Now that we’re deep into football season, all my favorite game day foods — like this smoked beer cheese — are getting their time in the spotlight. We take this smoked queso to the next level by adding beer, steak and shrimp!
Because we’re using Samuel Adams Just the Haze IPA, we get a nice tang in our smoked beer cheese without any of the alcohol. Samuel Adams has been brewing freakin’ delicious beers since 1984, so you know the company’s nonalcoholic options won’t disappoint.
Post sponsored by Samuel Adams
Why You’ll Love Smoked Beer Cheese
Whether you’re making it for the big game or as a party appetizer, this smoky beer cheese goes with everything. Soft pretzels and smoked beer cheese dip? Basically a match made in my football heaven. In this beer cheese recipe, we beef things up (literally) by adding steak and shrimp. Why? Because it’s fun and adds more flavor! Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have a dip recipe for dinner.
For more beef and cheese, check out Steak Sliders with Beer Cheese, Beer Braised Beef Melt and Grilled Steak with Cheese Stuffed Onions.
Smoked Beer Cheese Ingredients
- Beer Cheese: This beer cheese recipe combines four types of cheese — Velveeta, cheddar cheese, Jack cheese and cream cheese — and our Samuel Adams beer, Hatch chiles, Dijon mustard, and whole milk.
- Steak: We’ll cube New York strip steaks and then season them with your favorite beef rub, minced garlic and chopped fresh parsley.
- Shrimp: Our surf portion of the smoked beer cheese stays simple, with just peeled and deveined shrimp and seafood seasoning.
What’s important about these cheeses?
Each of our cheeses in the smoked beer cheese recipe has an important role to play. Velveeta has superior melting powers, so it keeps our beer cheese smooth. Then, we add the cheddar cheese and Jack cheese because they bring a ton of flavor to the mix. The cream cheese acts as a binder, helping to add to that smooth and creamy texture.
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How to Make Smoked Beer Cheese
Preparing the Proteins
Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F for indirect cooking. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for extra smoke flavor.
Then, slather your 2-3 cubed New York strip steaks with oil and season generously with 2.5 tablespoons of your favorite steak rub. Set the steak to the side.
Next, slather you shrimp in oil as well and generously season with 2.5 tablespoons of your favorite seafood rub. Set to the side.
Making the Queso
Add a cast iron skillet or foil cooking pan to the smoker, along with 16 ounces cubed Velveeta Yellow Cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2 cups shredded Jack cheese, 6 ounces of Just the Haze IPA, 2 ounces canned Hatch chiles, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 1 block of cubed cream cheese. Then, close the lid and let that incredible queso smoke for 45 minutes, until the cheese has softened and is almost melted.
Once the cheese is looking good, add 1.5 cups whole milk and use a spoon to stir up the queso until the liquid is fully incorporated. If the queso is too thick for your liking, add more milk or beer to thin it out, then keep stirring until fully incorporated again. Close the lid and let the queso continue cooking for 20-25 more minutes or until it is to your liking. When the queso is done, pull it off and keep warm.
Cooking the Steak and Shrimp
To make the steak and shrimp, add a skillet with oil and sear your proteins for 2-3 minutes until done. Add 1.5 tablespoons minced garlic and some chopped parsley to the cast iron pan with the steak and shrimp, then let it cook for another 1-2 minutes. Pull the steak and shrimp off and keep warm.
Assembling Our Smoked Beer Cheese
Top the finished dip with the steaks and shrimp, then garnish with chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Smoked Beer Cheese
The steak and shrimp make this smoked beer cheese recipe a real meal, so you can round it out with a simple green salad or vegetable, like sauteed spinach, grilled asparagus or a side of kale. If you want to treat the smoked beer cheese sauce more like an appetizer, serve with soft pretzels or tortilla chips.
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover smoked beer cheese, allow it to cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge and consume it within 2-3 days. For reheating, you can warm the cheese in a skillet or Dutch oven, stirring and adjusting the consistency as needed. Add a splash of milk if it thickens. If you’ve got leftover steak and shrimp, store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet on the grill or stove at medium heat.
More for Game Day
FAQs
Depends on your tastebuds! Sharp cheddar is aged longer than regular cheddar cheese; the longer the cheese is aged, the sharper and more pronounced the flavor becomes. Also, there’s no real difference between white cheddar and orange cheddar except for the color. Orange cheddar’s color comes from annatto, the seed from the achiote tree of Central and South America.
Because it’s got hits of garlic, peppercorn and salt, along with dried vegetables like red bell pepper, this Gaucho Steakhouse rub is one of my favorites. Spiceology also carries Mermaid’s Trident Seafood Seasoning, which would be so freakin’ delicious on the shrimp. If you’ve got a favorite rub to share, leave a note in the comments — I’d be stoked to try it!
Where can I find Samuel Adams Just the Haze IPA for the smoked beer cheese?
Samuel Adams has a great feature on the company’s website that allows you to filter your location, what type of beer you want and what size you’d like. Be sure to check it out and find your favorite beer here!
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Smoked Beer Cheese
Ingredients
Grilled Steak:
- 2-3 NY Strips cubed
- 2.5 tbsp Favorite Beef Rub
- 1.5 tbsp Minced Garlic
- Chopped Parsley garnish
- Neutral Oil as needed
Shrimp:
- 1.5 lbs Shrimp peeled & deveined
- 2.5 tbsp Seafood Seasoning
- Neutral Oil as needed
Beer Cheese:
- 16 oz Velveeta Yellow Cheese cubed
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 2 cups Jack Cheese shredded
- 6 oz Sam Adams Only the Haze IPA
- 2 oz Hatch Chiles canned
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 block Cream Cheese cubed
- 1.5 cups Whole Milk
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250F for indirect cooking. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added smoke flavor.
- Slather your cubed steak with oil and season generously with your favorite steak rub. Set to the side.
- Slather you shrimp in oil as well and generously season with your favorite seafood rub. Set to the side.
- Add a cast iron skillet or foil cooking pan to the smoker along with all the ingredients for the queso (except for the milk). Close the lid and let it smoke for 45 minutes until the cheese has softened and is almost melted.
- Once the cheese is looking good, add your milk and use a spoon to stir up the queso until fully incorporated. If the queso is too thick for your liking, add more milk or beer to the skillet to thin it out and keep stirring until fully incorporated again.
- Close the lid and let the queso continue cooking for 20-25 more minutes or until it is to your liking. When the queso is done, pull it off and keep warm.
- Add a skillet with oil and sear off your steak and shrimp for 2-3 minutes. Then add some minced garlic and chopped parsley to the skillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Pull off and keep warm.
- Top the queso with the steaks and shrimp. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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