Are you looking for the perfect side dish? I have been dreaming of a side dish so insanely divine that I would need to build a meal around it. Loaded with bacon, beer and cheese I am pretty sure this is it!!! Even though I am not a big beer drinker (I would much rather sip on one of our Classic Margaritas) I really love the flavor beer gives to a dish when cooked with it.
So here we are, a traditional potatoes au gratin turned into a heavenly Bacon Cheddar Beer Potatoes Au Gratin. Did you flinch? Bacon, cheddar and beer with potatoes? Oh yes there is nothing light about this dish. It is intentionally rich and decadent. Lighten the guilt, serve it with a side salad.
Enjoy! I KNOW you will.
Bacon Cheddar Beer Potatoes Au Gratin
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground chile de arbol (can substitute cayenne pepper)
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup beer, Belgian style wheat beer (Blue Moon)
½ cup chicken broth*
8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup half & half
1 cups milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
24 ounces bacon, cooked, drained and chopped
3 pounds red potatoes, sliced thin
Move rack to center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk; allow flour to cook for 2-3 minutes to cook out the ‘floury’ taste. Add garlic, chile, paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Slowly add beer, chicken half and half. Whisk until there are no lumps. Add cheese and whisk constantly until you have a smooth mixture. Add milk and Worstershire. Reduce heat to low.
Butter a 3 quart casserole dish. Layer potatoes in casserole dish, topping each layer with about ½ cup of cheese sauce. Halfway through add half of chopped bacon on top of cheese layer. Continue layering cheese sauce and potatoes. Reserve the remaining bacon.
Place Bake for 70-90 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Top with remaining bacon for the last 10 minutes of cook time. Allow potatoes to rest for 20 minutes before serving to thicken up. Serve and enjoy!
*If you do not have chicken broth, you can heat ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon to substitute.
Photo and recipe shared from: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2012/08/bacon-cheddar-beer-potatoes-au-gratin.html
