Beer-Braised Onion Dip
If you know me, you know I’m not just a fan of food but a huge fan of beer. And one of my favorite beer-guzzling snacks is this beer-braised onion dip. Not only does it have beer in it, giving you a double whammy of beer flavor, but it’s absolutely delicious when paired with your favorite brew.
This recipe comes inspired from my brother who works in the beer industry and makes this rock-star dip at practically every family gathering. It wasn’t long before I asked for the recipe to start adding it to Hungry Ali appetizer game.
What I love about this recipe is that it’s hardly exact, leaving lots of room for forgiveness. You’ll also notice a pretty trim little list of ingredients because, that’s right, there are just THREE ingredients in this magical dip. In fact, when I asked my bro for the ingredients to his recipe I was shocked that something so delicious could be merely a combination of onions, beer and sour cream (plus lots of salt and peppa, of course!)
But believe it yourself, because sometimes perfection doesn’t have to be complicated. When you take a bite of this dip with a salty, crispy, ruffled potato chip, you’ll taste rich, jammy onions caramelized to perfection in a bath of beer, melted together in cool, creamy sour cream.
It’s such a foolproof recipe, practically anyone can make this dip. But here are a few pro tips for making this your new drinking buddy:
Take your time braising the onions and slowing pouring your beer into the onions in a risotto-like fashion. They are 100% worth the wait and your extra patience!
Use a dark, rich beer. If you’re in Washington State, I highly recommend the Iron Horse Irish Death!
This dip is best when made in advance! If you have the spare time, whip it up at least a day before you plan on serving. The flavors end up melding together overnight and tasting infinitely better than when served immediately.
Save yourself some beer as a cook’s treat because, obviously.
Beer-Braised Onion Dip
Ingredients
2 sweet onions, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
About 3/4 of 12 oz can of your favorite dark beer
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
16 oz sour cream
Directions
Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add oil and onions and start to saute. Saute for about 4-5 minutes initially to soften the onions, then add a few tablespoons of beer to de-glaze the pan, scraping up brown bits. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until beer has reduced. Repeat this process until you’ve used about 3/4 of the can of beer (remember to take some sips for yourself!) This process should take 30-45 minutes in total.
The onions should appear jammy, dark in color and fully caramelized. Add onions to a medium bowl along with sour cream. Mix together and season to taste with more salt and pepper. Refrigerate before serving and chill for as long as possible! No seriously…chill out with a beer and eat this dip for as long as possible, because that is what living the good life is all about!
