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Brisket Queso

Welcome back! 
Today, we have a delicious Tex-Mex and barbecue fusion: Brisket Queso! We have made Queso in the past but as noted in the past recipe, it takes a little bit of experimenting to get the right texture. So this time, we used a new technique by incorporating a little bit of chemistry and simplifying the queso part of the recipe. Specifically, the key is to use sodium citrate, which is a compound that can be created by combining an acid like lemon or lime juice with baking soda and helps to keep the cheese evenly smooth. Another important factor is the ingredients used: American cheese actually has sodium citrate already; the Colby that we used is a similarly good melting cheese.

Brisket Queso

Ingredients:

  • 40 milliliters lemon or lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 pound cheese, cut into cubes or grated (we used half cheddar and half Colby)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Some Pico de Gallo, Habanero Salsa, or just fresh diced tomatoes and onions
  • Brisket

Directions:

  1. Create the sodium citrate, the compound that helps keep the cheese smooth:
    1. Pour the lemon/lime juice in a pot.
    2. Carefully put the baking soda in, making sure the chemical reaction doesn't bubble out of the pot.
    3. Set this mixture on low-medium heat to reduce by at least half of the original amount. 
  2. Pour the heavy cream in the pot and set on medium heat to prepare for melting cheese.
  3. Slowly add in the cheese, making sure it is evenly incorporated before adding more. This is also the chance to check consistency and add more cheese or cream.
  4. Fold in the other ingredients (brisket, tomatoes, onions, etc.).
  5. Keep warm and serve!
You could just follow steps 1 to 3 to get a smooth, pure queso. But of course, adding in extra toppings like the salsa and brisket takes the dish to the next level. If you don't have salsa on hand, it also works well to just dice up some vegetables and make a quick pico de gallo. Our previous recipe had these ingredients quickly cooked in the pot before adding in the cheese, but it is not quite so necessary considering the depth of flavor that the queso and brisket already bring.

-Chefpo
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