Fire up the smoker because we’re going to make an easy, delicious Traeger Beer Cheese Dip for your next party (and NO velveeta in sight!) Also find out our not-so-secret ingredient for the fastest smoothest cheese sauces ever.
Smoked Beer Cheese Dip
A good beer cheese dip is really hard to beat, as far as appetizers are concerned. The problem is that cheese sauces made with real cheese are SO finicky, and for those of us who tend to avoid the processed cheese in the world, it can be a pain.
Enter in the cheese-sauce-fans best friend – sodium citrate.
This magic powder makes any cheese sauce silky, smooth, pretty much unbreakable, and also REHEATABLE.
I use sodium citrate in my Traeger Hash Brown Casserole too, with more to come.
Smoked Beer Cheese Dip shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- beer
- sodium citrate
- cheese
- seasonings
- pretzel buns
How to make Smoked Beer Cheese
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Mix up the sauce
For extra smoke flavor, use a smoked beer like this Hood’s Head Smoked Amber from Hood Canal Brewery in Kingston, WA.
2
Preheat your smoker
Run it at 180°, ideally. Put the beer cheese in a grill-safe baking dish (we love our MadeIn Bakeware), and put it in the pre-heated smoker.
3
Smoke
30-60 minutes is perfect!
Get more awesome Appetizer Recipes!
Smoked Beer Cheese Dip FAQ
Do you need to use smoked beer?
Nope! It’ll make it better, but using regular beer is totally acceptable.
Does this dip reheat well?
YES! Another amazing feat by the sodium citrate. You can heat this back up in the microwave, oven, or Traeger and it’ll be saucy and incredible. That also means you can make this dip ahead of time, too!
What if you don’t have a pellet grill?
You can skip the smoke portion of this recipe all-together and just start dipping into this as soon as it gets removed from the stove, and it’ll be an incredible dip.
What are the best kinds of cheeses for this recipe?
I used a half garlic cheddar and half horseradish cheddar in this, and it was amazing.
No Sodium Citrate?
Try my other Beer Cheese Dip with Bacon recipe!
More great Traeger Appetizers to love
I love these appetizers, and love excuses to make them. Which ones are your favorite?
- Smoked Hot Crab Dip
- Smoked Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Smoked Garlic Goat Cheese
- Smoked Cream Cheese
- Smoked Loaded Potato Skins
- Smoked Caramelized Onion Dip
More recipes to love
- Veal Parmesan
- Deviled Eggs
- Apple Fritters
- Cobia with Mango Salsa
- Sous Vide Duck Breast
- Sturgeon with Lemon Cream Sauce
- Smoked Beef Short Ribs
- Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- Dungeness Crab Roll
- Blackstone Kielbasa Recipe
Traeger Beer Cheese Dip
This melty cheesy dip is made with smoked beer, NO velveeta, lots of freshly grated cheeses, and sodium citrate to keep everything nice and smooth (and reheatable).
Ingredients
- 1 cup smoked beer
- 2 tsp sodium citrate
- 16 ounces cheese
- 1 teaspoon roasted garlic blend
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 180°F.
- Take 1/2 cup of beer and heat it on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the sodium citrate and let it simmer until it is fully dissolved.
- Stir in the shredded cheese and keep the pan over low to medium-low heat until all of the cheese is melted.
- Add in the seasonings and mustard and the rest of the beer. Continue stirring over low to medium-low heat and stirring until everything is combined.
- Place the melted beer cheese into a grill-safe baking dish and put it in the smoker.
- Let smoke for 30-60 minutes.
- Serve with torn up warm soft pretzels or pretzel rolls.
Notes
If you live in the PNW and visit the Puget Sound region, stop by Hood Canal Brewery in Kingston, WA for a growler of their Smoked Amber! It is wonderful to drink as well as cook with.
You can use your favorite beer in this, whether it is smoked or not. Your dip will still get some smoke at the end, so you won't miss out on any of that wood fired flavor.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 244Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 422mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 13g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.