Pit Boss Smoked Queso
Pit Boss Smoked Queso is and easy and fun one pot appetizer when cooked in a cast iron skillet. First we cook some flavorful chorizo and then add in our peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheeses.We then show you how setup your Pit Boss pellet grill, and smoke the queso dip to perfection!
Equipment
- 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
- Wooden Spoon
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Cheese Grater
- Can Opener
- Pit Boss Pellet Grill
- Wood Pellets preferably oak, hickory, or a blend.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 12 oz Chorizo Sausage cooked
- ½ of a Large Jalapeno Pepper seeded and diced
- ½ Cup Red Onion chopped
- 10 oz can of Mild Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles do NOT drain
- 1 lb Original Velveeta Cheese cut into cubes
- 4 oz Colby Jack Cheese freshly shredded
- ¼ Cup Beer optional to thin out
- Diced Tomatoes optional to top with
- Fresh Chopped Cilantro optional to top with
Instructions
Start the Pit Boss Pellet Grill
- Remove the fire pot from the bottom of the Pit Boss and clean out any ashes left over from the last cook. Replace it and make sure it is secured in place with the clips on either side.
- Add your pellets to the hopper, start the Pit Boss pellet grill and put it on the "Smoke" setting.
- If there are no pellets in the auger, hold the "Prime" button until you hear pellets begin falling in the fire pot. This will speed up the auger to prime it full of pellets before you start preheating.
- Once the Pit boss begins to produce thick white smoke, let it run for about 5-7 minutes on the "Smoke" Setting, leaving the lid open, until the smoke turns more of a clearish blue color. This means the fire rod has fully heated up to burn the pellets more cleanly.
- Next, set the temperature to preheat the Pit Boss pellet grill to 350°F. We will drop this temperature before we start cooking.
- Once the Pit Boss has come up to 350°F, drop the temperature on the control panel to 180°, or the "Smoke" setting if your Pit Boss has that, and clean the grill grates with a good grill brush and close the lid.
Cook the Chorizo
- Heat the olive oil in the cast iron skillet on the stove over medium heat.1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Add the chorizo and cook for about 10-15 minutes until it is fully cooked, stirring often.12 oz Chorizo Sausage
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the heat and set aside.
Dice the Vegetables and Shred the Cheese
- Cut the jalapeno in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with the edge of a knife, otherwise the smoked queso dip will be VERY spicy. Then dice up half of the jalapeno pepper.½ of a Large Jalapeno Pepper
- Then, dice the onion, and cut a pound of the Velveeta cheese into small 1 inch cubes.½ Cup Red Onion, 1 lb Original Velveeta Cheese
- Next, shred the colby jack cheese using cheese grater.4 oz Colby Jack Cheese
Smoke the Queso in the Pit Boss
- Add the pepper, onion, cheeses, and the can of Rotel tomatoes (Do NOT drain first) to the skillet with the chorizo.10 oz can of Mild Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
- Stir to incorporate as best you can and then place the skillet in the Pit Boss cooking chamber set to 180°F or "Smoke."
- Take care to not place the skillet directly in the center above the firepot or it may get too hot.
- Stir the queso every 10 minutes or so until the cheese has mostly melted and continue to smoke at this temperature for 1 HOUR.
- After an hour on the Pit Boss, increase the temperature to 260°F to cook for the last 10-15 minutes to get the queso nice and hot to serve.
- If the queso appears to have gotten more thick than you would like, you can add up to ¼ cup of beer to thin it back out. Make sure to stir well afterwards.¼ Cup Beer
- Carefully remove the smoked queso dip from the Pit Boss to a heat proof surface or trivet.
- Optionally top with extra diced tomatoes and chopped cilantroDiced Tomatoes, Fresh Chopped Cilantro
- Serve with tortilla chips directly from the cast iron skillet.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!