Beer Cheese Dip with Bacon
Imagine dipping into thick, rich, creamy, and oh-so cheesy Beer Cheese Dip with Bacon! Perfect on game day or any day, this amazing bacon beer cheese dip is so good, you might not want to share!
This Beer Cheese Dip Recipe is Easy and Irresistible!
I’ve taken a classic beer cheese dip and added so much more flavor. Now, it’s like a pub-style beer cheese on steroids! Packed with ooey gooey goodness and just the right amount of beer, grab your favorite dippers like my sweet potato fritters, and get ready to dunk!
What You’ll Need
If the name didn’t tip you off, you’ll need bacon, beer, and cheese for this recipe. I recommend using sharp cheddar. If you’d like to try other cheeses, see my comments below. For the bacon, I have really love using double-smoked bacon (if you can find it). Other than that, you’ll need flour, whole milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic powder.
How to Make This Easy Beer Cheese Dip Recipe
This recipe is an adaption of my pub-style beer cheese, but I’ve added even more flavor with this tasty recipe. Here’s how:
- Cook the bacon. You’ll need bacon and bacon fat for this recipe, and it must be fully cooked (crispy) before adding it to the dip. Chop, fry, drain, and save some of that bacon fat!
- Make the roux. This flour and fat combination is the foundation for building the cheese sauce. Traditionally, it is made with flour and butter, but we’re using bacon fat to add even more flavor to this tasty dip recipe.
- Add the liquids. Whisk the milk and beer into your roux, cooking it over medium heat until it thickens.
- Add the seasonings. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Stir in the cheese. Now’s when you add the cheese. Stir it into the dip, keeping the heat low, allowing the cheese to melt completely.
- Mix in the bacon. Save a few bacon crumbles for a garnish, but stir the rest of it into the dip.
Tips for Success
- Prep everything ahead of time, including shredding the cheese. You don’t want to have to set your roux to the side while you shred the cheese. Freshly shredded cheese is perfect for this recipe.
- Thin the dip. If your beer dip recipe is too thick, thin it with a tablespoon or two of beer or milk.
- Got lumps? If you end up with lumps in your sauce before adding the cheese, use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
- Low heat to melt the cheese. Cheese doesn’t like to be boiled. Keep the heat low until the cheese is fully melted into the dip.
How To Fry Perfectly Crisp Bacon
Making perfectly crisp bacon might seem easy, but much can go wrong. Here are some tips to help you master making crispy bacon.
Chop the bacon. Chopping the bacon first will help it fry more quickly, and you can spread it around the pan to cover more of the cooking surface.
Medium-high heat. If your heat is too high, the bacon can burn. If it’s too low, the fat won’t render, and you’ll end up with limp bacon.
Remove excess bacon fat. Depending on how much bacon you’re frying, you could end up with a substantial amount of bacon fat in your skillet. Spoon out and discard some of the extra. Remember, for this cheese and beer dip recipe, you’ll need to keep 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
Drain. Drain your crisped bacon on paper towels. The paper towels will absorb the extra fat, keeping your bacon crisp.
Chop again. Once the bacon is crispy, chop it again! Raw bacon is hard to chop, but when it’s crispy, it’s easy! Once crisped, chop it into the size you need.
What’s the Best Cheese For Beer Cheese Dip With Bacon?
I’m a cheese lover and I have tried many different kinds of cheese in this recipe. My favorite is a good, sharp cheddar. The sharpness of the cheese stands up well to the beer, but at the same time, it’s not too rich. Whatever you pick, make sure it’s not too soft (like mozzarella) or too hard (like Parmesan) and the cheese should be able to melt well.
Other cheeses that work well include:
- Havarti
- Pepper jack
- Gouda – try it with smoked gouda!
I suggest using cheese that isn’t already shredded. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-clumping agents that will alter the consistency of your bacon beer cheese dip. I know it’s extra work, but shred the cheese yourself for this recipe.
If you don’t want to shred it, you can cut it into small cubes, and it will melt just fine into your beer dip.
Cooking with Beer
Just like cooking with wine, you want to pick a beer you’ll drink when choosing a beer to cook with! We keep different types of beers on hand, and I’ve used several to make this recipe. I don’t recommend a beer that’s on the sweet or sour scale, like a chocolate porter or fruity gose, but most other beers will work well.
If in doubt, take a sip of beer and then nibble on a piece of cheese. If the flavors seem to pair well, use that beer! Remember, the a richer, darker beer will add more flavor and color your beer cheese dip while a lighter beer will have less impact on the color and flavor. Bitter flavors in your beer can cause bitter flavors in your dip.
Some beers that work well include:
- IPAs
- Lagers
- Pilsners
- Wheat beer
- Stouts
Something to remember: the alcohol in the beer is not going to completely cook out of a beer cheese. While it will be diluted by the volume of other ingredients, the beer is not reduced enough to remove all traces of alcohol. If you and three of your friends share this dish, you essentially each get one ounce of beer. Not enough to intoxicate you, but enough that you should tell your abstaining friends that this may not be the dish for them.
How to Store and Reheat This Beer Cheese Dip with Bacon Recipe
Beer cheese dip can be made ahead of time and reheated on the stovetop. Just add a bit of milk if it is too thick.
Keep leftovers tightly wrapped in the fridge, and they’ll keep for a few days. Just heat your leftovers slowly on the stove over low heat.
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Bacon Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon
- 2 tablespoon bacon fat
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup beer of choice
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon stone ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 7 ounces sharp cheddar cheese*
Instructions
- Chop bacon and pan fry in a 4.5 quart dutch oven or 12" skillet. Once bacon reaches desired level of crispiness, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, placing on paper towels to drain.
- Carefully remove the hot bacon grease from the pan by pouring into a ramekin or coffee mug. Gently scrape with a rubber spatula to remove excess grease, but do not wash.
- Carefully measure 2 TBSP of the hot bacon grease back into the pan. The remaining bacon grease can be reserved for later, or allowed to harden then disposed of in the trash.
- Adjust the flame to medium low. Add the flour and whisk together with the bacon fat to make a roux. Allow to cook 1 – 2 minutes, until it turns a light golden brown.
- Whisk in the milk and beer, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all of the extra bits of bacon flavor from the bottom of the pan. As the mixture comes to a simmer, it will begin to thicken.
- Add in the worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Chop of shred the cheese, then stir into the sauce, allowing the cheese time to melt completely.
- Chop the now cooled bacon again to make the chunks even smaller.* Reserve a few tablespoons of bacon for garnish, if desired, then stir the rest into the beer cheese dip.
- Serve warm with homemade pretzel knots or your favorite dippers.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.
More Tasty Game Day Treats
- Sweet Potato Fritters with Sweet & Spicy Sauce
- Grilled Rockfish Tacos
- Loaded Bruschetta Recipe
- Twisted Bacon
- Easy Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
I made this, and it was great! I omitted the Worcestershire sauce because I have an allergy to fish. But I’d love to find a sub for that. Do you have any suggestions?
The worcestershire sauce adds a umami flavor, so while it isn’t a make or break ingredient it does add a bit of tangy depth of flavor. I think balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, or even miso paste would add a similar element.