Feta Cheese and Beer Fondue

This feta cheese beer fondue is a great addition to any charcuterie board or a light dinner when you don’t have time to cook. 

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What Feta Cheese to Choose

The quality of the feta cheese is crucial for this recipe. You cannot make it happen with the dryish, super salty feta crumbles that you get at most stores. You need to buy feta in brine. It is a solid block of feta sold immersed in a salted water brine which keeps it fresh and prevents it from drying out. This kind of feta is very creamy. Always choose sheep’s milk feta over cow’s milk feta if you have the option. When made with sheep’s milk it is even creamier.

Not that I am a cheese monger, but I have eaten loads and loads of feta in my life and know a thing or two by now:). Contrary to popular belief, Greek feta is not the best one. The less talked about Bulgarian feta is beta! But if you cannot find Bulgarian sheep’s milk feta try to secure extra creamy Greek feta in brine as a substitute.

What Type of Beer to Use?

We prefer and recommend using a true South German or Czech style pils in this recipe because of their typical herbal and bready flavor profiles. An American craft lager would work nicely too, as long as it has been moderately hopped with Noble hops such as are used in all European pilsners.

By all means do not use a beer that has been made with loads of American hops. American hops even though incredibly aromatic are high in alpha acids which are the source of beer’s bitterness. Their bitterness factor is more intense than that of the Noble hops traditionally used in German and Czech pilsners and will impart flavors you do not want in this fondue.

Additionally, the citrusy, fruity or piney notes typically associated with most American hops are not compatible with a savory feta sauce and smell accounts for so much of overall flavor.

Cook’s Notes

• When you first open the box, taste the feta cheese to determine if it isn’t too salty for you. If so, discard about half of the brine and replace it with filtered cold water. Through diffusion, salt will find its way out from the cheese into the water and the saltiness will be moderated. But it will take a few hours, perhaps even a day. If still too salty (unlikely), repeat.
• The use of ricotta is to provide an element of creaminess to the fondue and tune down the sharpness of feta. 
• Flour is added as a thickener and you may need to add a bit more than specified, depending on how much you reduced the beer.

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Feta Cheese Beer Fondue

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Feta and pilsner beer cheese fondue with a little help from ricotta.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup beer, true German/Czech Pils style
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1/2 tbsp minced fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)

Instructions

1. Start by rubbing the bottom and the inside of a saucepan or a small pot with the garlic clove halves.
2. Add the beer and place on a stove over medium heat.
3. While waiting for the beer to start simmering, mix together the feta (crumble it with a fork first), ricotta, butter and flour.
4. Once the beer begins to simmer, allow it to reduce a bit - for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly start adding the cheese, butter and flour mixture and stir slowly until well incorporated.
5. Add the oregano and give a final stir.
6. Remove from stove and pour into a preheated fondue pot.
7. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 253Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 378mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g

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