High temp cheese

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buzzy

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 11, 2007
875
475
Cumberland Co. PA
Going to make venison bologna & summer sausage next week. Adding some high temp cheese to both. Stopped at butcher shop an picked up 5# bag for $20. Pretty good deal. They also carry jalapeño cheese. Didn’t want that because of using hot dipping mustard.
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FYI, you can use real cheese, but the trick is to cube the cheese and then air dry it in the refrigerator. Drying the cheese raises the melting point and also helps the cheese stick and bind to the meat better... and it's cheaper. I like this method because I'm not really fond of the taste of high temp cheese, and they don't make sharp cheddar high temp cheese...
 
FYI, you can use real cheese, but the trick is to cube the cheese and then air dry it in the refrigerator. Drying the cheese raises the melting point and also helps the cheese stick and bind to the meat better... and it's cheaper. I like this method because I'm not really fond of the taste of high temp cheese, and they don't make sharp cheddar high temp cheese...

inda thanks for the FYI. Never heard of that but does open the door on a variety of cheese to use. Is there a length of time to leave in frig? Always learning something new here.
 
That is a pretty darned good deal Buzzy! I just got a email from PS Seasonings this morning, showed they sell hi-temp cheese for $15 a pound. I've never used the stuff in the sausage I make, figure if I want some cheese I'll add a slice to the bun when I'm ready to eat it. RAY
 
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inda thanks for the FYI. Never heard of that but does open the door on a variety of cheese to use. Is there a length of time to leave in frig? Always learning something new here.
It depends on air flow around the cheese and temp. of the refrigerator. I'm still playing around with it, but last batch I made I went 12% moisture loss. It firmed up but I'm thinking closer to 15-18% would be better.
 
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Cool I'll be watching, and BTW lots of folks use High Temp Cheese with great taste results.

Gary
 
I have always used high temp cheese, but I found out that if you are using a hard cheese like cheddar, you can use regular cheddar including Cabot extra sharp cheddar. It won't melt out. The high temp cheese doesn't seem to have the flavor of regular cheese.
At least that is what I have found. Haven't bought any high temp cheese in years, just use the Cabot's.
Al
 
Being from Wisconsin, and having a wide variety available to me, I agree I don’t care for most of the hi temp cheese I’ve had in sausages. I have had a few that I felt the cheese was quite good, maybe it wasn’t high temp.
Cabot, Cracker Barrel, and Tillamook are all pretty much nationally known brands, but frankly I am not a fan of any of them. However, their consistency is similar to high temp cheese in my mind, so any of them may work fine.
As for Wisconsin cheddar, it may take years to go through all that is available to find what works. I can get cheddars aged in one year increments up to about 11 quite easily. Occasionally I see 15 yr, and recently heard about a 20 yr that was available. The older they get, the drier and more crumbly they are, and the really good ones get simultaneously creamy and crystalline. It’s kind of hard to explain, but given the opportunity I recommend trying some, my personal preference is around 5-7 years. It may work as is in a sausage. Keep in mind, every year in age brings a price increase too. It ain’t cheap cellaring cheese for long periods.

Here’s a couple places to try mail order WI aged cheddar. They are in no particular order. I really liked Hennings when I tried it.


Here’s a more comprehensive list of cheese factories, not all make cheddar, and not all sell to the public, and not all will ship.
 
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Using and old cheddar is like using the hi temp cheese. You need a cheese with a lower moisture point as noted above. The best part is its cheaper and better tasting..
 
The high temp I get isn’t to bad tasting but it’s no Calbot or Cracker Barrel. $4 a # isn’t to hateful of a price either. How do you cut it upon into the 3/16” cubes?
 
The high temp I get isn’t to bad tasting but it’s no Calbot or Cracker Barrel. $4 a # isn’t to hateful of a price either. How do you cut it upon into the 3/16” cubes?


If Im feeling lazy I just grate it on the largest side. Or I cut it my hand.
 
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