Slow Cooker Brats and Beer Cheese Dip

Ingredients

• 16- to 20-ounce package beer brats
• 1/4 cup white onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces German beer
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, optional
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 8 ounces Gouda cheese, shredded
• 6 ounces Asiago cheese, shredded
• 3 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 3 ounces goat cheese or chevre, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons diced pimentos, drained
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• Tortilla chips
• Pretzels or pretzel bites
• Cooked brats cut into 1" pieces

Directions

1. To take the sausage out of its casing, use a very sharp knife to cut a shallow line along each link from end to end. Peel away the casings from the bratwurst and throw them out.
2. Set a cast iron skillet, or another sturdy nonstick skillet, over medium high heat. Add the brats and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking them up as they brown, until the meat is cooked through and has some caramelized edges. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to crumble the sausage into bite-sized bits, roughly raisin-sized, so they are easy to scoop.
3. Lift the browned sausage out with a slotted spoon and move it to your slow cooker. Leave the drippings in the skillet for the next step.
4. Add the onions and garlic to the hot skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they turn shiny and translucent.
5. Turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly pour in the beer. It will foam and give off steam, so take your time. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen all those browned bits, which will bring a lot of flavor into the dip.
6. Bring the beer mixture to a boil, then let it bubble for about 2 to 3 minutes, until it has reduced slightly.
7. While the beer cooks down, whisk the cornstarch, whole milk, Dijon mustard, salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper and ground nutmeg together in a mixing bowl until smooth.
8. When the beer has reduced, pour the cornstarch mixture carefully into the skillet, whisking the whole time. Raise the heat to medium and bring it back to a boil; it should start thickening quickly.
9. When the sauce looks like gravy and the whisk pulls a ribbon through it, take the skillet off the heat. Carefully pour the sauce into the slow cooker.
10. Add the cheese to the slow cooker one variety at a time, stirring well after each addition before adding the next.
11. Stir in the drained, diced pimentos.
12. Cover the slow cooker and cook the dip on high for 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
13. Once the cheese is fully melted, change the slow cooker to the warm setting and stir the dip. Add the chopped cilantro and stir again. Taste and adjust with more salt and/or pepper if needed, but go lightly, since the flavor deepens as it sits and the dip can taste saltier over time.
14. The dip can stay on warm for up to 4 hours. Stir it about every 1/2 hour to keep a skin from forming on top. If it starts to seem too thick, stir in a little milk to loosen it.
15. Spoon the dip onto individual plates or into bowls. Serve with tortilla chips or Bavarian-style pretzels.
16. Store leftovers in a food storage container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
17. To reheat, microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir, then continue heating in 30-second intervals, stirring after each one, until warmed through.