Bacon beer soaked cheese – such a flavorful and rich infusion to a fresh wheel of your favorite creamy Jack cheese, taking it to new levels!
Picking up some cheese to entertain family and friends might mean picking up a cheese platter and throwing some slices out to pair along with some wine.
But who says it can’t have a fun twist?
Giving your favorite cheese a soak in a bacon beer mixture might just give it the flavor profile you’ve been craving for. If anything, it ramps up the flavor to a whole new level.
Bacon Beer Soaked Cheese
We used our own Monterey Jack homemade cheese that aged for eight weeks, and paired it with a good quality bacon and Samuel Smith Stout. Making your own Monterey Jack is not so much hard as it is a bit challenging. Eight weeks after we made ours, it was ready for a “dunk” in bacon beer and I can’t even explain how exciting the process was.
But if you aren’t up for making your own cheese, simply choose your favorite creamy Jack cheese and your favorite lager.
Simply cut the bacon in smaller pieces before cooking it up. Pour off the fat (and set aside for other uses). In a separate pot, combine the beer along with the maple syrup, and bring to a low boil. Simmer for just five minutes.
Allow that mixture to cool, then add your bacon.
Add your cheese to the cooled mixture, top with the lid and allow the pot to sit in the refrigerator for at least 3 days. Waiting 5-6 days will give it more of a dramatic color and flavor profile. That is, if you can wait that long!
After the Soak
After that soaking period, discard the liquid and allow the cheese to dry on a cheese mat. Place that cheese mat on a rack so air can circulate on each side of the cheese. Leave the cheese to dry at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
The beer bacon soaked cheese is done when it is dry to the touch.
Bacon beer soaked cheese - such a flavorful and rich infusion to a fresh wheel of your favorite creamy Jack cheese, taking it to new levels!
Ingredients
- 18-24 oz. high-quality lager
- 6 oz bacon
- 4 oz maple syrup
- 1.5-2 lb of your favorite creamy Jack cheese
Instructions
- Cut your bacon into smaller pieces and cook in the skillet. Once cooked, drain the bacon and set aside. Keep the fat for other uses.
- Combine the beer with the maple syrup in a medium pot. Bring to a low boil and allow to simmer for five minutes.
- Allow the beer and syrup to cool, then add the cooked bacon.
- Once the mixture has cooled, add the cheese, and top the pot with the lid. Place in the refrigerator and allow the cheese to soak for at least 3 days. Allowing the cheese to soak for 5-6 days will result in a darker color and a more intense flavor profile.
- Once the time has passed, remove the cheese, discard the liquid/bacon. Allow the cheese to dry on a cheese mat placed on top of a drying rack (so that air can circulate on each side).
- After the cheese is dry to the touch (12-24 hours), slice and serve. Refrigerate leftover cheese.
Have you ever considered making your own cheese or soaking a high-quality cheese in beer and bacon for added flavor?
[…] doesn’t love crackers? I think we can all agree that crackers are essential when enjoying cheese. Or, for eating next to hummus, and even just for […]