Holiday Beef Sticks & Smoky Beer Cheese Spread

TentHunter

Moderator
I wanted to do something special this year for Christmas gifts so we made up a Large batch of Beef Summer Sausage sticks and my own smoky version of a cheese spread known as Kentucky Beer Cheese.

The Summer Sausage was stuffed into 1 1/2" diameter unbleached muslin casings and smoked to an Internal temp of 150°. Here they are cooling and blooming.
HG01.JPG


After cooling overnight in the fridge they were cut into mostly 10" sections. Some were cut into smaller sections.
HG02.JPG



The Cheese Spread


What better to go with Summer Sausage than a good sharp cheese spread? I looked at least a dozen recipes. One that caught my attention was called Kentucky beer cheese. I found a few different recipes and here's what I came up with.

Ingredient amounts (per batch):

2 lbs. extra sharp Cheddar Cheese
Paprika (to coat the cheddar)
2 lbs. Cream Cheese
1 12 oz. bottle Beer at room temp.
3/4 - 1 tsp. Dry Mustard
1/4 tsp. Ground Cayenne Pepper
1/8 tsp. Granulated Garlic (or powder)


We made 10 lbs. (2 1/2 batches). I started by coating 5 lbs. extra sharp cheddar cheese with paprika then cold smoking it for 1 hour (apple smoke).
HG03.JPG


We softened 5 lbs. of cream cheese and set it aside.
HG05.JPG


The apple wood smoked cheese was shredded into a tub.
HG04.JPG


The cheddar, beer & other spices were put into a food processor and blended until very smooth. The Beer/Cheese mixture and cream cheese were placed in a big bowl and blended into a creamy consistency.
HG06.JPG


The cheese mixture was packed into 8 oz. deli containers and refrigerated overnight. When chilled it was very smooth and spreadable with a smoky sharp taste that went very well with the summer sausage on some multi-grain crackers.

Everyone got a pack of Summer Sausage, Smoky Beer Cheese and a sleeve of multi-grain club crackers. These went over very well well as gifts at the Christmas Eve service as well as sample at Church this morning.
HG07.JPG


Thanks for sneeking a peek!
 
Last edited:

TentHunter

Moderator
The cheese spread is definitely a repeater. A nice sharp smoky but smooth flavor.

One thing I forgot to mention: The beer flavors it very well but doesn't overtake the flavor and there is no detectable alcohol left by time its served (if anyone has an aversion to that).
 
Last edited:

Deb

New member
What a great idea Tent. I love the sounds of that cheese.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ACW3

New member
The next time I make some summer sausage, I will make some of that cheese spread. It sounds like a version of pimento cheese that is served a lot here in North Carolina.

BTW, I grilled the South African Boerewors that I made about a week ago. Grilled on the Weber on Christmas Day. My son's friend and family from South Africa loved it, and in fact wanted to know if I could make more. I will post the recipe after I return home.

Art
 

TentHunter

Moderator
...It sounds like a version of pimento cheese that is served a lot here in North Carolina.

This beer cheese is very different both in taste and texture from Pimiento cheese. But Art, give me some pimineto cheese on some good bread with a thick slice of tomato and I'm right back in good ol' NC. I love the stuff!

Its funny too that you should mention Pimiento cheese, because I smoked some extra cheddar and had plans to try making some smoky pimineto cheese with it! I'll post it when I do.
 
Top Bottom