Cook an unforgettable side dish in your wood-fired oven with our Baked Broccoli & Beer Cheese. Enjoy the delicious cheesy flavors of this classic gratin-style dish, perfect for your next holiday dinner!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Charring the broccoli covered, then uncovered: Cooking with the lid on first steams the broccoli tender, and finishing uncovered lets it pick up char and color that a fully covered cook would never develop.
- Cooking the flour until it smells nutty before adding liquid: Stirring the flour into the fat until it resembles wet sand and smells toasted builds a roux base with real depth, instead of a raw, pasty flour taste that would carry into the finished sauce.
- Adding the beer and half-and-half in stages: Whisking in the beer first, then the half-and-half only once the beer is fully incorporated, keeps the sauce smooth and prevents lumps from forming as the liquid volume increases.
- Portioning into individual jars before baking: Dividing the mixture into individual ramekins or mason jars means each portion gets its own topping and its own crisp edges, instead of one large casserole where the edges and center bake unevenly.
Baked Broccoli & Beer Cheese
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Side Dish
Cuisine
American
Servings
14
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
253
Chef Tom fires up the Alfa One Wood-Fired Oven for a match made in heaven, it's Baked Broccoli & Beer Cheese. Much like a gratin, this cheesy side dish is perfect for your next holiday dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 lb broccoli crowns, quartered
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup onion, coarse grated
- 1 clove garlic, fine grated
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 (12 oz) bottle light beer
- 1 cup half and half
-
2 tbsp Kozlik’s Dijon Classique Mustard
-
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
-
Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
-
2 tbsp Colonial Chile Oil
-
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Cajun Fusion Seasoning
Cajun Crunch Topping:
Directions
- Build a fire with small splits of oak wood in the center of the deck of an Alfa One Wood Fired Oven. When the fire breaks down to coals, slide off to the side of the deck. Sweep any debris from the center of the deck.
- Continue to add splits of oak to the coal bed to maintain an ambient temperature of about 600ºF.
- Place the quartered crown of broccoli in a Finex 12” Cast Iron Skillet. Cover with the lid and place on the deck of the oven. Cook for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, then cook until tender and slightly charred, about 10 minutes more.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Remove the broccoli from the skillet. Wipe the skillet out. Dice the broccoli.
- Place the skillet back in the oven to keep warm.
- To make the beer cheese base, start by melting the butter in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and season with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning. Cook until tender and starting to brown.
- Add the flour and stir until hydrated. Cook until the mixture begins to resemble wet sand and smells nutty, about two minutes.
- Slowly stir in the beer and whisk to break up any flour lumps. When the beer is entirely incorporated, do the same with the half and half.
- Add the Kozlik’s Dijon Classique Mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the sauce up to a simmer.
- Whisk in the cheeses, a handful at a time, waiting to add more until the last addition has melted.
- Combine the beer cheese base with the diced broccoli in a mixing bowl. Toss to coat.
- Divide the broccoli and beer cheese mixture among 8 oz mason jars, or ramekins, filling ALMOST to the top.
- Combine the ingredients for the Cajun Crunch Topping in a bowl and mix well.
- Divide the Cajun Crunch Topping evenly among the individual servings, sprinkling on top of the broccoli & beer cheese.
- Load the ramekins onto a small sheet pan (for easy transfer in/out of the oven), and cover with a sheet of foil. Load the pan into the Alfa One, and slide to the side of the deck opposite the fire.
Maintain an ambient temperature of about 450ºF during this portion of the cook, adding splits of wood as needed.
- Cook for about 20 minutes, until the broccoli & beer cheese are warmed through and bubbling around the edges. Remove the foil and continue cooking until the Cajun Crunch Topping is browned, about 5 minutes more.
- Remove the Baked Broccoli & Beer Cheese from the oven and serve warm.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why cook the broccoli covered first, then uncovered?
Covering it initially steams the broccoli tender quickly. Removing the lid afterward lets it pick up char and color over the last several minutes — a step that cooking fully covered would skip entirely.
Why cook the flour until it smells nutty before adding the beer?
Stirring the flour into the butter and aromatics until it resembles wet sand and smells toasted builds real depth into the roux. Skipping this step would leave a raw, pasty flour taste in the finished sauce.
Why add the beer and half-and-half in two separate stages instead of all at once?
Whisking in the beer first and waiting until it's fully incorporated before adding the half-and-half keeps the sauce smooth. Adding both liquids together risks lumps forming as the volume increases too quickly for the roux to absorb evenly.
Why divide the mixture into individual jars or ramekins instead of one big dish?
Portioning it out means every serving gets its own share of the crunchy topping and its own crisp edges, rather than one large casserole where the center stays soft while only the edges brown.
Why whisk in the cheese a handful at a time instead of adding it all at once?
Adding cheese gradually and waiting for each addition to melt before adding more keeps the sauce smooth. Dumping it all in at once risks the cheese clumping or the sauce turning grainy instead of melting evenly.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — a regular oven and a stovetop skillet can handle the broccoli roasting and beer cheese base just as well as the wood-fired oven; you'll lose some of the wood-fired char on the broccoli, but the technique translates directly.
Recipe Highlights
Covered-then-uncovered broccoli: Steams tender first, then picks up char and color.
Nutty-cooked roux: Builds real depth instead of a raw flour taste.
Staged liquid additions: Prevents lumps as the sauce comes together.
Individual portions: Gives every serving its own crisp topping and edges.
Recommended Recipes
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 5.68 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 253
- Carbs
- 16 grams
- Protein
- 10 grams
- Fat
- 17 grams
- Sodium
- 307 milligrams
