Camp Beer Cheese
A skillet of melted cheddar and lager, thickened with canned milk so nothing has to stay cold.
- calories
- 280
- weight
- 4 oz
- cal / oz
- 70
- protein
- 14 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 25 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Canister stove
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Canoe / raft
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Evaporated milk | 3/4 cup | a 5 oz can, stands in for heavy cream |
|---|---|---|
| Lager | 1/4 cup | whatever is already open |
| Sharp cheddar | 1-1/2 cups shredded | grate it at home, block travels better than bags |
| Low-moisture mozzarella | 1/2 cup shredded | |
| Dijon mustard | 1/2 tbsp | packets work |
| Worcestershire sauce | 1 tbsp | |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Paprika | 1/2 tsp | |
| Hot sauce | 1 tsp | |
| Salt and pepper | to taste | |
| Pretzels or chips | for dipping |
Method
- Set a small cast iron skillet or pot over low coals or a low flame. Nothing here likes high heat.
- Pour in the evaporated milk and warm it until it steams. Do not let it boil.
- Add the beer in a slow stream, stirring the whole time.
- Stir in the dijon, Worcestershire, garlic powder, paprika, and hot sauce.
- Pull the pan off the heat. Add the cheese by the handful, stirring each one in before the next goes in.
- Season with salt and pepper. Eat it out of the pan while it is still loose.
The original wants heavy cream, which has no business in a cooler for three days. Evaporated milk does the same job: it is concentrated, canned, and stable until you open it, and the extra milk protein keeps the sauce from splitting when the cheese goes in.
The part that decides whether this works is heat control. Cheese breaks when it boils, so the pan comes off the fire before any cheese touches it. Residual heat in cast iron is enough to melt two cups of shredded cheddar and mozzarella, and it fades slowly enough that the dip stays dippable while people work through the pretzels.
Packing
Premix the dijon, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and spices in one small jar at home. Grate both cheeses and bag them together with a pinch of cornstarch so they do not clump in the cooler.
Variations
- No beer along: use another splash of evaporated milk and a squeeze of lemon or a shot of vinegar for the tang.
- Stir in a foil pouch of chopped bacon or a spoon of chili crisp once it is off the heat.
https://www.lodgecastiron.com/blogs/recipe/beer-cheese-dip