Laws are made to ban the selling of raw cheese curds in the United States. So what is cheese curd? Why it is illegal to sell them?
In fact, raw or unpasteurized cheese curds made of milk will contain a large number of bacteria—even enough to kill you! Now let me introduce cheese curds to you.
What Are Cheese Curds?
Cheese curds are tiny pieces of unaged white or orange cheese. Think of them like the younger siblings to the blocks of aged cheese you buy at the store. The majority of cheese curds are made from cheddar, although it’s possible to make them from other cheeses, like Muenster and Colby.
Curds are more than a menu item at many Wisconsin restaurants. “Who has the best cheese curd or the best presentation? We compete with one another.” says Mike Doble is the owner of the Explorium Brewpub, which serves its beer-battered curds with sliced carrot and celery and ranch dressing. “It has to do with pride. Cheese curds should be available on your menu if you want to represent Milwaukee.”
But others have joined the curd bandwagon besides people from the Midwest. Poutine, a Canadian dish with french fries and gravy on top, includes cheese curds as one of its main components. (If you can’t make it to Canada to try a bowl, poutine is also a secret menu item at a well-known American restaurant.)
How Are Cheese Curds Made?
The process for making cheese curds is essentially the same as for making regular cheese. So let’s start there.
What is Cheese Made Of?
Raw whole milk is the basis of this. that is heated in stainless steel to 161 degrees Fahrenheit, maintained at that temperature for at least 15 seconds, and then cooled again. Just how much milk is involved? According to Bo Wills, the manager of Clock Shadow Creamery, about 10,000 pounds of milk can yield 1,200 pounds of cheese in a single day.
The milk has now been legally pasteurized. (Thankfully, cheese curds are entirely legal in the US, where raw or unpasteurized milk is prohibited.) Once added, good bacteria called starter cultures and an enzyme called rennet begin to curdle the milk, with no trace of the sneaky ingredient found in shredded cheese. The milk is divided into curds and whey by bacteria and enzymes.
What is Curd?
The end result of milk coagulation is curds. Curds are the solid substance, to put it simply. The liquid is now called whey. It may not sound appetizing, but trust me: The end result is worth it.
The slab of curd then goes through a “cheddaring” process, during which it’s cut, stacked, and pressed together so more whey can be drained out. Repeat this procedure until all the whey has been removed and the curds have solidified into a cheese chunk. Then, using a cheese mill, the cheese block is cut into typical cheese curd shapes, salted, and then used. You have cheese curds now, voilà.
Actually, cheesemakers who didn’t want to wait for their cheese to age or who wanted to sell extra curd along with their other cheese invented this process. “It goes way back to our farming days,” says at Lakefront Brewery, Kristin Hueneke serves as executive chef. “Because Wisconsin and the Midwest have such deep roots in the production of cheese, we have an innate appreciation for it.”
What Does a Cheese Curd Taste Like?
Cheese curds taste much milder and saltier than mature cheddar because they are a young version of the cheese. Doble describes them as “Lacking the funk, brie.”
But you can’t fully answer “What exactly are cheese curds?” or “What flavor are cheese curds?” without talking about their texture. It resembles taffy or a marshmallow, though cheese is obviously very different from the ingredients used to make marshmallows. The food has a more moist and stretchy texture when deep-fried.
As a result of the proteins in the curds rubbing against your teeth as you eat them, fresh curds also make a squeaking sound in your mouth. They acquired the very creative moniker “squeaky cheese” because of this. These proteins loosen as the curds age and stop bouncing off tooth enamel.
What Are the Best Ways to Eat Cheese Curds?
You might be surprised to learn that there are a variety of ways to eat cheese curds if you’re still processing their existence. They are typically deep-fried and, with any luck, beer-battered when served in restaurants. That’s how they’re made at Lakefront Brewery, which is regularly ranked among the best places to get cheese curds in Wisconsin. With a homemade ranch for dipping, deep-fried curds are commonly eaten.
For those who are more daring, there are flavored cheese curds. Some raw cheese curds come with a dill or buffalo sauce flavoring. It has featured barbecue, salt and vinegar, spaghetti dinner, and even cinnamon and sugar. Lakefront’s Curd of the Week is a rotating weekly special of fried cheese curds made with distinctive flavors.
The Hands-down Best Way to Eat Cheese Curds
The majority of cheese lovers concur that eating cheese curds straight from the vat provides the best softness and squeakiness. “They’ve gotta be fresh, within two or three days of being made,” Wills says. “It’s not a true cheese curd if that’s the case. At that point, it’s merely a mild cheddar. I would concede that’s something you have to do in Wisconsin.”
There are ways to get that warm gooeyness since that isn’t an option for everyone, even for most Wisconsinites. If your cheese curds are too cold, you can try heating them briefly in the microwave or removing them from the refrigerator to let them thaw. Or, you know, you could always make a trip to Wisconsin.
The Best Drinks to Pair With Cheese Curds
If you’re looking to pair your cheese curds with an adult beverage, pour yourself a brew instead of a glass of vino. According to Hueneke, the carbonation in beer automatically cleanses the fat from your palate, resetting your palate. To go with the salty cheese, Doble suggests big, sweet, malty beers like a double IPA or a hard liquor with a sweeter flavor, like a cherry-forward scotch.
Related Reading
Ultimate Guide to Havarti Cheese
Muenster Cheese: All You Want to Know
American Cheese: Healthy or Not
FAQs
Can I Buy Cheese Curds in The USA?
Cheese curds are typically only sold and found near locations that have a cheese factory because of the way in which they are created. … You can buy a bag of these – find Squeaky Curds Cheese Kit to have fresh curds shipped directly to your door.
Why Are Curds Squeaky?
But why do cheese curds squeak? To put it simply, the protein network found in cheese curds is woven tightly, allowing it to “rebound” from our teeth as we bite, creating a squeak. … The squeak can also be lost in the cheesemaking process if too much protein is broken down during one of the cheesemaking steps.
Are Cheese Curds Unhealthy?
Cheese curds might be tasty, but they’re not the heart-healthiest option around. Most of the calories in fried cheese curds come from fat: One serving of these little morsels provides 8 grams of fat, about 5 grams of which are saturated, the type of fat that can raise bad cholesterol levels.
