Processed cheese melts beautifully on this cheeseburger from In-N-Out.
On the 4th of July, we Americans don't merely celebrate our country's independence from the British Empire—we also pay our humble respects to that most American of comfort foods: the cheeseburger. But what types of cheeses work best? As I see it there are three variables to consider: meltability, tanginess, and the funk factor. Some choose to optimize for one of these variables, but there may be a perfect cheese to satisfy all three.
Meltability
If you're going to go for cheeses that melt perfectly, processed cheese is the way to go. Whether it's Velveeta or Kraft American Singles, processed cheeses make up for their bland flavor with undeniably superior meltability. (They contain added emulsifiers which help prevent the separation of water, fats, and proteins when heat is applied.) Processed cheeses are also the way to go if you want to really showcase the flavor of the meat—the cheese will add a nice texture to the sandwich without interfering taste-wise. However, there are other meltable cheeses that potentially have much more flavor: Gruyère, Comté, Brie, Taleggio, Fontina, and many more.
Tanginess
If you're willing to forgo some of the smoothness of the cheeses listed above, and would rather have your cheese add a sharp bite to the sandwich, your best bet is to go for an aged Cheddar, Monterey Jack, aged Provolone, or even Parmigiano-Reggiano. While some of these cheeses may separate a bit when hot, they are also much more flavorful than your average processed cheese. Tangy cheeses also tend to balance the savoriness of the meat really well.
The Funk Factor
The Spotted Pig in New York City tops their cheeseburger with Roquefort cheese for that funky touch.
If you really want a cheese that will contribute a great deal of flavor to the overall cheeseburger experience, go for a blue. It is best to choose a blue that is fairly rugged so that you don't end up with a saucy mess. Think Maytag Blue rather than Gorgonzola. If you go the blue route, don't be upset if all you taste is the cheese—blue cheese is super strong and will often overpower the subtle flavors of the meat. But if funkiness is your thing, a blue cheeseburger can be a revelatory experience.
Ultimately I think that a really good aged Gruyère or Comté is the best way to go if you want to maximize all three factors. These Swiss/French Alpine cheeses melt really well (they are the fondue cheeses after all), they have a little bit of tang, and if you find the right specimen they can add that nice funky edge as well.
What do you look for in your cheeseburger cheese?
About the author: Jamie Forrest publishes Curdnerds.com from his apartment in Brooklyn, New York, where he lives with his wife, his daughter, and his cheese.
I love all sorts of funky, ripe, moldy cheeses in almost all dining situations except burgers. For burgers I go with the conservative, bordering on the reactionary, venerable American cheese.
Lately, I've been using 18 month aged Gouda and it's the best cheeseburger cheese I've had. It all depends on the meat and the toppings you put in the burger, though. Grilled halloum is really good, and sometimes fresh chèvre or cream cheese really hit the spot.
Definitely American or a mild (read: unripened, non-tangy, good-melting) cheddar. Anything more than that and you might as well be eating textured soy protein instead of beef because you can't taste it anyway under all that cheese. Burgers for me are about beef flavor. Cheese is just there to add texture and fat.
it depends on what else is going on on the burger. with bacon, i like a blue. for a plain one, cheddar. with my husband's most excellent bourbon sauce (kinda like TGI Friday's jack daniel's sauce, but good), provolone all the way.
I've recently discovered the ultimate substitute for American cheese: Muenster! All the tangy creaminess, and all the meltability, none of the soy and corn based artificial ingredients.
For all that I pretend to be a cheese snob, on a burger I like the Cracker Barrel cheddar slices. they melt just right without turning into an oil slick, and have enough flavor to be noticable.
For a good burger with at least 20% fat in the burger, aged cheddar. It helps to cover the burger with a metal bowl to accelerate the melting. Perfect!
For the pre-made store bought variety, American will due.
Although the occasional blue cheese or roquefort (@ the Spotted Pig) does add phenomenal burger.
So, funny -- I haven't eaten meat for years, but I still know an In-N-Out burger when I see one! As far as cheese goes, I'll admit the off-the-menu version of In-N-Out's grilled cheese is awesome with processed American. For other cheesy sandwich/burger choices, I say either American or Cheddar, depending on how much "funk" you want in your food...For the kids that can't handle sharp Cheddar, go American.
I hate to admit it but I think Kraft singles work best for your generic burger.
Otherwise a nice brie works for me, sandwiched between a couple of thin patties. As much as I love the overly ripe taleggio that I have, I think it's better enjoyed on it's own, on crostini with a nice fruit spread (membrillo works for me).. Otherwise it generally overpowers the burger.
For a nice blue cheese burger I love Roaring Forties from Australia.
Depends on the burger. If it's In-N-Out, then the real American cheese they use is perfect.
Any REAL American cheese (not rubbery Kraft singles, cheese food, etc.) will work, but if I have a choice I like a slice of Tillamook medium cheddar, especially on a "real" burger (e.g., a big thick, sit-down burger, not a fast-food type burger). Like the ones I grilled last night... mmmmmmmmm...
Oh. And on those very infrequent occasions when I indulge in a mushroom swiss burger... well... duh... Swiss! (but provolone works well too)
I love aged gruyere and never thought to use it with cheeseburgers. I also like aged provolone. I'm not big on the rubbery Kraft singles but children love it....I also made the Oprah turkey burger recipe last night and it was totally outstanding. I didn't have the Chutney so I substituted Heinz57 sauce. Wow.
I love aged gruyere and never thought to use it with cheeseburgers. I also like aged provolone. I'm not big on the rubbery Kraft singles but children love it....I also made the Oprah turkey burger recipe last night and it was totally outstanding. I didn't have the Chutney so I substituted Heinz57 sauce. Wow.
Total self-promotion, BUT...I make a cheese that's soaked in Sierra Nevada Stout, and truly the only reason I still make it is because it's one of the BEST cheeses to melt on burgers--any meat sandwich, really. It's got the meltability (think mix between gouda and cheddar), the tanginess (from the beer) and some pretty good funk, too. :)
Four year-old Shelburne Farms (Vermont) Cheddar. Cabot is good, but Shelburne Farms is truly amazing. That, some freshly ground pepper and a touch of sea salt (I occasionally use smoked sea salt, yum).
I ran a little experiment yesterday with some sliders - tried Humboldt Fog (goat), Point Reyes Blue and an Old Quebec Vintage Cheddar. I did the Humboldt Fog with some caramelized onions and an arugula mayo, the Point Reyes Blue with bacon and avocado and the cheddar with basil and a BBQ mayo. The cheddar/basil/mayo was my favorite, but the others were great too!
Beef and sharp-tasting cheeses is all sorts of wrong to my tastebuds. The beef and the bun get in the way of the delicious cheese flavor, and the cheese flavor steamrolls the beef. I also hate blue cheese on steak or roast beef sandwiches - same deal. And warm cheddar cheese makes my gorge rise. So, I'm with the American cheese people. It's got the mouthfeel, and it doesn't kill the taste of the burger.
I don't like that stuff on burgers. Too much going on. And meltability isn't really important to me either. Almost any cheese is going to melt if you put it on a hot burger. Most of the time, I just like the burger itself for flavor, plus a few toppings, no cheese.
I usually use cheddar, but I love swiss. Especially if you are doing a mushroom avocado burger. Jack is nice too with jalapeños, etc. OK now I'm hungry, too.
I'll eat American, but I prefer almost everything else. I like strong tasting cheese like extra sharp cheddar, bleu and gorgonzola and one of my faves is smoked mozzarella. Other smoked cheeses are also tasty on burgers.
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48 Comments:
I love all sorts of funky, ripe, moldy cheeses in almost all dining situations except burgers. For burgers I go with the conservative, bordering on the reactionary, venerable American cheese.
Nick Solares at 1:22PM on 07/02/08
I love the burger and fries from Spotted Pig, but the roquefort really takes over the taste of the burger.
offthebeatenpath1 at 1:31PM on 07/02/08
Lately, I've been using 18 month aged Gouda and it's the best cheeseburger cheese I've had. It all depends on the meat and the toppings you put in the burger, though. Grilled halloum is really good, and sometimes fresh chèvre or cream cheese really hit the spot.
SqueezeBottle at 1:45PM on 07/02/08
Easy:
Pimento Cheese. Melts great because of the small amount of added mayo and adds some really great flavor to the burger.
Check out my Pimento Cheese (and Pimento Cheeseburger) at
http://longislandfoodie.com/2008/06/25/pimiento-cheese/
jonathankavner at 1:45PM on 07/02/08
No cheese at all please, unless it's swiss. Gruyere rules!
PerkyMac at 1:48PM on 07/02/08
I'm just really fond of Cheddar...and Gruyere :)
bitchincamero at 1:48PM on 07/02/08
My perfect burger has provolone and jalapenos.
deeoh1 at 1:57PM on 07/02/08
Definitely American or a mild (read: unripened, non-tangy, good-melting) cheddar. Anything more than that and you might as well be eating textured soy protein instead of beef because you can't taste it anyway under all that cheese. Burgers for me are about beef flavor. Cheese is just there to add texture and fat.
kenjialtci at 1:59PM on 07/02/08
it depends on what else is going on on the burger. with bacon, i like a blue. for a plain one, cheddar. with my husband's most excellent bourbon sauce (kinda like TGI Friday's jack daniel's sauce, but good), provolone all the way.
my current fav is this combo.
thursdaynightsmackdown at 2:05PM on 07/02/08
i almost always request cheddar despite that it doesn't melt well. i'm OK with swiss and do love a gruyère when it's an option.
j at 2:08PM on 07/02/08
i am a big fan of muenster, melts pretty good and has a bit more flavor.
thedish28 at 2:11PM on 07/02/08
Cheddar and its best if its fluorescent orange. Once in a while blue cheese is good too.
bobbob at 2:20PM on 07/02/08
I've recently discovered the ultimate substitute for American cheese: Muenster! All the tangy creaminess, and all the meltability, none of the soy and corn based artificial ingredients.
simon at 2:58PM on 07/02/08
(right on thedish, didnt see your comment there.)
simon at 3:00PM on 07/02/08
On a good burger, I prefer no cheese at all. On an "ok" burger, melted fake orange american cheese.
Kerosena at 3:27PM on 07/02/08
For all that I pretend to be a cheese snob, on a burger I like the Cracker Barrel cheddar slices. they melt just right without turning into an oil slick, and have enough flavor to be noticable.
AliceBlue at 3:30PM on 07/02/08
For a good burger with at least 20% fat in the burger, aged cheddar. It helps to cover the burger with a metal bowl to accelerate the melting. Perfect!
For the pre-made store bought variety, American will due.
Although the occasional blue cheese or roquefort (@ the Spotted Pig) does add phenomenal burger.
BirdDoggie at 3:40PM on 07/02/08
I like blue on top, a slice of havarti on the bottom, at least this year
Cary at 4:02PM on 07/02/08
Those who still eat burgers in this family have several favorites:
Colby Jack
Pepper Jack
Fontina
and Roquefort
Brownie at 4:16PM on 07/02/08
So, funny -- I haven't eaten meat for years, but I still know an In-N-Out burger when I see one! As far as cheese goes, I'll admit the off-the-menu version of In-N-Out's grilled cheese is awesome with processed American. For other cheesy sandwich/burger choices, I say either American or Cheddar, depending on how much "funk" you want in your food...For the kids that can't handle sharp Cheddar, go American.
Lorena at 8:56PM on 07/02/08
I hate to admit it but I think Kraft singles work best for your generic burger.
Otherwise a nice brie works for me, sandwiched between a couple of thin patties. As much as I love the overly ripe taleggio that I have, I think it's better enjoyed on it's own, on crostini with a nice fruit spread (membrillo works for me).. Otherwise it generally overpowers the burger.
For a nice blue cheese burger I love Roaring Forties from Australia.
beano at 12:02AM on 07/03/08
I've always thought that Maytag blue is a bit over rated--I find it to be too dry and salty.
Nice washing machine, though...
beano at 12:06AM on 07/03/08
i think processed meat can cop processed cheese , real meat with no preservatives etc.. needs swiss gruyere ..
le bump at 2:50AM on 07/03/08
For me, it's either pepper jack or butterkase.
PhotoKirk at 9:18AM on 07/03/08
So...hungry...
ReneeRobinson at 11:39AM on 07/03/08
Boursin melts awesomely and has a great garlic herby flavor, but the best is just plain old american.
EazyB at 11:51AM on 07/03/08
Wouldnt Monteray Jack also be in the all three category. Make mine pepper jack please!
nhfoodie at 11:52AM on 07/03/08
Had a blue burger once, the cheese totally dominated the flavor.
redfish at 3:12PM on 07/03/08
Depends on the burger. If it's In-N-Out, then the real American cheese they use is perfect.
Any REAL American cheese (not rubbery Kraft singles, cheese food, etc.) will work, but if I have a choice I like a slice of Tillamook medium cheddar, especially on a "real" burger (e.g., a big thick, sit-down burger, not a fast-food type burger). Like the ones I grilled last night... mmmmmmmmm...
Oh. And on those very infrequent occasions when I indulge in a mushroom swiss burger... well... duh... Swiss! (but provolone works well too)
LoCo at 3:18PM on 07/03/08
Saga blue - you get meltability and funk.
Amandarama at 4:35PM on 07/03/08
I love aged gruyere and never thought to use it with cheeseburgers. I also like aged provolone. I'm not big on the rubbery Kraft singles but children love it....I also made the Oprah turkey burger recipe last night and it was totally outstanding. I didn't have the Chutney so I substituted Heinz57 sauce. Wow.
dianeb at 5:59PM on 07/03/08
I love aged gruyere and never thought to use it with cheeseburgers. I also like aged provolone. I'm not big on the rubbery Kraft singles but children love it....I also made the Oprah turkey burger recipe last night and it was totally outstanding. I didn't have the Chutney so I substituted Heinz57 sauce. Wow.
dianeb at 6:00PM on 07/03/08
I am seconding provolone and jalapenos. Jalapenos and burgers rock!
liwinegirl at 9:50PM on 07/03/08
Total self-promotion, BUT...I make a cheese that's soaked in Sierra Nevada Stout, and truly the only reason I still make it is because it's one of the BEST cheeses to melt on burgers--any meat sandwich, really. It's got the meltability (think mix between gouda and cheddar), the tanginess (from the beer) and some pretty good funk, too. :)
dairyprincess at 11:36PM on 07/03/08
Four year-old Shelburne Farms (Vermont) Cheddar. Cabot is good, but Shelburne Farms is truly amazing. That, some freshly ground pepper and a touch of sea salt (I occasionally use smoked sea salt, yum).
toferburl at 6:14PM on 07/04/08
I ran a little experiment yesterday with some sliders - tried Humboldt Fog (goat), Point Reyes Blue and an Old Quebec Vintage Cheddar. I did the Humboldt Fog with some caramelized onions and an arugula mayo, the Point Reyes Blue with bacon and avocado and the cheddar with basil and a BBQ mayo. The cheddar/basil/mayo was my favorite, but the others were great too!
paninikathy at 2:35PM on 07/05/08
Kraft Deli Delux White American
NanaJoie at 11:26AM on 07/06/08
why limit yourself to just one cheese? how bout some Tilamook sharp chedder and some Boars Head baby swiss???
dozertx at 5:55PM on 07/07/08
Crumbled feta, sprinkled on after the burger is cooked as part of assembly. Fresh tomato and a small piece of lettuce.
Auspicious at 6:04PM on 07/07/08
Beef and sharp-tasting cheeses is all sorts of wrong to my tastebuds. The beef and the bun get in the way of the delicious cheese flavor, and the cheese flavor steamrolls the beef. I also hate blue cheese on steak or roast beef sandwiches - same deal. And warm cheddar cheese makes my gorge rise. So, I'm with the American cheese people. It's got the mouthfeel, and it doesn't kill the taste of the burger.
BangieB at 12:58PM on 07/08/08
um, isn't is "bleu" cheese? lol
I don't like that stuff on burgers. Too much going on. And meltability isn't really important to me either. Almost any cheese is going to melt if you put it on a hot burger. Most of the time, I just like the burger itself for flavor, plus a few toppings, no cheese.
I usually use cheddar, but I love swiss. Especially if you are doing a mushroom avocado burger. Jack is nice too with jalapeños, etc. OK now I'm hungry, too.
MsKira at 11:50AM on 07/09/08
I love most any cheese,
but a Cheeseburger Has 'merican cheese on it.(period)
phauxtoe at 12:44PM on 07/09/08
For me it's a toss-up between "American" and pepper jack, depending on the style of the rest of the burger.
longbongsilver at 2:29AM on 07/10/08
American, American, American
No lettuce, no tomato, no onion.
Bun, three pickles, three slices bacon, two slices American, Burger, Bun.
Smush together. Perfect.
SmokedMeat at 9:46AM on 07/10/08
I love soft blue cheese on burgers, but I've recently had really great mozzarella-topped burgers.
butterface at 11:52AM on 07/15/08
The closest thing to an In-N-Out Burger is at the new Great American Hamburger and Hot Dog Company in Great Barrington, MA. I think that it comes wrapped in wax paper is key.
http://www.ruralintelligence.com/index.php/food_section/food_articles_news/586/
RuralIntelligence at 8:13AM on 08/13/08
I'll eat American, but I prefer almost everything else. I like strong tasting cheese like extra sharp cheddar, bleu and gorgonzola and one of my faves is smoked mozzarella. Other smoked cheeses are also tasty on burgers.
pattyplus at 3:07PM on 09/26/08
I put blue cheese crumbles, bacon, and diced red onion *in* my burger patties the last time I made burgers and they were heavenly...
steamsoldier at 2:45PM on 09/27/08