Best PIT BOSS SMOKED QUESO Dip RECIPE

Looking for an easy and authentic smoked queso recipe??

Look no further, because I’m here with an easy, super-delicious and quite easy smoked queso recipe, which you can make in your smoker, as well as in oven or simply in slow cooker.

So grab the ingredients, and let’s make some fantasy in our kitchen with this easy-cheesy smoked queso dip recipe😋😋..

Smoked Queso Recipe

This SMOKED QUESO DIP RECIPE is super easy to make at home. To make this amazing cheesy and creamy queso dip, You just need a blend of cheeses like yellow and white velveeta cheese, pepper jack and cream cheese if you like, minced meat, ro-tel tomatoes, green chilies, jalapeno and the spices to season your queso. 

Steps to make the smoked queso dip recipe are quite simple and easy, just follow our step by step recipe to make this smoked queso dip at home for your next get together or game days. 

So, grab your chips, because we’re about to dive into cheesy, smoky heaven. Let’s cook!

What is queso?

Queso is the Spanish word for “cheese“. In the world of food, especially in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, “queso” often means a yummy cheese-based dip. It’s typically creamy and melty, and people love to dip things like tortilla chips or pour it over nachos.

Queso dip is made from ingredients like cheese, cream, chilies, and spices, and it can be mild or spicy, depending on the recipe. Queso can also just mean plain cheese, which is used in lots of Mexican dishes to make them extra tasty. So, queso is all about enjoying the cheesy goodness in different ways!

Best Smoked Queso Dip Recipe

Imagine the melty, gooey cheese warmed by the smoky allure of a barbecue pit. That’s what we’re making today – a smoked queso dip that’s as easy as it is finger-licking good.

You don’t need to be a grill master to do this. If you have a smoker or a grill with some wood chips, you’re all set. And if you don’t, no worries, we have a hack for that too.

This dip is like a taste fest. It has a blend of cheddar and jack cheese with tomatoes, peppers and spicy spices. Smoky? This is the VIP guest everyone will come back for.

Why you’ll love this Smoked Queso dip Recipe

✔️ This recipe brings a wonderful world of smoky flavor to your favorite cheesy dip.

✔️ It is easy to make, even if you are new to cooking. Just follow our easy steps using everyday ingredients.

✔️ Whether it’s game day, a BBQ, or a casual gathering, this smoked queso is the star of the snacks that keeps everyone coming back for more.

✔️ Perfect for dipping chips, veggies, or whatever else you like, making snack time a delicious adventure.

SMOKED QUESO ON PIT BOSS OR TRAEGER

For the smoked queso dip, I like to use a Pit Boss pellet grill, but if you don’t have a Pit Boss, you can go with any other smoker of your choice. Simply fill the hopper with your favorite wood pellets and preheat to 250 degrees, and it’s time to smoke some queso!

But, if you don’t have a Pit Boss, it’s not a big deal! You can use any pellet grill, including the Traeger Pellet Grill. Or you can also use the crockpot or oven for your smoked queso dip.

One more thing, when smoking queso on a pellet grill, it is recommended to keep the flame broiler off, to avoid direct contact of the flame with the queso, as direct flame can cause the queso to cook faster, burning. And it won’t even burn. Smoky flavor for queso dip. So try making the queso low and slow for the best flavor.

Pit Boss Smoked Queso Dip recipe ingredients

Gather the following ingredients before dive in to the recipe of smoked queso dip:

• 8 oz. each of white and yellow velveeta
• 8 oz. shredded pepper jack
• 1 diced onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 diced jalapenos
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 lb. ground beef (lean)
• 10 ounces Ro-tel Original Diced Tomatoes and chopped Green Chilies (1 can)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1 tsp cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne
• cilantro

How to make this Smoked Queso Recipe

Preheat Your Pit Boss Smoker:

Preheat your Pit Boss smoker to 375°F using your choice of wood pellets (hickory or mesquite work well for a smoky flavor).

Brown the Meat:

Take a large pan, heat olive oil on medium-high flame. Add the ground meat breaking it into pieces with a spoon. Cook until meat is browned, then add chopped onion and jalapeno, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then add beans and cooked through, usually about 5-7 minutes.

Prepare the Cheese:

In the recipe, I’m using 3 cheeses. Yellow and white velveeta, and a block of pepper jack. Cut the cheeses into cubes. Love to use queso blanco brand for this smoked queso, however If you don’t have queso blanco you can also use regular Velveeta.

And you can also replace it with white American cheese. Make small cubes of pepper jack. This will help the cheese melt faster.

Assemble queso mixture:

In a large heatproof dish or aluminum pan, combine yellow and white Velveeta queso blanco, pepper jack, roe-tail diced tomatoes, diced green peppers, onion, and cooked meat.
I like to put the cheese on the base, as it will be closer to the heat to melt. The rest of the ingredients in the recipe will be used after the cheese.

Smoke the cheese mixture:

Now place the dish with the cheese mixture on your preheated Pit Boss smoker grate. Close the lid and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt and takes on a smoky flavor.
Stir occasionally to smoke the mixture evenly. Place the dish over indirect heat, direct heat on the smoker can burn the cheese and will not add smoke to the queso dip. Once the cheese starts melting, mix everything, and add heavy cream. Mix and let it smoke for 20 minutes more. When the dish is ready, take it out and serve warm with your favorite snacks.

Serve and Enjoy:

Remove the smoked queso dip from the Pit Boss smoker and serve it hot with tortilla chips or your favorite dipping items.

Variations and substitutions for Smoked Queso Pit Boss

Meat: In the recipe, I’m using my ground beef, but you can use any sausage or simply ground meat suitable to your preferences. Just season the sausage or meat with ½ pack of taco seasoning ( avoid water as mentioned on packet’s instructions).

Cheese: if it’s hard to find velveeta queso blanco, you can use plain velveeta, or simply substitute it with white American Cheese. Moreover, you can substitute cheddar cheese with pepper jack, monterey jack or a blend of your favorite cheeses.

Diced Tomatoes: Instead of using canned Ro-tel Original Diced Tomatoes and chopped Green Chilies, you can use freshly diced tomatoes and chopped green chilies.

Pickled Jalapenos: If you prefer a milder version, simply reduce or omit the pickled jalapenos. To increase spiciness, use fresh jalapenos or a few dashes of hot sauce.

Smoked paprika: if you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika in the recipe, but it won’t have the same smoky flavor.

Pro Tips for making smoked queso dip

Freshly Grated Cheese: Make sure to avoid the pre-grated cheese, because it may be coated with wax, to avoid the stickiness with packet. And it will also make it hard to melt the cheese. So always try to use blocked cheese and grate it yourself so that your cheese dip melts easily.

Stir the dip often: Set a timer on your Pit Boss smoker, and stir the dip every 15 to 20 minutes, this will help melt the cheese and cook the dip evenly.

Prevent Cheese Separation: To prevent the cheese from separating or becoming grainy, melt it slowly over low to medium heat. Avoid high flame, as it may cause the cheese to break.

Adjust Smoking Time: Smoking time may vary depending on your desired level of smoking. As soon as the dip starts smoking, taste it and adjust accordingly.

What to dip in Smoker Queso

Smoked Queso Dip is a versatile dip and can be paired with a variety of snacks like pretzel bites, sliced baguette, roasted or steamed broccoli and cauliflower, or potato chips. You can serve Smoked Queso Dip with mini tacos, nachos, fried food at your get-togethers, party nights or weekend gatherings or to make a healthier option, serve it with fresh vegetables or chopped meat. This can also be the best option with Cava Grilled Chicken or New York Fried Chicken.

How do you store leftover Smoked Queso Dip?

Serve the Smoked Queso Dip slightly warm with your favorite snacks like tortillas, tacos, nachos or pretzels. And if you have leftover queso dip, you can save it for later use. Let the dip cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best fresh taste, I would recommend using the sauce within 3,4 days.

Can I freeze queso dip for the long term?

Personally, I would not recommend keeping the sauce in the freezer for a long time as this recipe uses dairy ingredients like evaporated milk and a mixture of cheese. If you store it for a long time it may change the taste of the dip.

How to reheat smoked queso dip?

You can reheat leftover queso dip on the stovetop, in a crockpot, using a wok or saucepan, or you can even use the microwave. Just make sure to stir the dip frequently to heat it evenly.

What if you don’t have a smoker?

Smoked Queso Dip Recipe gets its best smoky flavor by using a smoker like the Pit Boss or Traeger. But no worries, if you don’t have a smoker, you can simply use the oven or stove to make your queso dip.

Making Smoked Queso without Smoker

Start by sautéing the sausage, onion, and garlic in a large skillet in olive oil over medium-low heat. And then add spices like chili powder and cumin in it. Take a separate saucepan, and melt ingredients like Velveeta cheese, and pepper jack, then add chopped tomatoes, green chilies, jalapenos to the cheese mixture. Gradually add evaporated milk to the mixture for creaminess. Now combine the sausage mixture with the cheese mixture and mix to coat the smoked queso evenly.

Whether on the stove top or in the oven, Smoked Queso Dip is a crowd-pleasing dip that doesn’t require a smoker to enjoy this wonderful and mouth-watering Smoked Queso Dip.

Can I make the smoked queso dip in a slow cooker or crockpot?

Of course, you can make a delicious smoked queso dip using a slow cooker or crockpot. All you need to do is keep the flame low and Follow the same recipe steps as explained earlier. Also add a splash of liquid smoke to add a smoky flavor to the dip.

Can I use Dutch oven to make my smoke queso dip?

You can also make the queso dip in your Dutch oven or using any oven, you just need to keep an eye on the flame. And add liquid smoke to get the smoky flavor of the dip. This will help in enhancing the smoky flavor of the dip and make it your favorite dip for parties or snacks.

Can I use cast-iron skillet to make smoke queso dip recipe?

Of course, you can follow the same method to make the sauce using a cast iron skillet if you are not using a pit boss smoker, oven or slow cooking method. Just follow the same steps and you’ll get your perfect smoked queso dip.
If you have no cast-iron skillet, you can also use a simple non-stick pan for the recipe.

Do I need to use a disposable aluminum pan?

Using disposable aluminum pans for making smoked queso can be convenient because it makes cleanup easier, and it is especially useful if you plan to smoke the queso on a grill or smoker.

Your queries got answered

Which wood chips are best for smoking sausages?

You can use any wood chips you like, but hickory or mesquite work well for smoky flavor. So try using one of these wood chips to get that nice smoky flavor to your dip.

Can you smoke Velveeta cheese?

No, Velveeta cheese cannot be smoked directly as it has high moisture content and cannot absorb smoke well.

How do you make smoked queso less thick?

To make your smoked queso less thick, you can add more evaporated milk until it reaches your desired consistency.

How do you make queso dip not thick?

You can make queso dip less thick by reducing the amount of evaporated milk or broth, whatever liquid you’re using to make your queso dip.

Can I use a different type of cheese in this recipe?

Yes, you can customize the cheese to your liking. While the recipe suggests Velveeta Queso Blanco and sharp cheddar, you can experiment with other cheese varieties for unique flavors.

How can I adjust the spiciness of the queso dip?

You can control the spiciness by varying the amount of jalapeños, using milder or hotter canned tomatoes and green chilies, or adding hot sauce or additional spices like cayenne pepper to taste.

Can I make this dip ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dip ahead of time and reheat it when needed. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

What are some good dippers for this queso dip?

Popular dippers include tortilla chips, bread, pretzel bites, and fresh vegetables like celery and bell peppers. You can also get creative and serve it with nachos, sausages, or mini tacos.

Is there a vegetarian version of this recipe?

You can make a vegetarian version by omitting the sausage and using vegetable broth or water to adjust the consistency. You can also add meatless alternatives like crumbled tofu or plant-based sausage.