Mexican Queso
This is a great appetizer to bring to tailgates, football parties, picnics, outdoor gatherings, and is great all year round. Best served in a casserole dish; however, I have made it in a fondue pot before, with a sterno flame keeping it warm during fall parties.
This is a great appetizer to bring to tailgates, football parties, picnics, outdoor gatherings, and is great all year round. Best served in a casserole dish; however, I have made it in a fondue pot before, with a sterno flame keeping it warm during fall parties.
- Carbohydrate 0.48216 g
- Cholesterol 15.904 mg
- Fat 4.5046 g
- Fiber 0.147600005865097 g
- Protein 3.95432 g
- Saturated Fat 1.722196 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (35g)
- Sodium 31.1262 mg
- Sugar 0.334559994134903 g
- Trans Fat 0.690334 g
- Calories 59 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook ground meat until done in a skillet, add salt and pepper to taste and drain.
- Cube the block of velveeta cheese and melt it in a casserole dish. Stir cheese and return to microwave until melted.
- Add ground meat, rotelle tomatoes and el paso peppers.
- Mix and serve!
A properly emulsified dip presents a completely uniform, glossy surface that coats a tortilla chip without pooling grease or solidifying into a rubbery skin. Achieving this texture relies on understanding how process cheese behaves under heat. Pasteurized prepared cheese products contain emulsifying salts, typically sodium citrate or sodium phosphate, which bind milk proteins and fats tightly together. This chemical structure prevents the heavy separation of oil and solids that commonly ruins dips made entirely from aged, natural cheeses like cheddar or jack when exposed to direct warmth. Cubing the block into uniform pieces roughly one inch square ensures even heat distribution whether melting the dairy in a microwave or over a low burner. Stirring the mixture every forty-five seconds prevents localized scorching at the edges of the container while the proteins relax. Incorporating canned tomatoes and green chiles introduces moisture and acidity, which helps thin the heavy cheese base into a pourable consistency. Draining the cooked ground meat thoroughly before mixing it into the melted base prevents excess animal fat from breaking the emulsion and pooling on the surface. If holding the dip warm for service, maintain a temperature between 135 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the edges from tightening or crusting over. Tex-Mex cheese dips trace their lineage back to the con queso dishes popularized in the culinary traditions of northern Mexico and Texas, evolving from straightforward goat's milk cheeses into the modern processed variants valued for their reliability. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and reheat gently with a splash of milk to restore the original fluid texture.
