1-Getting Started with Bacon Prep: Begin by cooking your bacon. Place the chopped bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crispy. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes. Once crispy, remove the bacon from the pot using a slotted spoon and set it aside on paper towels to drain. Importantly, leave about 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in the pot. This fat is liquid gold when it comes to flavor and will form the foundation for sautéing our aromatics.

2-Building the Flavor Base: With the bacon fat still warm in the pot, add your finely diced yellow onion. Sauté the onion over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes translucent and begins to soften. Then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it as garlic can turn bitter quickly.

Next, add the 2 tablespoons of salted butter to the pot. Once melted, stir in the all-purpose flour. Cook this mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. This step, called making a roux, cooks out the raw flour taste and will help thicken our soup. The mixture should bubble gently and have a light golden color.

3-Adding Liquids and Potatoes: Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring there are no lumps in the mixture. Follow this by adding the warmed whole milk, continuing to whisk as you pour. It’s crucial that your milk is warm before adding it to prevent any separation or curdling issues later. Now pour in the heavy cream, followed by your seasonings: 2 teaspoons kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon celery salt. These seasonings work together to create a complex flavor profile that’s savory with just a hint of heat.

Add the diced russet potatoes to the pot and stir everything together. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

4-Creating the Perfect Texture: Once the potatoes are tender, it’s time to create that signature creamy texture with rustic elements. Remove about half of the soup from the pot and carefully blend it until smooth using either an immersion blender or a regular blender. Be extra careful if using a regular blender with hot liquid as it can expand rapidly. Fill the blender only halfway, remove the center cap of the lid, and cover with a kitchen towel while blending.

Return the blended portion to the pot and stir to combine. This technique gives you the best of both worlds – a creamy base with chunks of tender potato throughout. Now add the freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese, stirring until it’s completely melted and incorporated. Follow this with the room temperature sour cream, again stirring until well combined. Finally, add back half of the crispy bacon bits you set aside earlier.

5-Final Touches and Serving: Taste your soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Sometimes a little more salt or pepper is required to bring all the flavors together. When serving, ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with the remaining crispy bacon bits, a sprinkle of shredded Asiago cheese, fresh chives, and an extra dollop of sour cream if desired. This soup pairs perfectly with crusty bread for dipping.