Smoky-Spicy Beer-Cheese-Sausage Soup

By hcardall

Your traditional beer-cheese soup, kicked up with the addition of smoked Polish sausage, chipotles and jalapenos. Inspired by “The Soup” at the Terminal Brewhouse in Chattanooga, TN.

Ingredients

• o 1 pound Smoked Sausage, Preferably Kielbasa
• o 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
• o 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• o 3 stalks Celery, Diced
• o 1 whole Medium Jalapeno, Diced (ribs And Seeds Removed)
• o 2 whole Small Chipotle Peppers, Packed In Adobo (but Rinse The Sauce Off!)
• o 2 bottles (12 Oz. Bottle) Beer (porter And Bock Work Best - Mix And Match)
• o 2-1⁄2 cups Chicken Broth
• o 1-1⁄2 cup Heavy Cream Plus 3 Tablespoons, Divided
• o 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• o 1 block Sharp Cheddar Cheese (8 Oz. Block)
• o 8 Red Bliss Potatoes cubed (optional- if you want it to be slightly heartier)
• o Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation

Step 1

o Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot and add chopped sausage. Cook until sausage starts to brown and remove to a plate; reserve grease.
o At the same time (this step is optional)… boil the potatoes until fork tender- set aside
o Add onions, garlic, jalapeno, chipotle and celery to the pot and cook in the sausage grease until soft.
o Add the sausage back to the pot, and stir to combine over medium heat.
o Pour in one bottle of beer (I started with the Bock, but I can’t imagine it makes much of a difference what goes in first).
o Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the liquid reduces slightly as the alcohol cooks out.
o Stir and add chicken broth and salt. Simmer again for 10 minutes until the liquid reduces a little more.
o Reduce heat and add another bottle of beer (in my case it was the Porter). Simmer for a few moments and adjust seasonings again before turning heat to low and adding 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.
o Simmer the soup for a good 20 minutes after adding the cream.
o In a small bowl, add the remaining 3 tablespoons cream to the corn starch, and mix until a smooth slurry forms.
o Pour into the soup and stir.
o Once the vegetables are softened, the broth thickened, the alcohol cooked out and the soup is a uniform creaminess (you will know when there’s very little orange grease floating on top of the soup), turn off the heat and move the pot to a cool burner.
o Add the cheese and stir until melted (do not add cheese over a hot burner; cheddar gets gritty).
o Add potatoes to individual bowls and add soup on top, in each bowl.
o Serve immediately.