Smoked Queso brings all the things you love about a great appetizer into a zesty, delicious, smoky, and cheesy dip. If the words spicy, queso, Tex-Mex, bacon, corn chips, sausage, and melted cheese send you into sensory overload, this Smoked Queso Dip is calling your name.
Just the thing to begin a backyard cookout, potluck dinner, a game-day party, or even a fun Cinco de Mayo party, Smoked Queso will spice up any get-together. It is brimming with not one but two kinds of cheese, creamy Velveeta cheese, and pepper-jack cheese, for an extra kick. A can of diced tomatoes and green chilies ramps up the spice quotient, and a package of hot breakfast sausage rounds everything out and provides even more flavor with another touch of heat.
Why you will love it:
What sets this Smoked Queso Dip apart from other queso dips is the addition of bacon. The other thing is that instead of cooking it on the stove, it is smoked low and slow to perfection in a cast-iron skillet over smoldering chunks of oak. Bacon and smoking give this dip an incredible layer of smoky goodness that makes it simply irresistible.
I recently held a blind taste test with some long-time friends. I prepared two queso dips, this one with Velveeta and another batch substituting shredded cheddar cheese, cornstarch, and evaporated milk. This recipe won hands down. In the interest of full disclosure, there may have been margaritas involved.
Here’s what you will need:
- Velveeta cheese – is a processed cheese product with a checkered past. Whether you are a fan or not, Velveeta, called “liquid gold” in some circles, is creamy and velvety when melted, making it the perfect base for this recipe. Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, tends to taste a little grainy when melted. Velveeta and Rotel came together in the ’70s to make the first queso dip, and, as they say, it was and still is a “marriage made in heaven.”
- Pepper-Jack cheese – is made with Monterey Jack cheese, chilies, peppers, and spices. It adds more creamy, cheesy deliciousness, plus additional heat.
- Breakfast sausage – made with ground pork and heavily flavored with spices adds great texture and flavor. I like to use “hot,” but if you want to tone down the heat, “regular” works just fine.
- Bacon – a relative newcomer to the queso party, adds another layer of smokiness to this smoky dip and is a “must-have” in this recipe.
- Diced tomatoes and green chilies – Velveeta’s original partner in the first queso recipes is another essential component and a zesty addition. The most common brand is Rotel, and it adds great flavor and color to this dip.
- Green chilies – just because I couldn’t leave well enough alone, I like to add even more green chilies to provide a bit more flavor and heat. I usually buy the “mild” flavor, but if you like a lot of heat, feel free to use “hot.”
- Jalapeno pepper – is used as a garnish to add a pop of color in a sea of orange cheese.
Here’s how to make it:
- Prepare your grill for smoking following the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat it to 250 degrees. If you are using a Big Green Egg, add a layer of charcoal, then add a handful of wood chips or a chunk or two of wood. Add another layer of charcoal and light the fire. Preheat the Egg to 250 degrees F. Add the plate-setter legs up, then the cooking grid.
- While your grill is heating up, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat; when the skillet is hot, add the chopped bacon. Spread it out evenly and let it brown and render some of its fat. This should take about seven minutes. The bacon will not be fully cooked at this point.
- Add the sausage and partially break it up. Let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Use a spatula and flip it over and continue breaking it up into small pieces. Let it cook an additional five minutes undisturbed and repeat. Continue cooking until it is browned and thoroughly cooked.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and pour out the sausage and bacon onto a paper towel to drain as much grease as possible. Use additional paper towels to blot the top of any excess grease.
- Add the sausage and bacon back to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Add the Velveeta and pepper jack cheese, the diced tomatoes and green chilies along with juice, and the canned chilies with juice and stir to combine.
- Continue stirring until the cheese melts.
- Place the skillet on the grill and close the smoker. Plan to smoke it for about one hour and stir it halfway through.
- Remove the skillet from the grill, garnish with the chopped jalapeno, and serve it immediately while still hot with sturdy corn chips or tortilla chips.
Frequently asked questions:
What kind of wood to use for smoking?
I used chunks of oak to smoke this dip. I prefer to use chunks because they last longer than chips. Oak is in the milder category of smoking woods and is similar to apple, pear, or pecan. Hickory and mesquite are much stronger, and I think they might overpower the flavors in the dip.
What to serve with it?
Smoked Queso is delicious when served with corn or tortilla chips for dipping. It does have a thick and chunky consistency, so be sure to choose a sturdy chip that can scoop it up without breaking. I like to serve it with chips as an appetizer when I serve other Tex-Mex or Southwestern-style foods like my Walking Taco Casserole, Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing, Spicy Blackened Shrimp Tacos, Tequila Lime Chicken Enchiladas, or Sizzling Steak Fajitas. Of course, you can’t go wrong serving an Ultimate Frozen Margarita or two either.
How to keep it warm?
If there is any downfall to this delicious dip, it congeals and forms a solid mass when it cools. This means it has to be kept warm for easy dipping. Because it starts and smokes in a cast-iron skillet, one easy fix is to serve it on a hot plate or portable electric burner. Alternatively, you can put it in a chafing dish, a fondue pot, or a small crockpot.
What does queso mean in Spanish?
Queso literally means “cheese” in Spanish, and true to its name, this smoked queso is a cheese lover’s dream.
How to store leftovers?
Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for four to five days. To reheat it, place it in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir it constantly while it is reheating to keep the cheese from burning.
Sharon’s tips:
This recipe, as written, is spicy and has a kick. If you would like to reduce the heat, substitute regular breakfast sausage for hot. You can also substitute Monterey Jack cheese for the Pepper Jack cheese. In addition, be sure to use “mild or regular” diced tomatoes and green chilies instead of “original” or “hot.”
If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can always use a sturdy disposable aluminum pan to smoke your dip.
While this queso is smoked for added flavor if you prefer you can prepare it and serve it as is without smoking it.
I use a Big Green Egg for smoking, but any smoker or a grill with a lid works too.
Related recipes:
If you like Tex-Mex or Southwestern food as we do, you might also like these quick and easy appetizer recipes: Easy Cheesy Hot Corn Dip, Crunchy Taco Cups, Homemade Pico de Gallo, Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers, and Cast Iron Skillet Nachos.
You can find all of my Tex-Mex and Southwestern recipes at this link.
If you enjoy smoked foods, you might also enjoy these smoked dishes: Smoked Spatchcock Chicken, Smoked Chicken Thighs with Peach Barbecue Sauce, Smoked Shrimp, Smoked Ham with Peach Glaze, and Smoked Turkey with Herb and Garlic Butter.
You can find all of my smoked or grilled recipes at this link.
★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!
Smoked Queso Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon chopped
- 1 pound breakfast sausage hot
- 1 pound Velveeta processed cheese cut into cubes
- 4 ounces shredded pepper-jack cheese
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes and green chilies with juice, I use Rotel, "original"
- 4 ounces chopped green chilies with juice, I use "mild"
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed and finely chopped.
Instructions
- Prepare your grill for smoking following the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat it to 250 degrees. If you are using a Big Green Egg, add a layer of charcoal, then add a handful of wood chips or a chunk or two of wood. Add another layer of charcoal and light the fire. Preheat the Egg to 250 degrees F. Add the plate-setter legs up, then the cooking grid.
- While your grill is heating up, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the chopped bacon. Spread it out evenly and let it brown and render some of its fat. This should take about seven minutes. The bacon will not be fully cooked at this point.
- Add the sausage and partially break it up. Let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Use a spatula and flip it over and continue breaking it up into small pieces. Let it cook an additional five minutes undisturbed and repeat. Continue cooking until it is browned and thoroughly cooked.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and pour out the sausage and bacon onto a paper towel to drain as much grease as possible. Use additional paper towels to blot the top of any excess grease.
- Add the sausage and bacon back to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Add the Velveeta and pepper jack cheese, the diced tomatoes and green chilies along with the juice, and the canned chilies with juice and stir to combine. Continue stirring until the cheese melts.
- Place the skillet on the grill and close the smoker. Plan to smoke it for about one hour and stir it halfway through.
- Remove the skillet from the grill, garnish with the chopped jalapeno, and serve it immediately while still hot with sturdy corn chips or tortilla chips.
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