Charcoal Grill Recipes · chorizo · Dips · El Fuego Trio · queso ·

Loaded Texas Smoked Chorizo Queso

Loaded Texas Smoked Chorizo Queso
LONE STAR GRILLZ | EL FUEGO TRIO | 12-INCH CAST-IRON SKILLET

A hearty, smoky game-day queso featuring browned ground beef, fresh Mexican chorizo, pepper
jack, and creamy melted cheese.

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: about 45–60 minutes | Yield: approximately 8 appetizer servings

Ingredients

  • ½ lb 80/20 ground beef
  • ½ lb fresh raw Mexican chorizo (not cured Spanish chorizo)
  • 12 oz Velveeta, cubed
  • 8 oz shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
  • 2 fresh jalapeños: 1 finely diced; 1 thinly sliced for garnish
  • Up to ¼ cup whole milk, plus more only if needed
  • About 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • Tortilla chips, for serving
  • Charcoal for the El Fuego Trio

Instructions

1. Prepare the grill. Fire up the Lone Star Grillz El Fuego Trio with Charcoal.
2. Brown the meat. Heat a 12-inch Lodge cast-iron skillet over direct charcoal. Add ground beef
and fresh Mexican chorizo. Break apart and cook until fully browned and the ground meat
reaches 160°F.
3. Drain and move. Carefully drain excess grease, then move the skillet to the indirect cooking
zone.
4. Add queso ingredients. Add the cubed Velveeta, shredded pepper jack, undrained Rotel, and
one diced jalapeño. Add cheese in batches if needed to leave room for stirring.
5. Adjust consistency. As the cheese begins to melt, stir in whole milk a little at a time, using up
to ¼ cup if needed. Add more only if the queso is too thick.
6. Melt and smoke. Maintain approximately 250–275°F over indirect heat for 30–45 minutes,
stirring every 10–15 minutes, until smooth, hot, and fully melted. Avoid scorching.
7. Garnish. Top the finished queso with chopped cilantro and 4–6 thin jalapeño slices. Leave the
garnish on top for presentation.
8. Serve. Serve warm straight from the skillet with tortilla chips. Stir occasionally as it sits.

Cook’s Notes

  • Use fresh, uncooked Mexican chorizo; its seasoning is the main flavor driver, so no additional
    taco seasoning is necessary.
  • The 12 oz Velveeta amount is intentional to keep the standard 12-inch skillet manageable for stirring.
  • Keep the skillet over indirect heat while melting; direct charcoal heat can scorch cheese
  • For food safety, keep hot queso at 140°F or warmer while serving; refrigerate leftovers promptly.

 

Recipe By: Derek Perry

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