Queso Fundido
Melted Monterey Jack and cheddar with crispy chorizo, cooked in one cast iron pan and scooped up with warm tortillas, ready in about ten minutes over the fire.
Equipment
- 1 cast iron pan medium size
Ingredients
For the chorizo base
- 1 piece (4-5 cm / 1.5-2 in) mild Spanish chorizo cut into small dice
- 1 French shallot finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Mexican or pale lager beer
For the cheese
- 200 g Monterey Jack cheese with habanero pepper grated, see note
- 200 g mild cheddar cheese grated, see note
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
Make it ahead
- Grate all the cheese (a food processor makes quick work of it) and transfer it to a resealable bag along with the flour, shaking to coat.
- Set aside one beer for the recipe and label it clearly so nobody drinks it before you're ready to cook with it.
Over the fire
- Warm a medium cast iron pan over the coals and add the diced chorizo. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown and release its fat.
- If the chorizo looks dry and is not rendering much fat, add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan.
- Once the chorizo is lightly crisped and the fat has taken on a deep red color, stir in the shallot and let it soften for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze with the beer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and let it reduce for about 1 minute.
- Add the grated cheeses and the flour. Keep the pan over medium heat and stir constantly, tracing figure-eights with a wooden spoon, until the cheese is completely smooth and melted.
- Serve right away with warm fresh tortillas, straight from the pan.
Notes
About the cheese. Skip the pre-shredded bags - they are coated in an anti-caking starch that keeps them from melting smoothly. Grate your own blocks for the best melt.
Keep the heat medium, not high. Once the cheese goes in, resist the urge to crank the flame. High heat scorches the bottom before the top even melts; steady medium heat with constant stirring gets you there.
Make it vegetarian. Swap the chorizo for sauteed mushrooms and bell peppers, same pan, same technique.
Serve it fast. Queso fundido firms up within minutes once the cheese is fully melted, so have your tortillas warm and ready before it goes in.
See the frequently asked questions
- Queso fundido vs queso dip
- Making it without chorizo
- Fixing oily cheese
- Using pre-shredded cheese
- Choosing the best beer
- How many people it feeds
- Making it ahead and reheating