Can I use other varieties of cheese?

Absolutely! We love this combination of white cheese, but feel free to use your favorites. Some other good options might be cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese. Velveeta cheese is a common choice, but we just don't agree.

What kind of wood makes the best smoked cheese?

We recommend using mesquite, oak, hickory, or other strong wood chips or wood pellets to add the best flavor to this smoked cheese dip.

What if I don't have a cast iron skillet that can go in a smoker?

No problem, after you have fully cooked the meat mixture and are ready to layer the cheese, move the cooked meat to a disposable foil pan, then layer the cheese, tomatoes, and rest of the cheese. After you are done enjoying the dip recipe you can just throw away the disposable aluminum pan!

Smoked Queso

Description

An easy and flavorful Smoked Queso recipe that is perfect for Game Day or your next cookout! So delicious and simple to make!

Ingredients

Scale

8oz chorizo
1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño, diced (remove seeds and membrane)
1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning
10oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
6oz oaxaca cheese, shredded
6oz monterey jack cheese, shredded
3oz quesadilla cheese, shredded
garnish: sliced green onion, reserved chorizo, reserved tomatoes
your choice of chips for serving

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Instructions

Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F.
Bring a 10 inch cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add chorizo and move around pan until cooked through. Drain excess grease and reserve 1/4 cup of the chorizo for garnish later. Add garlic, onion, and jalapeno to the hot pan. Move around pan until garlic is fragrant and onion starts to soften, approx. 2 minutes. Again, drain any excess grease that has gathered. Add 1/2 the can of tomatoes to the remaining chorizo in the bottom of the pan along with the taco seasoning, stir to combine.
Layer 1/2 of the oaxaca cheese, 1/2 of the monterey jack cheese, and then 1/2 of the quesadilla cheese. Add approx. 1/4 of the can of tomatoes (reserve the final 1/4 can for garnish) and then layer the remaining cheese again.
Place skillet directly on the grill grates and close the smoker. Let cook 60-90 minutes, but start checking on it occasionally after 60 minutes.
Remove from smoker and place under the broiler for about a minute or until the top layer starts to brown, but watch carefully (I left the oven cracked open so I could see it the whole time).
Garnish with remaining chorizo, tomatoes, and some sliced green onions. Serve with your choice of chips and an ice cold beer!

Notes

Keeping warm: feel free to transfer to a small slow cooker and keep on low/warm to keep the queso warm for longer periods (just keep an eye on it).
Make it Spicy: if you want it spicy feel free to keep those jalapeno seeds + membrane in tact when dicing.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 oz
Calories: 229
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 636.3 mg
Fat: 17.1 g
Carbohydrates: 3.7 g
Protein: 14.7 g
Cholesterol: 43.2 mg