Bacon Bacon Bacon and Beer Beer Beer Risotto

18 Sep Bacon Bacon Bacon and Beer Beer Beer Risotto

Besides carbohydrates, bacon is one of my favorite foods. Especially to cook with. One of the things I appreciate most about the smokey slab of pork is that you don’t need a lot of it to make a flavor impact on any dish! A little bacon makes everything better. Add some beer and you’ve got a dish made for loving! This risotto is great as a meal onto it’s own with a little garden salad, or makes a perfect side to grilled chicken, or a juicy, tender filet….

A note about cooking with beer, or wine: Chose a beverage you would actually drink. Since in most recipes the liquid is cooked down, the flavors get concentrated. So if the flavor is such that you wouldn’t normally drink it, its probably not going to improve when you concentrate it. I personally won’t cook with anything I wouldn’t drink. Besides, most recipes only call for a portion of the can or bottle, and I would hate to see it go to waste….

Bacon and Beer Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 2 slices bacon, diced
• 6 ounces of beer (something you would drink)
• 3 to 4 cups chicken broth, room temperature or warmed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup white onion, diced
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In large pan over medium high heat, cook bacon until fat is rendered and it just begins to crisp. Remove from pan with slotted spoon, allowing to drain in a paper towel and set aside.
2. In remaining bacon fat, add garlic and onion; saute until fragrant and onion is just translucent. Add arborio rice to pan, stirring to coat. Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Lower the temperature and slowly add beer to the pan and allow most of the liquid to be absorbed by the rice. Add chicken broth, 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Repeat until the grains are creamy and cooked.
4. Remove from heat and stir in reserved bacon and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 mains (8 sides)

Calories: 385 Fat: 11g Carbs: 42g (fiber 0, sugar 2g) Protein: 21g

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