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Beer-battered Cheese Curds Recipe

Name: Greenway Table & Taps BEER-BATTERED CHEESE CURDS Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cups Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds; 1 tbs All-purpose mayonnaise; 2 tbs Sour cream; 1 tsp Chipotle in adobo, finely minced; 1 tsp Fresh lime juice; 1 tsp Smoked garlic paste (or roasted garlic mashed); 1 tsp Smoked paprika; 2 tbs Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 tsp Honey (optional, for chipotle ranch balance); 0.25 tsp Salt; 0.125 tsp Freshly ground black pepper; 3 tbs All-purpose flour; 2 tbs Cornstarch; 0.5 tsp Baking powder; 0.5 tsp Kosher salt; 0.25 tsp Ground black pepper; 0.5 cups Cold beer (lager or pale ale); 2 tbs Ice water (if needed); 0.5 cups Panko breadcrumbs (optional for extra crisp); 1 unit Eggs, beaten; 4 cups Neutral frying oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut); 0.25 cups All-purpose flour for dredging; 0.25 tsp Finishing salt (such as flaky sea salt)

Inspired by Greenway Table & Tap

Time35m

Serves2

Wisconsin cheddar cheese, chipotle ranch and smoked-garlic sauce

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Ingredients

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Cheese & Dipping Sauces

1 cups Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds

1 tbs All-purpose mayonnaise

2 tbs Sour cream

1 tsp Chipotle in adobo, finely minced

1 tsp Fresh lime juice

1 tsp Smoked garlic paste (or roasted garlic mashed)

1 tsp Smoked paprika

2 tbs Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

1 tsp Honey (optional, for chipotle ranch balance)

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/8 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

Beer Batter & Coating

3 tbs 00 bread flour

2 tbs Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp Ground black pepper

1/2 cups Cold beer (lager or pale ale)

2 tbs Ice water (if needed)

1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs (optional for extra crisp)

1 unit Eggs, beaten

Frying & Finishing

4 cups Neutral frying oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut)

1/4 cups All-purpose flour for dredging

1/4 tsp Finishing salt (such as flaky sea salt)

Method

Cheese & Dipping Sauces

Prepare chipotle ranch

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise (1 tbs), sour cream (2 tbs), minced chipotle in adobo (1 tsp), lime juice (1 tsp), honey (1 tsp, optional), 0.125 tsp black pepper and 0.125 tsp salt until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or acidity by adding more chipotle or lime a little at a time. Refrigerate until serving.

Prepare smoked-garlic sauce

In a second small bowl combine smoked garlic paste (1 tsp), Greek yogurt (2 tbs), smoked paprika (1 tsp) and 0.125 tsp salt. Whisk until homogeneous and refrigerate alongside the chipotle ranch. These two sauces should be chilled while you prepare the curds; bring to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Beer Batter & Coating

Make batter

In a medium bowl whisk together 3 tbs all-purpose flour, 2 tbs cornstarch, 0.5 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup cold beer until you have a smooth, thick batter that will coat the back of a spoon. If the batter is too thick, whisk in up to 2 tbs ice water, 1 tbs at a time, to reach a consistency like heavy cream.

Prepare dredge and optional panko

Place 0.25 cup flour in a shallow dish and beat 1 egg in a second shallow dish. If using panko, place 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Pat the 1 cup cheddar curds dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture. Lightly dredge each curd in the flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the beaten egg, and finally coat with the beer batter. For extra crunch, after battering, press each curd into the panko to adhere an outer crumb layer.

Frying & Finishing

Heat oil

Pour 4 cups neutral frying oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter into the oil — it should sizzle and rise steadily without browning immediately.

Fry curds

Fry the battered cheese curds in small batches (6–8 curds at a time depending on pot size) to avoid crowding. Fry 1.5–2 minutes, turning as needed, until batter is golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer curds to a paper towel–lined sheet to drain. Do not overcook: fry only until golden; longer will cause the curd to leak melted cheese. Keep finished batches warm in a single layer in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish frying remaining curds.

Finish and serve

Sprinkle fried curds lightly with 0.25 tsp flaky finishing salt while still hot. Arrange curds on a platter with small bowls of chipotle ranch and smoked-garlic sauce for dipping. Serve immediately so the exterior stays crisp and the center remains gooey.