A smoky cheese ball is a cheese spread made of smoked cheese, cream cheese and nuts.Appetizers are great to make for parties and are easy to prepare.If you want to make cheese balls for an event or party, it is best to prepare them ahead of time because they need time to chill and harden.A cheese spread on a pretzel or cracker is a great pre-dinner treat.
Step 1: Take the smoked cheese and shred it.
To make a cheese ball, shred 2 cups of smoked cheese.You can use cheese.Swiss and Gouda will give your cheese ball a milder flavor.
Step 2: The cheese and butter should be combined.
Add smoked cheese, cream cheese and butter or margarine to a large mixing bowl after shredding it.Let the ingredients sit until they reach room temperature by mixing them with an electric mixer or hand.
Step 3: You can add milk and steak sauce.
Put the milk and steak sauce into a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer or by hand until the mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Place the cheese ball in a bag for 24 hours.
Place the bowl in the fridge for 24 hours after the mixture is combined.It is easier to shape into a ball if the cheese mixture is chilled.
Step 5: Put the mixture into a ball.
Scoop out the cheese mixture from the bowl you took out of the fridge.You can shape the cheese mixture into a ball with your hands.
Step 6: You can serve the cheese ball in nuts.
Spread the chopped nuts on a cutting board or clean surface after they have been finely chopped.If you want to coat the cheese ball with nuts, roll the ball of cheese in chopped nuts.The cheese ball should be served with pretzels or crackers.You should put the cheese ball in the fridge to keep it cool.The cheese ball can be kept in the fridge for a week.
Step 7: Put the bacon in a pan and cook it.
A bacon-cheddar cheese ball is a ball of cheese covered in bacon.To make the cheese ball, cook the bacon in a skillet on the stove for a few minutes.The bacon fat should be left in the skillet.Place the bacon in a skillet on the stove top.The heat should be turned to medium heat.The bacon will begin to release its fat, which will help to cook the bacon and make it crisp.The bacon should be turned every minute or so for about five minutes.Remove the bacon and reserve some of the fat.
Step 8: Take the bacon and cook it.
After you remove the bacon from the pan, lay down a few layers of paper towels and allow the excess fat to drain off.Then slice the bacon into small pieces.
Step 9: Chop and cook the nuts.
The chopped pecans are on a cutting board.Add the bacon fat and chopped pecans to the skillet.Remove the pecans from the skillet and let them cool for 10 minutes.
Step 10: Chop the onion and shred the cheese.
While the nuts are cooling shred the 2 cups of Cheddar cheese.If you want to compliment the smokiness of the bacon you can use smoked cheddar cheese.The green onion can be cut into 14 inch rounds.
Step 11: The cheese should be shaped into a ball.
Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix them by hand.The mixture should be shaped into a ball.
Step 12: The cheese ball should be wrapped in plastic.
Wrap cheese in plastic when it's formed into a ball.It can be kept in the fridge for 4 hours.Store the cheese ball in the fridge for up to a week.
Step 13: The leaves are in margarine.
There is a vegan cheese ball that is just as delicious as a traditional one.To make the cheese ball, place the margarine in the skillet over medium heat.Drop the 10 leaves in the margarine when it starts to cook.The leaves should be cooked for a few minutes.Use a spatula or tongs to remove the leaves from the skillet and place them on a sheet of paper towel to absorb the excess oil.Take the margarine out of the skillet and let it cool.
Step 14: You can toast the pistachios and pumpkin seeds.
Put the pumpkin seeds and pistachios on a tray and turn on the oven.Place the tray of nuts in the oven after ten minutes of preheating.Take the nuts out of the oven after five minutes of toasting.
Step 15: Crans should be placed in a food processor.
Add shredded cheese and vegan cream cheese into a food processor after shredding the smoked vegan cheese.If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can mix it by hand.
Step 16: Take the ingredients and mix them together.
Take off the top and stir the ingredients in the food processor or blender.When the mixture is combined, repeat several times.If you mix by hand, make sure the mixture is homogenous.
Step 17: For 20 minutes, chill the mixture into a ball.
Place the mixture on a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil after you blend it.Wrap the mixture in plastic wrap or aluminum foil after it's been mold into a ball.The vegan cheese ball can be kept in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Step 18: Add the cranberries to the ball.
Cut the cranberries into small pieces while the vegan cheese ball is in the fridge.Take the cheese ball out of the fridge and put it in the dried cranberries.You can coat the vegan cheese ball with excess cranberries.
Step 19: Either serve or chill the cheese ball.
If you want to serve the vegan cheese ball with vegan crackers and snacks, take it out of the fridge and unwrap it.The ball should be wrapped in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.