Easy, cheesy, deliciousness. This smoked Hatch Chili Queso Recipe is so simple. Set it and forget it in your smoker, and let the magic happen!

Here in Texas, queso is a staple. We eat it on burgers, tacos, enchiladas, and of course in a big bowl with a basket of fresh tortilla chips. There’s many varieties out there, and a new popular spin is to smoke it! So to celebrate the return of NFL, here’s my recipe for smoked hatch chili queso!

About the Hatch Chili

Hatch chili’s, also known as New Mexican peppers, are a type of pepper grown in Hatch, New Mexico. The locals are very proud of their chili’s, celebrating with an annual festival that draws chili fans far and wide. These long green peppers are very similar to the Aneheim pepper from California, but hatch chili’s can be much hotter. That extra heat wakes up your taste buds and brings a wonderful burn to this smoked queso! So with that being considered, if you’re not a fan of spicy, simply substitute the hatch chili’s with aneheim or poblano peppers.

Removing the Skins from the Hatch Chili’s

Sometimes the skins of peppers peel away when cooked, and aren’t quite as pleasant to eat. So to help keep this from happening, first sear your peppers over some direct heat from a grill or a gas burner for a few minutes. This causes the skins to blister, and begin to separate from the meat of the chilis. From there, you can simply scrape the skins away with a spoon, or the edge of your knife.

Velveeta? Really?!

The true magic of this recipe is how easy it is. In part, that is because we are using velveeta. I’m not necessarily proud of this particular ingredient, but there’s no denying that it melts incredibly well, and hold it’s consistency once melted better than any “real” cheese. And let’s be honest, no one is making queso to be healthy. If you are ardently against anything processed, here are some other cheese options:

Cheddar – go for a medium to mild cheddar. You may need to add a little extra liquid and stir more often to get a proper melt. Milk can work to help thin out the cheese.
Colby Jack – melts fairly well, and has a more mild flavor than cheddar.
Queso Blanco – A mexican white cheese, similar to white american. This mild cheese melts well, but for me, it doesn’t have as nice of a flavor when exposed to too much smoke.

With anything besides the velveeta, you will most likely need to add more liquid, and stir at least every half hour. They will also firm up more quickly, so you’ll want some way to keep your queso warm when serving.

Smoking the queso

This recipe is a great candidate for an electric, or pellet smoker. You will get enough smoke flavor, and they are much less laborious to get started. If you’re a purist however, fire up the old stick burner, and maybe even throw a rack of ribs on while you’re at it! I find that 250 F is a good rolling temp. We aren’t looking to cook to a particular temp, but are simply trying to melt the cheese, and introduce the smokey flavor. Usually 2 hrs is more than enough. Since this is a relatively quick smoke, a wood with a stronger flavor is the best choice. Mesquite, Hickory, or Oak are all great options!

Where’s the Meat?

Although this recipe doesn’t call for any meat, that doesn’t mean that meat wouldn’t work well! In fact, one of my favorite ways to add another level to this smoked queso is by adding left over brisket. Try it with chorizo, breakfast sausage, pulled chicken, taco meats, or even bacon!

What to serve with your smoked queso.

The classic way to serve this queso with a bowl of fresh tortilla chips for dipping. But don’t stop there! Here are some other great serving ideas for this recipe:

As a sauce for enchiladas
On Tacos
Drizzle on top of a beef patty to make queso burgers
Pour on top of steamed or grilled broccoli
Inside or on top of a burrito

The options are endless. Try your own ideas and let me know what you come up with!

Smoked Hatch Chili Queso Recipe