Beer and Cheddar Risotto Recipe with Bacon

white bowl of beer cheddar bacon risotto white pot of cooked risotto

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5 from 5 votes

Beer and Cheddar Risotto Recipe with Bacon

Classic risotto turned up with beer, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: risotto

Servings:

Calories: 262kcal

Equipment

1 Cast Iron Dutch Oven
1 sharp knife
1 cutting board
1 wooden spoon

Ingredients

1 cup Arborio rice
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup onion
½ cup beer
5 slices bacon
3 cups chicken stock
⅓ cup half and half
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Start by dicing the 5 slices of bacon into thin pieces. Dice the yellow onion. Heat the chicken stock in a sauce pot over medium low heat.
In a large cast iron dutch oven or pot, preheat to medium and add the diced bacon. Cook the bacon until it crispy and remove it to a plate or bowl lined with a paper towel.
Remove about half of the bacon drippings by wiping out the pot with a paper towel. Add the butter and stir to coat the bottom of the pot. Now, add the onion and stir to coat it well. Cook for 3 minutes.
After the onion has cooked, add 1 cup of Arborio rice to the pot with the butter and onions, stir to coat the rice completely. Toast for 2-3 minutes.
Now, add ½ cup of beer. Stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
Add 1 cup of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir well. The rice and stock should be at a low bubble. Keep an eye on it and stir as needed. Each time the stock is fully absorbed by the rice and the pot does not have standing liquid in it, add a cup and repeat the process, stirring occasionally.
As the rice cooks, starch will be released, creating a glossy shine around the edges of the pot. After the 3rd cup of stock has been absorbed, test a little bit of the rice to see if it is cooked through. If it’s not, add another ½ cup of stock and continue the cooking the process.
When the rice is fully cooked, turn off the heat. Add the Half and Half, salt and pepper. Stir it in and notice the thickness. It should be pretty loose.
Add the cheese and bacon, stir, and serve.

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