Prepare Nachos to the Next Level by Melting Grated Cheese in Queso
Usually when making nachos (or cheese fries), there comes a point where you have to choose between a creamy, saucy queso and a deliciously elastic cheese sauce. Queso does not stretch like melted grated cheese, and grated cheese tends to grease and harden quite quickly, but by combining their properties, you can get the best out of both cheeses.
Melt grated cheese in a store-bought caso bowl for a creamy cheeky cheese with a crazy stretch. I mean, just look at this cheese. Look at it and marvel at its magnificence.
Shredded cheese that melts well – think Oaxaca cheese, peppercorns, or even mozzarella – works best here – but even grated cheddar is pretty good (however, stay away from super-hard cheeses like parmesa or aged gouda). Melting salts and emulsifiers in canned cheese sauce make everything beautiful and runny. Even at room temperature, the mixture can be dipped and scooped out, which are two very desirable qualities for something you put in your mouth with somewhat fragile corn chips.
For best results, use one part grated cheese and two parts cheese in a jar (by volume), then heat it in a small saucepan over medium to low heat or in a heat-resistant bowl in the microwave, using 30 second servings until complete. hot, fluid and elastic. When you can rip off a piece of cheese like in the photo above, you are there. Pour the cheese hybrid over a bunch of carbs to make nacho, toto chos, or fries, or just dip something in it. (Chips are an obvious choice, but have you considered vegetables? Bell peppers are especially good.)