Cheese Base

• 1 lb white American cheese, cubed or shredded
• 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
• 4 oz pepper Jack cheese, freshly shredded
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter

Seafood

• ½ lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped into bite-size pieces
• ½ lb lump crab meat, picked over carefully for shells
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, or blackening seasoning
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Vegetables and Flavor

• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
• 1 roasted poblano pepper, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained
• 1 small can diced green chiles, drained
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for dusting on top
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño juice
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Finish and Garnish

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Extra lime wedges
• Tortilla chips, for serving

1. Prep the seafood

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Season it with Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, or blackening seasoning.

Pick through the lump crab meat carefully to remove any bits of shell. Keep the crab cold until you are ready to use it.

Do not season the crab heavily. Good lump crab is sweet and delicate. Let it show off.

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2. Cook the shrimp

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Add the shrimp and cook just until pink and barely cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side depending on size.

Remove the shrimp from the pan immediately and set aside.

Do not cook the crab yet. It only needs to be gently warmed in the finished queso.

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3. Build the flavor base

In a Dutch oven, heavy saucepan, or large cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.

Add the diced onion, jalapeño, and roasted poblano. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.

Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.

Stir in the drained Rotel, diced green chiles, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, hot sauce, and pickled jalapeño juice.

Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes so the flavors concentrate and the extra moisture cooks down a little.

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4. Make the queso

Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the evaporated milk and heavy cream. Warm gently until steaming, but do not boil.

Add the white American cheese a handful at a time, stirring constantly until smooth.

Once the American cheese is melted, add the Monterey Jack and pepper Jack a little at a time.

Keep stirring until the queso is creamy and smooth.

Do not crank up the heat. High heat is how queso turns grainy.

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5. Add the seafood

Once the queso is smooth, lower the heat to low.

Gently fold in the cooked shrimp.

Then gently fold in the lump crab meat.

Warm for only 1 to 2 minutes, just long enough for the crab to heat through.

Stir carefully so you do not break the crab into shreds.

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6. Finish it

Stir in the lime juice, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions.

Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, hot sauce, or a little more pickled jalapeño juice.

Dust the top lightly with smoked paprika.

Serve hot with sturdy tortilla chips.