TikTok users are showing how you can make your own ‘smoked queso’ on the grill

We all know that nothing beats a summer barbecue, but it can sometimes be difficult to avoid cooking the same things over and over again. After all, there are only so many slightly burnt burgers and chicken kebabs you can endure before your begging for Autumn. 

Fortunately, social media is never short of inspiration for the average cook. As more of us have been forced to think outside the box thanks to reduced, pandemic-related circumstances, the internet has become a reservoir of whacky things to do with your favourite foods. As a recent TikTok trend has proved, barbecuing is no exception. 

To the excitement of anyone who’s silently dreading the thought of another badly grilled pack of cheap sausages, several TikTokers have begun sharing their recipes for replicating an iconic Tex Mex staple on the barbie. Under the hashtag “#smokedqueso”, users have dozens of different recipes, all revolving around the use of fire for an added flavour kick. The results are mouthwatering. 

Try our delicious Mexican Chili Queso Dip recipe:

Traditionally served as a sort of cheesy hot pot of vegetables, meat and melted goodness, the grilled versions of queso have featured everything from ground meat to milk and Monterey Jack cheese. 

According to many of the most popular video clips, the key to achieving seriously delicious smoked queso is to let the grill do the work for you. Most of the recipes call for ingredients like onion and chorizo to be placed into a high-sided tin foil pan along with whatever cheese blend you prefer, before the whole thing is covered over an open flame. This causes the smoke to melt the cheese, making everything easier to stir and adding an extra layer of smokey flavour.

Since the end results look so spectacular, it’s hardly surprising that fans have been full of praise for the smoked queso fad. One of the most popular clips has already been “liked” nearly 500,000 times. If nothing else, this seems to suggest that there’s a healthy appetite for smokey melted cheese dip online.