John Wayne's Cheese Casserole

This famous cheese casserole is named after the Duke himself and has been circulating through Southwestern kitchens for decades. Two full pounds of cheese (Monterey Jack and cheddar) mixed with diced green chiles, bound by a light, souffle-like egg mixture made with separated eggs and evaporated milk.

The technique is what lifts this above a standard cheese bake. Beating the egg whites until stiff and folding them into the yolk-milk-flour base creates an airy, puffy custard that rises around the melted cheese. It’s part casserole, part souffle, with a golden crust and a creamy, molten interior.

The “ooze it through with a fork” instruction is pure genius. After pouring the egg mixture over the cheese and chiles, you work a fork through the layers to create channels that let the custard flow between the cheese. Without this step, you end up with a blob of melted cheese sitting under a layer of cooked egg instead of everything melding together.

Kitchen Tips

• Fold the egg whites in gently. Aggressive stirring deflates them and you lose that light, puffy texture that makes this special.
• Coarsely grate the cheese so it melts into stretchy, gooey pockets rather than disappearing entirely into the custard.
• Butter the casserole dish well. The cheese layer on the bottom will fuse to an ungreased dish.
• Let it rest 5 minutes after baking before serving. Like any souffle-style dish, it settles slightly but holds its shape better.

Variations

• Add cooked, crumbled sausage or bacon between the cheese layers for a meatier version.
• Use pepper jack cheese instead of plain Monterey Jack for extra heat.
• Top with sliced fresh tomato before the second 30 minutes of baking for a tangy, roasted tomato layer.