat, stir the remaining cheese into the soup a little at a time until it's fully melted and silky. Adding it off the heat keeps it from going grainy.
- 8
Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved cheese and crumbled bacon. Serve the broiled cheese toasts alongside for dunking.
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Wisconsin-Style Beer Cheese Soup
Created by: HomeCooking
Ingredients
- 4 bacon
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion
- 1 celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 garlic
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 12 oz beer
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 baguette
- 2 tbsp garlic butter
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the cheese toastsSlice the baguette into 12 half-inch rounds and lay them on a baking sheet. Spread each with a little garlic butter and scatter 2 ounces of the shredded cheddar over the top. Broil about 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and bubbly, then set aside.
- Crisp the baconIn a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Move it to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, but leave those drippings right in the pot — that's where a lot of the flavor lives. Once cool, crumble the bacon.
- Soften the vegetablesAdd the butter to the bacon drippings. Dice the onion, finely chop the celery and carrot, and mince the garlic, then add them all to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened.
- Build the rouxStir in the flour and mustard powder and let it cook for 1 minute to shake off the raw-flour taste. It'll look like a thick paste coating the vegetables — that's exactly right.
- Add the liquidsSlowly whisk in the beer a little at a time until smooth, then whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream in small additions. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, smoked paprika, and thyme.
- Simmer until thickBring to a boil over medium heat, whisking as you go. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and fish out the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Melt in the cheeseSet aside a small handful of the cheddar for topping. Off the heat, stir the remaining cheese into the soup a little at a time until it's fully melted and silky. Adding it off the heat keeps it from going grainy.
- ServeLadle into bowls and top with the reserved cheese and crumbled bacon. Serve the broiled cheese toasts alongside for dunking.