How to Make the Best Smoked Queso Recipe at Home

Introduction: Setting the Stage for the Ultimate Smoked Queso

Let’s face it – the internet is absolutely drowning in smoked queso recipes. A quick search brings up thousands of variations, each claiming to be the best. After years of experimentation and countless queso-filled gatherings, we decided it was time to share our definitive version – the one that consistently leaves our guests scraping the bottom of the dish and asking for our secret.

What makes our ultimate smoked queso different? We’ve taken inspiration from over-the-top chili recipes and skipped the classic RO-TEL in favor of fresh, vibrant vegetables. We use hot breakfast sausage for depth and richness, a coffee-forward BBQ rub for complexity, and the perfect balance of Velveeta for creaminess and pepper jack for kick. But perhaps the most transformative ingredient is our secret weapon: beer. This liquid gold adds a malty depth that elevates the entire dish to something truly extraordinary.

Our method is straightforward but effective – two hours on a pellet grill or smoker at 250ºF, followed by the addition of perfectly smoked crumbled sausage. The result is an ultra-rich, smoky queso that balances creaminess, heat, and complex flavors in every bite.

Ready to create the queso that will have everyone at your next gathering begging for the recipe? Check out our detailed recipe card below and don’t forget to read through the comments section for variations and tips from others who’ve fallen in love with this recipe.

And if you enjoy this smoked masterpiece, you’ll definitely want to explore our “ultimate smoked mac and cheese” recipe next – it employs similar techniques with equally impressive results!

Recipe Overview: “Ultimate Smoked Queso”

Yield: 20 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients: What You’ll Need

• 1 block (32 oz) Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 pound pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 large white onion, finely diced
• 2 large poblano peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 cup beer (we recommend a Mexican lager or amber ale)
• 1 pound hot breakfast sausage
• 1/4 cup Traeger Coffee Rub (or your favorite coffee-based BBQ rub)
• 1-2 handfuls fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For smoking, we highly recommend sweet wood or pellets like maple or cherry. We typically use Traeger Ironwood or Signature pellets for this recipe, but any quality smoking wood with a sweeter profile will work beautifully.

Instructions: Step-by-Step Guide

Preparing the Smoker and Ingredients

1. Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 250°F. If you’re using a Traeger or similar grill, set it to Super Smoke mode if available for maximum flavor infusion.
2. While your smoker is heating up, prepare a large, smoker-safe dish. We recommend a 9×13-inch aluminum pan or a large cast iron skillet—something with enough surface area to maximize smoke exposure.
3. Cut the Velveeta into approximately 1-inch cubes and place them in your dish. Add the shredded pepper jack cheese, distributing it evenly throughout.
4. Dice the Roma tomatoes, white onion, and poblano peppers into small, consistent pieces (about 1/4-inch dice). The uniformity helps ensure everything cooks at the same rate. Add these fresh vegetables to your cheese mixture.
5. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the coffee rub over the cheese and vegetable mixture, reserving the remainder for the sausage. Pour the beer over everything in the dish, allowing it to settle to the bottom.

Preparing the Sausage

6. Take your hot breakfast sausage and form it into a thin, flat patty about 1/2-inch thick. This shape allows for maximum surface area, which means more smoke flavor.
7. Place the sausage patty on a wire rack or directly on the grate in a separate area from your cheese mixture.
8. Season the sausage with the remaining coffee rub, applying it liberally to both sides.

The Smoking Process

9. Place both the cheese mixture and the sausage in your preheated smoker. Close the lid and let the magic happen.
10. After about 45 minutes, give the cheese mixture a gentle stir to incorporate the ingredients that have begun to melt. Return it to the smoker.
11. Continue smoking until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (or is held above 140°F for 12 minutes for food safety). This typically takes about 1.5-2 hours.
12. Remove the sausage from the smoker and allow it to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, crumble it into bite-sized pieces.
13. Fold the crumbled sausage into your now bubbling cheese mixture, stirring gently to incorporate it evenly throughout.
14. Return the dish to the smoker for an additional 30 minutes to marry the flavors.
15. Just before serving, stir in the fresh cilantro, reserving a small amount for garnish if desired.

Serving Your Ultimate Smoked Queso

16. You can keep the queso warm on the grill at around 180°F if you’re serving it at an outdoor gathering, or transfer it to a slow cooker set to “warm” for indoor events.
17. If the queso thickens more than you’d like, simply add a splash more beer, milk, or even a bit of water and stir until you reach your desired consistency.
18. Serve hot with tortilla chips, pretzel bites, or even as a topping for baked potatoes or burgers.

Notes: Tips, Variations, and Serving Suggestions

Optional Garnishes

Elevate your smoked queso even further with these optional garnishes:

• Fresh pico de gallo adds brightness and acidity
• Guacamole provides a cool, creamy contrast
• Crumbled cotija cheese brings a salty finish
• Pickled jalapeños for those who want extra heat
• Crispy bacon bits for added smokiness and texture

Modifications and Flexibility

• Non-alcoholic version: Replace the beer with an equal amount of beef broth or non-alcoholic beer. You’ll still get depth of flavor without the alcohol.
• Adjusting the heat: The coffee rub quantity can be adjusted to taste. Start with less if you’re sensitive to spice, as you can always add more later.
• Time-saving option: If you’re in a hurry, substitute the fresh vegetables with two cans of drained RO-TEL. While we prefer fresh ingredients for optimal flavor and texture, this modification still yields excellent results.
• Cheese variations: While we stand by our Velveeta and pepper jack combination, you can experiment with other melting cheeses. Smoked gouda adds extra smokiness, while white American cheese provides exceptional creaminess.

Temperature Considerations

If you choose to increase your grill temperature to speed up the process, be sure to stir the queso more frequently to prevent sticking or burning. We’ve found that the low and slow method at 250°F produces the best texture and flavor development, allowing the smoke to fully permeate the mixture.

The Science Behind Smoked Queso

What makes smoked queso so irresistible isn’t just the combination of ingredients but the chemical transformations that occur during the smoking process. When cheeses like Velveeta and pepper jack are heated slowly over wood smoke, they undergo a fascinating change.

The proteins in the cheese break down and recombine with the fats in a process called emulsification. This creates that perfect creamy texture that coats your chips without breaking. Meanwhile, the smoke particles adhere to the fat molecules, infusing them with those complex woody flavors.

Adding beer introduces enzymes that help break down proteins further, creating a smoother texture while contributing malty notes that complement the smokiness. The sugars in the beer also caramelize slightly, adding subtle sweetness.

The fresh vegetables release moisture during cooking, which helps regulate the consistency of the queso while their natural sugars caramelize, adding depth and complexity. This is why we prefer fresh vegetables over canned ones when time permits.

Pairing Suggestions

Our ultimate smoked queso pairs beautifully with a variety of beverages:

• A cold Mexican lager or amber ale complements the flavors used in the queso itself
• Margaritas provide a refreshing citrus contrast to the rich, smoky flavors
• For non-alcoholic options, a tart limeade or sparkling water with a splash of pineapple juice works wonderfully

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Smoked queso can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. To reheat, place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through. Add a splash of milk or beer if needed to restore the creamy consistency.

For the best experience, though, we recommend making and serving it the same day, as the texture is at its prime when fresh off the smoker.

FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Smoked Queso