Cheeseburger Beer Soup

Add the chopped bacon to a 4 or 5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot set over medium heat. Season the beef patties with the steak seasoning on both sides. When the fat starts to render and sizzle, scootch the bacon off to one side and add one or two beef patties to the cleared space (whatever will fit). Let the meat sear on the first side, and then flip to sear the second side. Meanwhile, keep moving the bacon pieces to help them cook, and let any rendered fat spread out to where the beef is cooking. Transfer the cooked patties to a plate, and repeat with the remaining beef. When the last patty is cooked, also remove the crisped bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

There should still be fat in the pot. If not, add a drizzle of olive or avocado oil. Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pan and saute until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Pour the beer into the pot and deglaze the fond with a spatula, scraping the bits up into the liquid. Depending on what kind of beer you used, the liquid will be dark or light (I used Guinness, so it’s quite dark). The alcohol will cook off after a few minutes.

Add the flour, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika to the vegetable mixture and stir to create a thick base, almost gravy-like.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken broth. Let the broth come up to a bubble and simmer for 10 minutes. While the soup simmers, chop the beef patties into 1/2″ pieces. Add the shredded potatoes and the beef to the soup. Let the potato shreds cook down for 4 to 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.

Stir in the dairy, followed by the shredded cheeses, a handful at a time, until thoroughly combined into the soup. Serve the soup along with your favorite toppings (don’t forget the bacon!).