Smoked Queso

Name: Smoked Queso
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb Sausage (1 lb. ground sausage, browned and crumbled (or ground beef)); 2 lb American Cheese (2 lbs. American cheese, cubed); 1 lb Pepper Jack Cheese (1 lb. pepper jack cheese, from blocks, cubed); 2 can Diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies (2 cans (10 oz each) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies); 1 can Jalapeño (1 can (4 oz) chopped pickled jalapeños); 1 tsp Garlic Powder (1 tsp garlic powder); ½ tsp Table Salt (½ tsp salt); ½ cup Cilantro (½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped); 0 pieces Smoking Chips (Hickory wood chips for smoking); 0 pieces Whole Milk (Milk or beer as needed for consistency)

Smoked Queso - Appetizers,Dip,Side Dish (American)

60 minAmerican

Servings8

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Egg Free

Steps

1Get your smoker going at 275°F. Hickory wood chips are my favorite here, but oak or mesquite work great too.
2Add 1 lb. ground sausage, browned and crumbled (or ground beef) in a skillet over medium heat and break it up as it cooks. You want nice small crumbles, not big chunks. Drain off the grease and set it aside.
3Combine all the ingredients in 9×13-inch aluminum pan, cast iron skillet, or heavy Dutch. Add browned 1 lb. ground sausage, 2 lbs. of cubed American cheese, 1 lb. cubed pepper jack cheese, 2 cans Rotel tomatoes, 1 can pickled jalapeños, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp salt.
4Smoke queso for 30 to 45 minutes. Set a timer to stir every 15 to 20 minutes, and add more hickory wood chips every 20 minutes to maintain a steady smoke flow.
5Monitor consistency as it cooks. Add milk or beer gradually to reach your desired consistency if the queso becomes too thick.
6Finish and serve by stirring in ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve immediately while hot.
7Alternative Grill Method
8Light charcoal in a starter and wait until coals turn gray. Place all coals to one side of the grill, then top with hickory wood chips. Place the pan with queso on the side without coals. Close the grill and follow the same timing and stirring instructions.