Jalapeños are a great way to add heat to a recipe. Ranging between 2,500 and 8,000 on the Scoville scale, they can help add a kick to your cheese sauce without overwhelming it.

However, instead of using chopped jalapeños, it's the liquid from the canned pickled jalapeños that you're going to want to incorporate into your homemade nacho cheese sauce.

Pickled jalapeños are stored in an acidic vinegar brine that eventually gets infused with plenty of heat. To spice up your cheese sauce mixture, add some of that brine to it.

Start with a splash of the brine and work your way up, tasting it as you go until you've reached your desired spice level. You can pickle your own jalapeños or buy the canned ones.

Not only will this liquid add heat to your nacho cheese sauce, but its acidity will also balance out the rich, fatty flavors from the dairy that is so essential to this condiment.