Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

By BobLongo

Ingredients

• Yield 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced 13.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle lager-style beer (such as Budweiser) Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, divided

Details

Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 80mins

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1 Preheat oven to 375°.
Step 2 Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute.
Step 3 Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion mixture, cheese, and beer to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
Step 4 Spoon batter into a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until deep golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Step 5 Apple-Cheddar Beer Bread: Substitute 1/2 cup minced shallots for onion. Place 1/2 cup shredded peeled Gala apple in paper towels; squeeze until barely moist. Cook shallots and apple in oil over medium heat for 7 minutes. Substitute 1 cup shredded extrasharp white cheddar cheese for Monterey Jack. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) bottle hard cider for lager. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
Step 6 Manchego-Jalapeño Beer Bread: Substitute 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeño pepper for onion; cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Substitute 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Manchego cheese for Monterey Jack cheese. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer (such as Dos Equis) for lager-style beer. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).
Step 7 Sopressata-Asiago Beer Bread: Substitute 1/2 cup minced shallots and 2 tablespoons chopped green onions for onion. Substitute 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese for Monterey Jack cheese. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) bottle Italian lager beer (such as Peroni) for lager-style beer. Stir 2 ounces finely chopped Sopressata salami into batter. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).