Description
This smoky queso dip combines turkey sausage, jalapeños, and creamy cheeses for a flavorful, crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for game days, barbecues, and parties. The mixture is slowly smoked to infuse a deep, smoky flavor while melting the cheeses into a smooth, rich dip.
Ingredients
Meat and Vegetables
- 12 ounces turkey sausage
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced, with seeds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Spices
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Cheeses and Dairy
- 1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, cubed
- 1 10oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
Instructions
- Brown the sausage and onion: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage and diced red onion, cooking and stirring frequently until the sausage is no longer pink and fully cooked, and the onions are softened.
- Sauté jalapeño, garlic, and cumin: Stir in the diced jalapeño, minced garlic, and ½ teaspoon cumin. Cook this mixture for about 1 minute to release the flavors, then remove the skillet from heat to prevent burning the garlic.
- Add cheeses and tomatoes: Add the cubed Velveeta and pepper jack cheeses along with the drained diced tomatoes with green chilies to the skillet. Stir thoroughly to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Smoke the dip: Preheat your smoker to 250°F. Place the skillet inside and smoke the dip for 45 to 90 minutes, stirring halfway through to evenly melt the cheese and blend the flavors.
- Adjust consistency and serve: If the dip becomes too thick during smoking, stir in a splash of milk or water to reach your preferred consistency. Serve the smoked queso dip hot with tortilla chips or your favorite dippers.
Notes
- Using a cast iron skillet helps conduct heat evenly for perfect browning and melting.
- Keep an eye on the dip while smoking; stirring halfway ensures even melting and flavor distribution.
- The jalapeño seeds add heat—adjust quantity based on desired spice level.
- If you don’t have a smoker, you can finish melting the dip in a low oven, but it won’t have the smoky flavor.
- Adding a splash of milk or water helps maintain a creamy texture if the dip thickens too much during smoking.
