English Pale Ale Cheese Sauce
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour (see Notes)
  • ½ cup English Pale Ale (see Notes)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Old Style Dijon mustard (wth seeds) or regular Dijon mustard
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups shredded white English medium cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces - aged 16 to 18 months)
  • Serve with pretzels (regular or gluten-free)
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan (3 to 4 quarts), melt butter over medium heat.
  2. Add flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 30 seconds, while whisking occasionally.
  3. Add beer, whisking continuously, eliminating any lumps from the flour mixture. Slowly whisk in milk.
  4. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, 3 to 4 minutes, until mixture has thickened.
  5. Whisk in mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
  6. Add cheese, a handful at a time, and whisk until completely melted.
  7. Serve warm.
  8. Sauce will keep for a week - reheat on medium in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
Notes
* I recommend shredding the cheese yourself as pre-packaged shredded cheese contains an additive to keep it from caking.
* For gluten-free flour I use Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour.
* If you can't find an English Pale Ale, use any medium bodied ale. You can also use a gluten-free beer in this recipe.
* If after you’ve added the cheese you find the sauce to be too thin, sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over sauce and whisk continuously until incorporated. You may need to add 2 or 3 additional teaspoons.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/english-pale-ale-cheese-sauce/