Description
This Tik Tok Smoked Queso Dip is a rich, smoky, and creamy cheese dip loaded with ground beef, chipotle peppers, jalapenos, and a blend of cheeses. Perfect for parties or game day, it combines a smoky flavor from the smoker with spicy and cheesy elements for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (divided)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Cheeses
- 16 oz block Velveeta cheese (cut into cubes)
- 8 oz cream cheese (cut into cubes)
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican cheese
Vegetables and Peppers
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 2 tbsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
- 3 jalapenos (sliced, seeds optional for heat control)
- 2 banana peppers (sliced)
- ½ red onion (diced)
- 1 (10oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (drained)
Other
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro (+ more for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker and prepare skillet. Place a cast iron skillet inside the smoker and preheat it to 400°F for 15 minutes to create the right environment for cooking the beef.
- Cook ground beef. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the ground beef to the heated skillet. Break apart the meat, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning over it, close the lid, and cook until browned, about 15 minutes. Stir and turn the meat halfway through cooking. Once browned, drain excess fat and set aside.
- Lower smoker temperature. Reduce the smoker temperature to 375°F to prepare for melting cheese and blending flavors.
- Prep remaining ingredients. While the smoker temperature lowers, cut Velveeta and cream cheese into 1-inch cubes. Mince the chipotle peppers, slice the jalapenos (remove seeds if desired for less heat), slice banana peppers, dice the red onion, and drain the canned diced tomatoes with green chilies.
- Combine ingredients and smoke. Add all prepared ingredients except the heavy cream and cilantro into a large disposable tin foil dish. Place the dish inside the smoker and close the lid. Cook for 20 minutes, allowing the cheese to start melting and flavors to meld.
- Add cream and cilantro and continue cooking. Stir the mixture to combine, then pour in the heavy whipping cream and chopped cilantro. Stir once again, close the lid, and cook for an additional 25 minutes until the dip is creamy and fully melted.
- Serve the dip. Carefully remove the dish from the smoker. Garnish with additional cilantro and pico de gallo if desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips and enjoy the smoky cheesy goodness.
Notes
- To reduce the heat, remove seeds from jalapenos before slicing.
- Using a cast iron skillet and disposable foil dish helps with easy cleanup.
- If you don’t have a smoker, you could use a grill with smoking capabilities or an oven, though the smoky flavor will be reduced.
- For a thicker dip, reduce the heavy cream slightly or cook a bit longer to evaporate excess liquid.
- Adjust chipotle peppers according to your spice preference; they add smoky heat and depth of flavor.
