Cheddar Cheese is a popular cheese worldwide. Coming from the UK, it’s second, only to Mozzarella, in the U.S. However, as most people know, not all brands are the same. Here are 9 top brands ranked by food experts from Bon Appétit, a website offering “Recipes you want to make. Cooking advice that works. Restaurant recommendations you trust.”
1. “Dry” yet Flavorful Cheddar Cheese
The lowest on the list of the top cheese brands is 365 Sharp Cheddar cheese. While experts enjoy the flavor, its texture is “dry” and “grainy,” leaving an unpleasant feeling in the mouth, and posing a possible choking hazard for littles.
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2. Kraft Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Arguably Kraft is one of the largest distributors of food products which also owns several other large and well-known brands. As such, they produce countless food products from cheese and crackers to coffee. Sadly, experts compared the product to “velveeta“, explaining the taste was undesirably mild.
3. Organic Valley Raw
While many experts deemed this brand of sharp cheddar cheese “sour.” However, Alaina Chou, a commerce producer noted the flavor was less potent when the cheese was softened or melted.
4. Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Tillamook Farms in Tillamook County, Oregon is a large and well-known distributor of dairy products including ice cream, cheese, and butter. Furthermore, guests are invited to take a factory tour and sample before buying ice cream and cheese, among other products. However, the brand was “knocked down a few pegs” because of its “waxy” texture, although it’s noted that Tillamook cheddar cheese offers a “satisfying sharpness.”
5. Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese
This type of cheddar cheese isn’t high-ranking because it’s “mild” and “a bit oily.” However, experts enjoy other offerings from the brand, like their Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
6. Good & Gather
Experts enjoyed this cheddar cheese for its ability to “pull” but is described as “buttery” rather than sharp.
7. Irresistibly Irish: Kerrygold Reserve
Kerrygold cheddar is renowned for its “sharpness,” while experts also noted its lovely “crumble” and ability to melt.
8. Boar’s Head Sharp Wisconsin
Meanwhile, Boar’s Head is common in the deli section and has set a standard for lunch meat and cheese. Moreover, the company sells prepackaged and sliced cheese. It’s one of the most popular among experts for its “savory sharpness,” “robust flavor,” and “luxurious finish.”
“I could eat a whole block of this,” said Kendra Vaculin, a test kitchen editor.
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9. Cracker Barrel Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
Then, Cracker Barrel, which has no affiliation with the restaurant chain, was founded by Kraft in the 1950s. Currently, the brand is owned by Lactalis and ranks incredibly high among experts. The Cracker Barrel Sharp White Cheddar Cheese is the favorite among top cheese brands. Purportedly, experts agree that it “tastes like fancy cheese.” However, it’s the cheapest option on the list, according to Bon Appétit. Specific notes include “sharp,” “nutty,” and “really cheesy.”
Packaging Matters
According to food experts, how the cheddar cheese is packaged impacts the flavor and texture. Andi Wandt, the creamery manager at Shelburne Farms in Vermont, explains there’s a difference between cheese aged in wax and cloth. “Clothbound cheese is going to have more moisture loss,” explains Wandt. Meanwhile, “Wax-aged cheddars like Boar’s Head lose moisture during aging too—less than a clothbound cheddar, but more than a plastic-aged cheese.”
How its Made
The process to make cheese is interesting, and surprisingly easy, with the proper equipment. Here are the steps:
- Fresh milk is the first ingredient. Typically, it comes from cows but some grocery stores have goat or sheep cheese as well.
- The milk is added to cultures and enzymes.
- The milk curdles.
- The curds are cut and stacked.
- The curds are flipped until it’s semi-firm.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to make cheddar cheese or other dairy products several dairy farms, like Tillamook, offer tours to visitors. Each tour is different but generally visitors are given some background on how the farm got started and became the size it is today, as well as a tour of the facilities and a more in-depth explanation of the cheese-making process.
Flavors of Cheddar Cheese
While the timeframes for aging ranges, these are rough estimates:
- Mild – Less than a year
- Sharp – Around a year
- Extra Sharp- Around 2 years
- Anything after that is “often labeled as some kind of reserve,” adds Wandt.
Culinary Expertise
The editors at Bon Appétit conduct blind taste tests. Judges aren’t given any information about the brand or who produced the products and are asked to rate them based on various factors. Some include:
- Firstly, Tanginess to signify “classic” sharp cheddar cheese.
- Secondly, the sourness should be apparent without tasting spoiled.
- Thirdly, there should be a balance of sharpness and creaminess.
- Then, an ideal texture.
- Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the experts tested whether or not the cheddar cheese brands were good for melting.
Furthermore, brands like Kraft, Nestle, and others are massive corporations that produce countless products, sometimes under different names and at differing levels of quality. Luckily, food experts offer guidance based on personal, yet unbiased, experiences.
H/t Bon Appétit
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