The Tip You Can't Ignore For The Best Homemade Queso

Literally the Spanish word for "cheese," queso is also the gooey dip you're used to seeing on menus at Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants, usually served with tortilla chips. While you could enjoy one of the absolute best store-bought quesos (check out our list) at home, you're likely to miss the fresh, restaurant taste. So, Daily Meal reached out to Orlando Trejo, executive chef at Impression Moxché by Secrets and Secrets Moxché in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, to find out the No.

1 tip for making the best queso at home. "The most crucial factor is using high-quality ingredients. No matter which cheese you prefer, always choose the best quality available.



This ensures superior flavor and texture," he tells Daily Meal in an exclusive interview. Chef Trejo also notes that you don't want to use processed products. Instead, he recommends using "natural and organic ingredients," because the flavor is better.

So, rather than picking up something like Velveeta for your dip, head to the deli section of your local grocer for a fresher, higher-quality option. White cheddar, for instance, is the cheese you need for perfect restaurant-style queso like the blanco version you'd get at Chipotle. In addition to skipping heavily-processed cheeses, avoid canned vegetables and dried herbs.

It's more work to prepare fresh ingredients, but they'll produce better flavor results. Balance is the key to making the best homemade queso In addition to using fresh, high-quality ingredients, chef Orlando Trejo says that balance is important: "There aren't necessarily bad ingredients — taste is subjective — but the key is knowing how to balance flavors and textures to create the best experience." He notes, too, that there isn't just one right recipe.

So, you don't have to follow your melty queso dip or chili con queso recipe to a tee. Making queso at home can be very inspiring, because there are so many possibilities and flavor profiles based on the cheeses you choose. If you want your queso to be more traditional, you can use our ultimate guide to Mexican cheeses as a starting point.

For instance, Oaxaca is referred to as the "mozzarella of Mexico," because it's semi-soft and melts so easily. It has an earthy but light flavor similar to Monterey Jack cheese, but it's more buttery. Because of that, it pairs well with rich, spicy, and tangy ingredients such as heavy cream, habaneros, jalapeños, chorizo, poblano peppers, and Mexican oregano.

You can even pair Oaxaca with other cheeses and canned evaporated milk for the ultimate queso . In the end, chef Trejo says that making the best homemade queso is "about how you cook it and who you're making it for." Plus, you can elevate a homemade version by serving it with "good wine, fresh fruits, aromatic herbs, honey, and freshly baked bread," he adds.

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