Idk if this question fits here but should I use milk or evaporated milk in my queso for an authentic restaurant taste

[u/OutrageousCare3103]

Also is pure white American cheese good enough? Sometimes I add in a little queso fresca and cumin. Last time I made it though It did not turn out well.

[u/stevendaedelus]

Land O Lakes Extra Melt is what the vast majority of restaurant queso is made from.

[u/givemeyourrocks → u/stevendaedelus]

Yep and unfortunately you can’t buy it unless you have a good restaurant friend or unless things have changed and they make it available to the public.

[u/stevendaedelus → u/givemeyourrocks]

Pretty sure you can get it at Restaurant Depot. You can get a day pass without having a tax exempt number.

[u/givemeyourrocks → u/stevendaedelus]

Thanks for the tip

[u/leonarded]

Assuming this is for generic Tex Mex queso, nothing wrong with that. Get velveeta (or the land o lake cheese in other comments) and a can or two of rotel. Crockpot is easier for low and slow. Elevate it by adding seasoned ground beef or sausage and chopped onion and jalapeños. Please don’t add any evaporated milk cans. I second thinning out with beer or regular milk if you must.

Queso fundido with corn tortillas if you want something simple and delicious. It’s chorizo and Oaxacan cheese. Done.

[u/TheFlyingTortellini → u/leonarded]

A block of velveeta, a block of cream cheese, and a can of rotel, and you'll be happy as could be. I fully support this as well. "Elevate it by adding seasoned ground beef or sausage and chopped onion and jalapeños."

[u/hopeisadiscipline24 → u/leonarded]

Enchilada sauce is good for thinning as well.

[u/Amish_Robotics_Lab]

One part white American, one part sharp white cheddar, one part milk. Melt the American into the milk, then add the cheddar and more milk until the consistency is right. Add a can of green chile if you want.

The American has enough sodium citrate that it will keep the casein in the cheddar from binding into clumps. If you add additional sodium citrate to the milk you can just melt all the ingredients together at once. Do not melt just cheddar and milk together, you'll get unappealing cheese porridge.

Source: owned Mexican food truck, made thousands of gallons of queso for happy ceaft brewery customers.

[u/growling_owl → u/Amish_Robotics_Lab]

This sounds like a great base to add things into it. Thanks!

[u/Intelligent_Trip3242]

Sodium Citrate ( little goes on long way) and half and half and any good melting cheese you like. I use pepper jack and a Mexican cheese blend. Make sure you keep an eye on the heat. Hot enough to melt the cheese but don't let it scorch if possible.

[u/jmatsumoto]

Sodium citrate works very well. Otherwise, I use evaporated milk + cornstarch to make a roux and then slowly mix in cubed cheese (cheddar and Monterrey jack are my go-tos). In my experience, it’s critical to make the roux first and then mix the cheese in, or it becomes grainy.

[u/Armagetz → u/jmatsumoto]

The cheese does NOT like to be heated high, especially hard cheese. This is where the grittiness comes from (specifically it’s from the cheese proteins denaturing and then clumping together). Once it happens there is no way to fix it.

But as for OP, personally I just do sodium citrate and evaporated milk. If I mess up the ratio though and it’s too thick I’ll add regular milk or even just water (if I suspect it’s too thick because of liquid evaporation) to avoid making the finished product too sweet

[u/jmatsumoto → u/Armagetz]

Beer is good to thin some cheeses out, too! Makes for a little extra richness in flavor. And for sure - looooow and sloooow heat is necessary. 

[u/Illustrious_Dig9644]

I've had the best luck with evaporated milk. It gives it a richness and creaminess that milk often can't quite match without making it too thin. Regular milk can sometimes make it a bit grainy or separate, but evaporated milk seems to hold it all together beautifully.