Ingredients:
19 ounces Bratwurst
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups sweet onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups beer (I used a Hefeweizen beer for a more traditional Octoberfest theme)
3 medium size potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup flour
2 cups Half and Half
5 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (from a block of cheese)* please see note at bottom
4 ounces Velveeta cheese
Directions:
1. Allow cheddar cheese, Velveeta cheese, and Half and Half to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Very important to insure a successful cheese sauce.
2. In a 6 quart Dutch oven, fill half way with water, bring to boil, reduce to low, add bratwurst and cook for 15 minutes (cooking bratwurst first in water is just to make it easier to remove the casing). Remove bratwurst to a plate and drain water from Dutch oven. Once cooled, cut bratwurst into 1/4 inch coin size pieces, removing bratwurst casing as you go. On medium high heat, add bratwurst and 1/4 cup butter to the Dutch oven, reserve the other 1/2 cup butter for later. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon and breaking up the bratwurst into smaller pieces, getting a good caramelization. Remove bratwurst with a spider or slotted spoon to a plate for later, making sure the cooked butter and bratwurst juices remain in Dutch oven.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots, sweet onion, celery, garlic, cayenne, black pepper, salt and yellow mustard. Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Add chicken broth, beer and potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Reduce heat to low.
5. In a separate medium size sauce pan, on medium heat, melt the remaining 1/2 cup of butter, add the flour a little at a time whisking constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. If flour starts to brown remove from heat and turn down the temp as you go. Gradually add the Half and Half, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. Add cheddar cheese and Velveeta a little at a time and stir using a wooden spoon until melted, increase heat as needed to melt the cheese. Cheese mixture will be very thick, if it gets too thick, add a little lukewarm water.
6. Add the bratwurst and cheese mixture to the Dutch oven and stir until all combined. Increase heat to simmer and cook for 45-55 minutes, stirring occasionally depending how thick or thin you like your stew. Check to make sure the carrots are fork tender, may require longer cooking time. If stew gets too thick, add some more chicken broth. Serve with a soft pretzel on the side, or cube up the pretzel and serve on top like croutons.
*Note: Store bought shredded cheese contains potato starch and powdered cellulose. It keeps the cheese from clumping and shreds of cheese separate. Using store bought shredded cheese can cause cheese sauces to separate and become grainy, ending in a big pile of failure. By shredding your own cheese from a block or wheel of cheese equals a successful cheese sauce.