Queso dip is the answer to many a craving, whether it’s for something rich and savory, or salty and spicy. A steak queso dip is an even bigger indulgence, marrying the thick and decadent cheese of queso with tender, delectable pieces of steak. But when you make your steak, you want to be careful with the temperature.
It’s important to know how to pan sear steak in the first place. Not everyone has a grill, and not every season is good for grilling, so knowing how to pan sear steak is the key to having a good one on hand any time of the year. Never cook your steak above medium at the most, and stick to medium-rare or rare if possible.
The “why” here is simple: The longer you cook a steak above a certain temperature, the tougher it becomes. Cooking meat at a low temperature for a long time results in pretty tender meat, but when you’re searing a steak, you want to aim for something medium to rare instead. This keeps the meat juicy and soft, which is the key for a good queso. After all, you don’t want to be gnawing your way through a thick bite of rubbery steak in the middle of all that silky, cheesy goodness. A super hot queso could also cook your steak a bit more after you add in the bite-sized pieces, so you want to err on the side of rare to avoid potentially overcooking your meat.
Elevating your queso dip to restaurant quality and beyond
Knowing how to cook restaurant quality steak at home is a great way to elevate your steak game in general, and it will help you out when making steak to add to your queso dip. It also helps to know what cuts of meat to get for an extra tender, juicy bite. Cuts with a lot of marbling from an area of the animal that doesn’t see as much exercise are usually a good bet. This usually includes the sirloin, tenderloin, and ribeye. Tender cuts also usually have less pronounced grain, i.e. the direction muscle fibers align, and fewer visible bands of connective tissue or gristle. You can usually tenderize even an inexpensive bit of meat with the right technique, though.
As far as queso goes, your queso is good, but tequila makes it better. Don’t be afraid to add in some punchy and potentially unexpected additions to take your dip up to the next level. We personally love to add more heat with roasted Poblano peppers. Subbing in evaporated milk for some of the milk most recipes call for helps thicken the sauce further and adds a sweetness that plays well with the spice of the chilis and salt of the cheese. Finally, make sure you’re cutting your tender steak into small enough pieces to actually get some on your chips when you scoop it up. That’s how you make the perfect steak and queso dip.
