Ingredients
Scale
Blender Beer Cheese
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Gouda cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Chiles and Smoke Sedona Sand Fiesta Seasoning
- 1 cup beer, room temperature and flat, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce
Sausage and Peppers
- 1 pound raw bulk pork sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
For Serving
- Sliced green onions
- Flat pretzel chips
- Seasoned waffle fries or crispy potato wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 250°F.
- Blend the beer cheese. Add the cheddar, Gouda, cream cheese, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, Sedona Sand, beer, and Frank’s RedHot to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding a little more beer as needed for a pourable consistency. Use right away or refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days.
- Brown the sausage. Cook the sausage in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned.
- Drain the grease. Transfer the sausage to a bowl and wipe out most of the grease from the skillet.
- Soften the peppers. Add the diced red bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Return the sausage to the pan and add extra seasoning to taste.
- Combine. Turn off the heat, pour in the beer cheese, and stir until fully incorporated.
- Smoke. Place the skillet in the smoker. Smoke for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot and creamy throughout.
- Serve. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve warm with pretzel chips, seasoned waffle fries, or crispy potato wedges.
Notes
- Make ahead: The beer cheese can be blended a day or two ahead and refrigerated in a covered container.
- Sausage: Raw bulk pork sausage gives smaller, evenly browned crumbles. Mild, spicy, or green chile sausage all work.
- Drain the fat: Draining the sausage grease before adding the cheese keeps fat from collecting around the edges of the finished dip.
- Cheese: Use equal parts sharp cheddar and Gouda, shredded from the block.
- Beer: Amber or brown ales give more malt flavor, while lighter lagers are milder. Start with 1 cup and add more as needed.
- Hot sauce alternative: Chipotles in adobo can replace the Frank’s RedHot for a smokier chile flavor. Start with a smaller amount and adjust the beer as needed.
- No blender: Mince the garlic and gently warm the beer cheese ingredients in a saucepan, stirring until melted and combined. The texture may differ from the blender version.
- No smoker: Warm the combined dip over low heat on the stovetop until hot, stirring gently.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container. Reheat gently until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
- Method: smoking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/3 cup
- Calories: 284
- Sugar: 2.3 g
- Sodium: 772.2 mg
- Fat: 23.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.9 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 65.4 mg
