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Smoked Sausage Queso (Smoker or Oven)

Name: Smoked Sausage Queso
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 10 appetizer servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 lb ground pork sausage; 16 oz processed melting cheese, cubed; 8 oz pepper Jack cheese, freshly shredded; 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, 10 oz, undrained; ½ cup whole milk, plus more to loosen; 1 tsp chili powder; Tortilla chips for serving

By Logan · Grillion Dollar Meat

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Creamy sausage queso with tomatoes, green chiles, and a gentle smoke finish. Brown the sausage first, then melt the dip at 250°F on your smoker or in the oven.

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Smoked sausage queso in a foil pan on the grill

PREP15 minCOOK70–100 minRESTNoneMAKES10 appetizer servings

Budget estimate: about $21 per batch · $2.10 per serving

$4 for sausage, $5 for melting cheese, $3 for pepper Jack, $2 for tomatoes and chiles, $1 for milk and seasoning, and $6 for a bag of chips.

Illustrative planning prices, not live store quotes. For the original batch; costs do not change with the serving controls. Uses only ingredient portions needed. Buying full packages costs more. Excludes fuel, tax, and unlisted sides.

Easy crowd appetizer

Does this cook fit your day?

About 30–40 min hands-on · 1 hr 25 min–1 hr 55 min total

Brown the sausage, combine the ingredients, then stir periodically while the cheese melts.

Hands-on time is an estimate for the original batch, including prep and finishing. Total time includes cooking and resting. Larger batches can take longer.

First time? Start here

Stir through the corners and bottom so the cheese melts evenly. Add milk a tablespoon at a time to loosen a thick dip.

Cooking terms explained

Use the equipment you have

No smoker? The oven method is included: use 250°F with the same stirring and temperature checks. You will get less smoke flavor.

Before you shop

Check what spices and milk you already have. Make the listed amount for a group or scale down for a smaller gathering.

Make it a meal

Serve as an appetizer with chips and sliced vegetables, then keep the main meal simple. Use a suitable warmer for extended serving.

LET’S COOK

Step-by-step instructions.

YOUR FINISH LINE165°F throughout the finished dip

Brown the sausage
Preheat smoker or oven to 250°F. Brown sausage in a skillet, breaking it into small pieces, until it reaches 160°F. Drain excess grease.
Build the dip
Combine sausage, cheeses, undrained tomatoes, milk, and chili powder in a heat-safe pan.
Smoke and stir
Cook uncovered in the smoker or oven for 60–90 minutes, stirring about every 20 minutes, until smooth and at least 165°F throughout. Add milk a tablespoon at a time if too thick. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check several spots in the dip after stirring, keeping the tip off the pan.
Serve warm
Serve with tortilla chips. For an extended serving period, keep the dip at 140°F or above with a suitable warmer and check with a thermometer.

TEMPERATURE NOTE

Cook raw pork sausage to 160°F first. Finish the assembled dip at 165°F and keep it at least 140°F during hot holding.

USDA temperature guidance

SMALL DETAILS, BETTER COOKS

A few helpful tips

Brown and drain the sausage before adding it to the cheese mixture.
Stir from the corners and bottom of the pan, not just through the center.
Add extra milk a tablespoon at a time if the dip becomes too thick. It is easier to loosen gradually than to fix a watery dip.
Plan room for a suitable warmer if guests will be grazing over an extended serving period.

Plan your cook, from prep to plate

Timing is an estimate. Follow temperature and tenderness checks.

About 2 hours before serving
Allow 15 minutes for prep, about 10 minutes to brown the sausage, and 60–90 minutes for the dip. Preheat the smoker or oven.
Next 60–90 minutes
Smoke the dip and stir every 20 minutes.
At serving time
Adjust thickness and transfer to a safe hot hold if needed.

WHEN THE COOK HAS QUESTIONS

A little help.

Why use processed melting cheese?

It helps the dip stay smooth. Freshly shredded pepper Jack adds flavor without making the entire dip prone to separating.

Can I use an oven?

Yes. Use 250°F and the same stirring and temperature checks; the dip will have less smoke flavor.

MAKE TOMORROW TASTE GOOD

Keep & reheat.

Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when it’s over 90°F outside. Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days.

Reheat

Reheat gently, stirring and adding a splash of milk as needed, until the dip reaches 165°F throughout.

Next-day idea

Spoon a little over baked potatoes or nachos.

USDA leftover guidance

FREE MEAT TEMPERATURE CHEAT SHEET

Cook with confidence.

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Smoked Sausage Queso (Smoker or Oven)

Does this cook fit your day?

Step-by-step instructions.

Brown the sausage

Build the dip

Smoke and stir

Serve warm

A few helpful tips

A little help.

Keep & reheat.

Reheat

Next-day idea

Make it a spread.

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Cook with confidence.