Beer Cheese Fondue with Bacon
This beer cheese fondue is a rustic take on my popular classic Swiss Fondue recipe. I tweak it into a more rustic version with beer, Cambozola cheese, onion, and crisp, smoky bacon.Growing up in Germany, my mom often made beer cheese fondue on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. My sister and I were in charge of cutting up the loaf of rustic bread to dip in the melted cheese and getting the other dippers ready.It brings back the best memories and we have continued this tradition since moving to the United States.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 968kcal
Equipment
- 1 fondue pot this enameled cast iron pot is my favorite (please see care instructions in the notes below) - it comes with the burner/warmer and 6 cheese fondue forks
- 1 swiss gel or tea light
- 1 Garlic Press for mincing garlic. One of my favorite tools in the kitchen.
- 1 nutmeg grinder totally optional as you can use ground nutmeg, but grinding your own makes such a big difference and I love the way this grinder looks on my countertop
Ingredients
- 100 grams bacon I used double smoked bacon by Schaller & Weber, cut into small dice and fry in a pan until crispy
- 1 shallot finely diced and cooked in the bacon grease
- 750 grams cheese 500 grams (1 pound) aged Gruyère (grated), 250 grams (½ pound) Emmentaler (grated) or other aged Swiss cheese (grated), 250 grams (½ pound) Cambozola cheese - see notes on cheeses below
- 30 grams cornstarch toss it with the grated cheese, add Cambozola later
- 3 garlic cloves plus one extra one for rubbing the fondue pot
- 375 milliliters beer I use a German lager
- 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons Kirschwasser a cherry brandy, can also use different, clear fruit brandies, but Kirschwasser is most traditional and also used in Black Forest Cake
- 1 Tablespoon German mustard I use Düsseldorf mustard from Schaller & Weber
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly ground is best, linking my favorite nutmeg mill above
- rustic bread cut into 2 cm (1 inch) cubes
- assorted dippers small boiled potatoes (with skin on), prosciutto, salami, cornichons, green apple or pear, bell pepper, boiled potatoes and whatever else your heart desires!
Instructions
- Medium dice the bacon and small dice the shallot. Add the diced bacon to a medium-sized skillet and cook (with no added oil or butter) until almost crisp.Add in the shallot and cook for 2 more minutes.Transfer onto a plate covered with paper towels, so the grease can get soaked up.100 grams bacon, 1 shallot
- Grate your hard cheeses. In a small bowl, coat the grated cheese with cornstarch. Cut off the rind of the Cambozola, cut into pieces and set aside.750 grams cheese, 30 grams cornstarch
- Cut one clove of garlic in half longways. Use it it to rub the inside of the fondue pot, then discard.Use the other 2 cloves, put them through my garlic press, and add them when adding in the Kirschwasser (cherry brandy) at the end.3 garlic cloves
- Add the beer and lemon juice to the cold fondue pot and bring to a gentle simmer.If using the enameled pot, it's important to add the beer before warming the pot, otherwise you could risk the enamel coating cracking due to thermal shock.375 milliliters beer, 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
- Gradually stir the cheese into the simmering liquid (melting the cheese gradually encourages a smooth fondue).
- Once all the cheese has melted into a smooth mixture, stir in Kirschwasser, mustard and nutmeg. Lastly, stir in the sautéed bacon and shallot and serve tableside placed on the warmer.2 Tablespoons Kirschwasser, 1 Tablespoon German mustard, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pick up dippers with fondue forks, dip, swirl and enjoy with wine or beer and shots of Kirschwasser for anyone losing their dippers in the cheese. I like serving my fondue with a light green salad.
Video
Notes
Which cheese to use?
The quality of the cheese is so important, so don't buy the cheapest cheese there is. I buy Gruyère and Emmentaler at Costco and that's enough cheese for one fondue plus more. For this more rustic beer cheese fondue, I mix the Swiss cheeses with some creamy Cambozola that I cut up into small pieces before adding to the pot.
You want mostly aged cheeses in your fondue. Notice that Cambozola is creamier, so I don't have it be more than ¼ of the total cheese amount that goes into this fondue, or else the consistency will be off.
Don't want to shred your own cheese? I have used Trader Joe's (I think Aldi sells it too) Swiss cheese mix before and it's great! I have also used the Fondue shredded cheese mix (I bought it at Whole Foods) and it was great!
How to clean cheese fondue pot
The cleanup after cheese fondue is always my least favorite part! Here some general rules you'll want to follow after enjoying a cheese fondue meal.
After you finish eating the fondue, extinguish the flame by placing the burner lid on top of it. Now let the pot cool completely before rinsing in water. Do not pour cold water into the hot pot, as heat shock could crack the enameled coating.
For cleaning, use a non-metal sponge, warm water and mild soap. If you have any stubborn food residue, you can use baking soda to clean up the enameled fondue pot. Here's a video on cleaning your pot with baking soda.
Nutrition
Calories: 968kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 74g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 1439mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1892IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 1340mg | Iron: 1mg