[skillethead]

I made or tried to make a simple queso dip for the superbowl and it turned into a congealed mess. The recipe call for sharp chedder and monteray jack cheese mixed with milk (I used whole) then adding tomatoes, habenaro and green onions. I started in a double boiler and the cheese and milk never mixed to form an emulsion. Thinking the mixture was not getting hot enough I dumped it into a sauce pan and increased the heat until boiling and still it did not combine. I have made queso with american cheese and it works but it lacks the cheesy flavor. Is this a temperature issue, or should I use cream or half and half instead of whole milk or a different cheese, such as Colby or mix american and other cheeses. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[AndyG]

From a non-pro:

I grate cheese and coat it with flour, then add it to barely simmering milk, and go from there.

[oldschool1982]

This is one of those things where Velvetta (Flavormelt in institutional form) fits right in. Take all of the ingredients that you mentioned leave out the Monterey Jack and Cheddar and slow heat in your double boiler or microwave. Heck you can even put everything into a crockpot on low and not worry.

There's a couple very good mexican cheeses that have the same or close but not quite the same properties as Velvetta. Unfortunatly their names escape me at the moment but I think one is Cojita and another is Machego? But their often not worth the price to buy in comparison to a block of Velvetta or search for if your local grocey doesn't carry them.

Like the commercial sezzz, "Put the Velvetta in and leave the cheddar out" (think hokey pokey)

[AndyG]

Oldschool, that's a cut-down eh? Freekin velveeta is only good for fish bait far as I'm concerned

Follow my method and most cheeses will work.

[AndyG]

Cotija and Manchego, yeah they work lol

[oldschool1982]

It is what it is. Just an alternative and for the record.......Crawfish or Shrimp makes good fish bait too.

[Montelago]

Increase the fat content with heavy cream, bring it to a slow simmer, then SLOWLY whip in the finely grated cheese. It will incorporate fine. Pass it through a china cap and you are good to go.

Also, grate your own cheese from a block. Grated cheese from the store is coated with corn starch to prvent clumping, and makes your cheese sauces grainy. And Velveeta is delicious.

[AndyG]

So I take it you chefs don't use flour in your cheese sauce? I thought roux was usually used?

[Montelago]

You certainly can if you are starting with a bechamel base, which is the traditional way to make a Mornay or similar cheese sauce. I just happen to prefer a cream based sauce.

[Blueicus]

In my opinion, you use a roux-based sauce if you're using milk or any other thin liquid. If you're using cream it's overkill and you want to do a reduction instead.

[Montelago]

Exactly my point. I prefer the cream, so I never use roux. The cheese is the only thickening agent you need.

[oldschool1982]

All skillethead wanted to do was make a better Queso dip. That's all. Now we have the poor person in the kitchen doing a roux or cream reduction?

We're talking Chili con Queso here not an actual cheese sauce. c'mon employ a bit of the KISS theory here. Yes there's a good discussion about and for using a roux, cream reduction, liason, etc here and I'm not saying that they don't have the palette nor would they not enjoy the extra effort in a different gathering but were talking about a group of people getting together to watch a football game (not a badmitton game). These folks (if I know myself) are gonna have fun, get alittle rowdy, drink some (maybe lotsa) beer and be very happy devouring wings, pizza, sausage sands, stuffed jalapenos, deviled eggs, chipped beef dip, onion dip etc, etc, etc, etc, with the queso!!!!!! Maybe all on the same plate and at the same time.

In it's simplest form chili con queso is a can of Rotel, a block of velvetta, a few other peppers (depending the level of flame-thrower people want) and maybe on the off chance some browned ground beef and/or chopped cilantro. Very simple, quick and reliable stuff. Then again if ya really want to get creative... I've got a great recipe that was sold in a SE TexMex concept in the range of 50 gallons a night on some nights I could share with ya. Well maybe. Hehehe (IronChef ATL can back me up on that one)

[phatch]

I would have floured/corn starched the cheese, just like I do for fondue.

Phil