Slow-Cooker Beer and Cheddar Fondue

Why This Recipe Works

Fondue can be tricky to make at home because it tends to be fussy; to prevent the cheese from separating, it needs to be melted slowly and gently. Once melted, it must be kept at just the right temperature and frequently stirred to keep the fondue from breaking. Sharp cheddar had great flavor, but its texture was consistently grainy when melted. We switched to mild cheddar and added highly meltable American cheese to make it even creamier, but our fondue still turned grainy as it sat. To further stabilize it, we added a mixture of cornstarch and cream cheese. Now we had a fondue that stayed creamy without constant stirring. To bring out the flavor of the cheddar, we added some garlic and dry mustard. Finally, for the characteristic malty flavor, we added some mild lager—tasters preferred its milder, less bitter flavor over other styles of beer. This fondue tasted best when made with block cheese that we shredded ourselves; you can find block American cheese at the deli counter. Preshredded cheese will work, but the fondue will be much thicker.