In this Irish Cheddar Beer Soup, vegetables are sautéed in bacon fat and cooked in beer, broth and half & half and then combined with creamy Irish cheddar cheese. Homemade pretzel bread bowl, optional. Topped with chopped bacon, chives and more cheese. Serves 8 in around an hour.
Course Soups, Stews & Chilis
Cuisine Irish-American
Keyword ale, bacon, beer, Irish cheddar, soup, St. Patrick's Day
In your Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium to medium-low heat until crispy. Transfer the cooked back to a paper towel lined plate to drain, then chop.
To the bacon fat, add the shallots,carrots, celery and jalapeno. Season with a pinch of salt and cook, covered, until fork tender. About 10 to 12 minutes. Next add in the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes before stirring in the flour. Cook the flour mixture, stirring often for 2 minutes. Continue stirring while slowly pouring in the beer.
Then pour in the chicken broth and half & half. Stir to combine, add in the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. With the cover askew, bring to a low boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
**Strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot or bowl with a spout, and transfer the soup back into the warm dutch oven.
Stir in 1-1/2 cups of Irish white cheddar and season to with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste. Reheat on low heat, do not reboil or it you could risk it separating.
Ladle soup into bowls or bread bowls and top with extra cheese, chopped bacon and chives.