Pub cheese, also known as beer cheese, is a spreadable, pungent cheese that is always a crowd pleaser. While the name may imply that it is of Irish origins (pub), it actually has its origins in Kentucky where they hold an annual beer cheese festival.
Most pub cheeses have sharp cheddar, beer and garlic with a bite of cayenne. Other ingredients can be horseradish, dry mustard, chives and Worcestershire sauce.
My recipe starts with garlic, and lots of it, that I run across my microplane but you can also mash it with a mortar and pestle if desired. To that I add Worcestershire sauce, hot cayenne pepper sauce, dry mustard and sea salt. I do not add horseradish to mine but if you would like to add a tablespoon or two to this recipe, you would add it here.
I then transfer the mixture to my food processor but you can also use a blender or a mixing bowl with electric beaters. The beer is added slowly to the garlic mixture and pureed or whipped with the beaters until all the suds subside. I prefer ale or lager for a bolder taste, some even use stout but I will leave it up to you.
With the processor on or the beaters running at low speed, add the grated cheddar cheese to beer and garlic mixture, about a cup at a time until completely mixed with no lumps. Transfer the mixture to an air tight container and store in refrigerator a minimum of 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop and cheese to set.
Serve with crackers, pretzels, bread or raw vegetables.
- 5 to 8 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. hot cayenne pepper sauce
- 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 8 oz. beer, ale or lager
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (not shredded)
- Run garlic across microplane or mash with mortar and pestle.
- Place garlic in food processor, blender or large bowl if using electric beaters. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot cayenne pepper sauce, dry mustard and sea salt, combine well by pulsing or running the beaters on low speed.
- Once combined, with processor running or electric beaters running at low speed, slowly add in beer, ale or lager. Continue running processor or beaters until well mixed well and all suds have subsided.
- With the processor still running or beaters still running at low speed, add in the grated cheese, 1 cup at a time until thoroughly mixed and no lumps appear.
- Transfer mixture to air tight container and store in refrigerator for at least 24 hours to allow the cheese to set and the flavors to develop.
- Remove and serve cold with crackers, pretzels, bread or raw vegetables.
- It is important that the cheese is grated, it makes for smaller pieces than shredded, which are needed for the cheese to develop into a spread.
- Total time does not account for the 24 hours in the refrigerator.
© 2017, Healthy Southern Cooking. All rights reserved.