Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat grill to high heat. While it heats, finely dice the onion and jalapeños and set aside.
- In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, cook the diced onion and jalapeños, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly golden, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add cubed cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, Velveeta, and milk. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until all the cheeses are fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy, about 6-8 minutes. Do not rush this with high heat — low and slow prevents the sauce from breaking.
- Stir the browned onion and jalapeño mixture back into the cheese sauce. Add drained fire-roasted tomatoes and 2-3 teaspoons of Kinder's Woodfired Garlic Seasoning. Stir well and cook over low heat for 2 more minutes to meld the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Season flank steak generously with additional Kinder's Woodfired Garlic Seasoning on both sides. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side until medium-rare (internal temperature 130-135 degrees F). Remove from grill.
- Rest the steak for 5-10 minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix half the diced steak into the warm cheese dip, folding gently to incorporate. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes — the sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Transfer to a serving dish or keep in the cast-iron skillet. Top with the remaining diced steak. Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping.
Nutrition
Notes
- Low and slow for the cheese — High heat causes the cheeses to separate and turn grainy. Keep it at medium-low and stir constantly. Six to eight minutes is the window; don't rush it.
- Drain the tomatoes completely — Press the drained tomatoes in a strainer before they go in. Excess liquid makes the dip watery, and you won't get it back once it's in the sauce.
- Dial the heat with the jalapeños — Two jalapeños with seeds removed = mild. Three jalapeños with seeds = medium-hot. A pinch of cayenne at the end gives you another lever if you want more.
- Keep it warm at the table — Serve directly in the cast-iron skillet on a trivet, or transfer to a slow cooker on the warm setting. The sauce thickens as it cools; warm keeps it at the right scooping consistency.
- Thin it out if needed — If the dip thickens too much, stir in warm milk one tablespoon at a time until the texture is back. Don't add cold milk — it can shock the sauce.
- Serve the dip in the cast-iron skillet at the center of a wide platter. Stack tortilla chips on one side, sliced baguette or corn tortillas on the other, and fill in with celery sticks and bell pepper strips for color and crunch. A bowl of fresh pico de gallo on the side cuts through the richness without competing with the flavor.
- The dip also holds up beyond chips. Spoon it over baked potatoes or nachos, or load it into a flour tortilla with the extra diced steak for a quick steak-and-cheese-dip burrito. It pairs well anywhere you'd use a heavy queso — just with more going on.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. Add warm milk a splash at a time to bring the consistency back — the sauce re-emulsifies with gentle heat. Microwave works in a pinch: 30-second intervals, stir between each, add milk if too thick.
- Do not freeze. The cheese sauce separates after freezing and thawing — the texture doesn't recover.