Guinness and Irish Cheese Fondue: Easy St. Patrick’s Day Recipe

My number one choice is Guinness.
My number two choice would be Guinness.
My number three choice would have to be Guinness.

-Peter O’Toole, asked his favorite Irish food

Unlike Mr. O’Toole, I’m not a huge Guinness fan. My husband and brother will drink one or two, and then we’ll have the remaining bottles in our fridge for forever.

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re using up that extra Guinness in our cooking 🙂

Jeff pretty much has at-home fondue down to a science now (full disclosure, this is his recipe) but I really especially liked this fondue, it had a good deep flavor and nice texture. But not so pronounced a flavor that the kids wouldn’t eat it.

We paired it with a Potato and Scallion bread from the bakery and an impromptu Irish Soda Bread that I baked. (No raisins, by request.) And a boatload of green apples, but any tart apple will do. Cut up veggies are also a dipping hit.

In an effort to make this recipe more accessible, I bought Kerrygold cheeses available at our traditional grocery store (although I was tempted to try out a variety of cheeses from my friends’ parents cheese shop).

The Kerrygold website describes the Dubliner as having the “distinctive rounded flavor and a natural hint of sweetness… elements of mature cheddar, sweet nutty tones of a Swiss and the piquant bit of aged Parmesan,” and the Irish Cheddar as “a smooth firm body, creamy taste.” I like that they are wrapped in paper, not plastic, and that the cheese is made from the milk of grass-fed dairy cows allowed to graze on sustainable pastures.

Guinness and Irish Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

7 oz Irish Cheddar, shredded
7 oz Dubliner, shredded
4 oz swiss, shredded
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
6 oz Guinness Extra Stout
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp stone ground mustard
2 tsp Worchestershire
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Note: we use a CrockPot on the table to keep the fondue warm while eating. If you’re doing the same, preheat your CrockPot by filling halfway with water and turning on high; carefully dump the water before transferring your fondue.

1. Toss the cheeses together with the cornstarch (improves the texture and prevents sticking).

2. Heat beer in medium saucepan to boil.

3. Add garlic and mustard, continue to boil for 3 minutes. Do not overheat.

4. Add cheese 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously until smooth.

5. Stir in Worchestershire and pepper to taste.

6. Remove from heat. Transfer to preheated CrockPot or fondue pot, or (carefully) eat straight from your saucepan. The sides and bottom will be hot!

7. Eat fondue until you have to go lie down to recover.

I still have 4 bottles of Guinness!

Any other recipe ideas for me to try?