Directions

1. Read the safety notes before starting. Use pasteurized dairy, sanitize bowls, cloth, spoons, and thermometers, keep hands clean, and refrigerate finished cheese promptly.
2. Combine milk and sodium citrate in a small heavy saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until the sodium citrate dissolves.
3. Add butter and whisk until melted. Keep the mixture below a simmer; small bubbles at the edge are enough.
4. Add grated cheese by handfuls, whisking until each addition melts before adding the next. Lower the heat if the sauce begins to boil.
5. Fold in drained chiles or pico de gallo after the cheese is fully smooth, then hold warm over very low heat for dipping.
6. For a spread or slices, chill until firm, 3 to 4 hours, then slice or scoop. For queso, serve warm and discard any portion held at room temperature longer than 2 hours.