BBQ Queso Nachos

Be chief of the snack table with our Kansas City-inspired nachos during Sunday’s Big Game.

Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes
Impresses: Houseful of Mahomies (10–12)

Ingredients

For the steak:
1 pound Kansas City strip steaks
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 orange, juiced
12-ounce can golden ale beer, we’re partial to Boulevard Brewing Co.’s American Kolsch

For the queso:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons barbeque seasoning, we’re partial to Q39
2 cups half and half
1 cup whole milk
2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, cut into cubes
16-ounce pepper jack cheese, freshly grated

For the rest:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Large bag tortilla chips, we’re partial to red and white corn chips for the Chiefs!
¼ cup barbeque sauce, we’re partial to Jack Stack
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

For the steak:
Add steaks to a gallon-sized, zip-top bag with garlic, pepper, salt, orange juice and beer. Seal and let marinate at least one hour in the fridge.
When ready to cook, heat a grill pan over high heat. Grill steaks for 3 minutes, before flipping and grilling the other side for about 2 minutes for a medium-temperature steak — or until desired doneness. 
Let rest 5 minutes for thinly slicing against the grain. 

For the queso:
Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in barbeque seasoning to combine. 
Add in half and half and milk and bring to a slow boil and whisk in cream cheese to melt. 
Remove from heat and whisk in shredded pepper jack until melted, sauce will be thick.

To assemble:
In a small bowl, combine vinegar and sugar until dissolved. Add in sliced red onion and stir to coat. Let pickle for 10 minutes before using.
Line a large baking sheet with foil and cover with a hearty layer of tortilla chips. 
Drizzle with queso, then barbecue sauce.
Add sliced steak, before topping with jalapenos, avocado, cilantro, pickled onions and a squeeze of lime juice. 

Serve immediately.