Shrimp and Chile Queso Recipe with Sodium Citrate

The combination of sweet shrimp, rich melted cheese, and spicy peppers is fantastic and this recipe combines them all into one great cheese dip. You can serve it with tortilla chips, bread chunks, or you can even use it as a decadent sauce on fajitas or tacos.

If you don't want to sous vide the shrimp you can quickly sauté them, or even use pre-cooked shrimp if you're in a rush. I call for cascabel and guajillo peppers but you can use any dried peppers you like.

Shrimp and cheese queso sodium citrate

Modernist Tools, Ingredients, and Techniques Used

If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the shrimp and chile queso you can check out the following.

Also, if you are just getting started experimenting with molecular gastronomy and modernist cuisine then I highly recommend one of these molecular gastronomy kits. They have everything you need to do many different dishes.

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Shrimp and Chile Queso Recipe

  • Published: December 18, 2014
  • By Jason Logsdon
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1.5 to 2 Hours
  • Cooks: 132°F (55.6°C) for 20 to 30 Minutes
  • Serves: 4 cups

Shrimp and Chile Queso Ingredients

Because they use modernist ingredients, these amounts are given in metric by weight. For more information on how to measure modernist ingredients check out this article.

For the Shrimp

225g shrimp, either small shrimp or cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper

For the Pepper Base

2 dried cascabel peppers
2 dried guajillo peppers
Water
200g onion, thickly sliced
100g poblano pepper, de-stemmed and seeds removed
15g garlic, roughly chopped
100g cherry tomatoes
Canola oil
Salt and pepper

For the Cheese Sauce

200g beer, preferably a Mexican lager
100g milk
19.6g sodium citrate, 2.8%
200g cheddar cheese, grated or cubed
200g gouda cheese, grated or cubed

Shrimp and Chile Queso Instructions

For the Shrimp

Preheat a sous vide bath to 132°F (55.6°C).

Salt and pepper the shrimp, seal in a sous vide pouch, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the bath and set aside until after the cheese sauce is made.

For the Pepper Base

Preheat an oven to 450°F (232°C).

Place the dried peppers in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Let sit for 30 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the water, cut off the stem, and remove the seeds.

Coat the onion, poblano pepper, garlic, and tomatoes with oil then salt and pepper them. Place on a roasting sheet and cook until just starting to blacken, about 15 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest until cool enough to handle.

Dice the roasted vegetables and rehydrated chile peppers and set aside until the cheese sauce is done.

For the Cheese Sauce

Add the beer and milk to the pot and whisk in the sodium citrate. Bring to a simmer then slowly add in the cheese while pureeing with an immersion blender.

Once all the cheese is incorporated and the queso is smooth, stir in the shrimp and diced vegetables. Serve with chips or bread for dipping, or use as a sauce.

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Jason logsdon headshot This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links on this site might be affiliate links that if used to purchased products I might receive money. I like money but I will not endorse something I don't believe in. Please feel free to directly go to any products I link to and bypass the referral link if you feel uncomfortable with me receiving funds.
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