Recipe: Beer-Soaked Grilled Cheese

On a cold winter’s day there is nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of tomato soup and the traditional grilled cheese accompaniment. But, what if you could amp that grilled cheese up a bit with one of the world’s other sublime pleasures: beer? That is just what Erica Shea and Stephen Valand of the Brooklyn Brew Shop have done with this delicious and somewhat decadent twist on the classic gooey sandwich.

The original post of this recipe comes from the Brewers’ Association’s blog CraftBeer.com.

Enjoy!

Beer-Soaked Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

Beer Batter
2 eggs
1 cup Chestnut Brown Ale or other nutty, brown ale
1/8 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Sandwiches
1 loaf sourdough bread, cut into eight 1/2″ slices
1 block mild or sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
2 tablespoons butter, plus more if needed
Optional toppings: bacon, sliced ham, prosciutto, avocado

Directions

In a large shallow bowl, whisk eggs, beer, flour, salt and chili powder. Dunk one slice of bread into the batter on both sides, giving it a second to fully absorb the batter. Let the excess batter drain back into the bowl.

Move to another plate and top with cheese and additional toppings if desired (cooked bacon, sliced ham, etc.).
Repeat with another slice of bread to complete the sandwich.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Place the sandwich in the middle, and let cook on each side 3-4 minutes, until it reaches a crispy golden brown and a gooey cheese middle. Repeat for all sandwiches. Plate, add garnishes and enjoy.

Brooklyn Brew Shop

Erica Shea and Stephen Valand started the Brooklyn Brew Shop out of the Brooklyn Flea in the summer of 2009 to get space-strapped New Yorkers brewing. With the idea that making beer (real beer from real ingredients) can be simple, tasty, and most important, fun, they created stylish, easy-to-use Beer Making Kits designed especially for stove-top brewing and ingredient mixes for seasonally inspired beers. Their goal is to get everyone brewing by simplifying the beer making process without dumbing it down.