Smoked ‘Queso Fundido’ Stuffed Meatballs

Inspired by bubbling hot skillets of melted cheese, these smoked Queso Fundido stuffed meatballs have molten green chile and cheese centres.

Love to smoke? Hate to wait? These Queso Fundido stuffed meatballs might be your answer. Just 20 minutes prep time and only 45 minutes till they’re smoked to perfection! I actually like to throw them on the smoker while im doing a larger cook like a brisket, because they are great as a snack or lunchtime treat.

Generally, if you’re cooking these while you have something else going, you’ll be using whatever wood your primary protein is suited to. But if you’re doing these on their own, I would recommend Hickory, Mesquite or Oak, which are all great partners with beef. To learn more about wood types and matching them to foods check out this video.

Cheese selection is crucial to achieving that never-ending pull of stringy cheese, which is the hallmark of Queso Fundido. If you can, use Chihuahua cheese, which lends itself to this Tex Mex recipe and has plenty of gooey factor. You can also use mozzarella, provolone or fontina, which may be a little easier to find in some parts of the country. And, if you’re looking to up to spice factor, use the hot rather than mild green chiles, or even throw in some freshly minced habanero!

GEAR:

For smoking I use my Signature JP Edition pit.

For knives and other recommended gear, check my Amazon page.

Smoked Queso Fundido Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef (not lean)
• 3/4 cup shredded chihuahua cheese
• 4 oz canned green chiles
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat a smoker to run at 225-250f.
2. Divide ground beef into 12 portions. Take one portion and use your fingers to flatten into an oval shape, about 1/4 inch thick. I use a plastic board or parchment paper, and a small paring knife to scrape the meat from the board one flattened.
3. Place the "patty" in the palm of your hand, and season with salt & pepper. Place a tablespoon of the cheese plus a teaspoon or so of green chile in the middle. Work carefully to bring the sides up and seal them to form a ball. You may need to coax the seams together to make sure it's well sealed - you want to try and prevent the cheese from leaking out! Season the top of the ball with a little more salt & pepper, then set aside.
4. Repeat step 3 with remaining ingredients until all meatballs have been formed.
5. Place balls into smoker and cook for 45 minutes. There may be a little cheese that escapes, this is normal.
6. Remove and serve immediately.