Smoked queso for 12: cubed Velveeta, cream cheese and pepper jack with browned sausage, tomatoes and green chiles, smoked in a foil pan until it melts into a dip that tastes like the fire. Build the pan ahead in about 20 minutes, then give it about 1 hour on a smoker or a grill set up for smoke, in the backyard for a homegate or at the lot.
Feeds: 12 · Hands-on: about 20 min · Total: about 1½ hours
Home gear: a 9 × 13 in. deep foil pan, a skillet and an instant-read thermometer
Pack for the lot
- Queso pan, covered, in the cooler
- Wood chunks or a foil packet of chips
- Tortilla chips
- Cilantro, in the cooler
- Instant-read thermometer
- Long spoon for stirring
- Heat-proof gloves
- Charcoal and a chimney starter, or a full propane tank
- Second foil pan, to nest under the first
- Trash bags
Lot notes
- Fuel: any grill with a lid works. Charcoal with a chunk of wood gives the most smoke flavor. A pellet smoker needs power, so check your lot's generator rule before you count on one.
- Holding hot: leave the pan on the cool side with the lid down and stir it now and then. Keep it at 140°F or above. Below that, warm it back to 165°F, and toss whatever has been out past 2 hours, or 1 hour over 90°F.
- Cold until it's on the grill: it's a cheese dip with cooked sausage in it, so the built pan rides in the cooler at 40°F or below.
- It thickens as it sits: stir in a splash of milk if it gets stiff on the grill.
- Cleanup: let the pan cool, fold the foil over and toss it.
Can you make smoked queso ahead?
Yes. Brown the sausage and build the pan up to 1 day ahead, keep it covered in the fridge, and smoke it straight from the cooler until it reaches 165°F.
How do you keep queso hot at a tailgate?
Leave the pan on the cool side of the grill with the lid down so it stays at 140°F or above, and stir it every so often. At home, a slow cooker on warm holds it once it's hot.
Can you make smoked queso on a gas grill?
Yes. Light one side, put a foil packet of wood chips over that burner, and set the pan on the unlit side with the lid closed at about 250°F.
How much smoked queso for 20 people?
Multiply everything by 1⅔ and use 2 pans: about 3⅓ lb of Velveeta, 1⅔ lb of sausage, 3⅓ cups of pepper jack and 3 to 4 bags of chips. Start the second pan when the first is half gone.