Wisconsin Cheese Soup (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cheese for melting in soup? ›

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

Milk and/or broth such as chicken broth or stock are used to form the liquid basis for cheese soup. Additional ingredients can include half and half, beer, bread crumbs, butter, eggs, onion, onion juice, garlic, vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and celery, spices and seasonings.

If you guessed that it would be the beer, you'd be right. Partially. It's actually alcohol more generally. Adding a splash of beer, wine, or even vodka or brandy to a soup will add a great deal of flavor.

Selected by Cheese Graders at the peak of flavor, this cheese has an unmistakably sharp taste with a balanced finish. Boar's Head Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese is aged for nine months to produce its distinctive flavor and smooth texture.

If heated too high, you risk clumping and if too low, not melting properly. With soup, you might be able to fix it with an immersion blender, or you might not. At a temperature of 150 or so, the protein bonds in the cheese break down and as a result, too much fo the moisture escapes too quickly.

Acidity: Some cheeses are also too acidic to melt well, like paneer, feta, and ricotta. These are generally cheeses that were curdled with acid rather than rennet. They're often great cheeses for grilling or frying, because they hold their shape even when heated.

Some cheeses are improperly aged and in addition, contain emulsifiers or coagulants that break down when heated causing a gritty texture.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

But when heat is introduced, the protein structure falls apart and the emulsion breaks—the fat globules come together into a greasy pool and the proteins congeal to form a stringy mess. But American cheese is specifically designed to be extremely meltable and nearly impossible to break.

Is beer cheese soup safe for children to consume? Yes! This beer and cheese soup is cooked at a heat level that cooks out the alcohol content, making it safe for children to eat.

Why do people put beer in soup? ›

Cooking with beer gives your food a deeper and earthier flavor. It is perfect for dishes like soup, stew, chili, and even baked goods. You can use it in just about any cooking technique like braising, deglazing, marinating, simmering, baking, and more.

Why did my beer cheese soup curdle? This happens when the proteins separate and bind together. Your soup is no longer smooth and creamy; it's grainy and unpleasant. If your soup has reached this state, take your soup off the heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded Velveeta cheese.

Color tops the list of differences between Vermont cheddar and Wisconsin cheddar. Dairy farms outside of New England utilize dyes like annatto to give their cheese a uniform orange coloration that helps mask seasonal differences in the milk.

Colby cheese is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese that originated near Colby Wisconsin. Colby cheese has a similar taste to cheddar cheese, though it's made with a washed-curd process rather than with a cheddaring process, giving it a milder flavor and moister texture.

Here in Wisconsin, we like our cheddar white, orange, or even blue. We love white cheddar sliced on sandwiches, melted in casseroles, and cubed for an afternoon snack. As long as it's made by our award-winning cheesemakers, we know it will be the tastiest, highest-quality white cheddar in the universe.

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

For better melting, it is recommended to grate the cheese rather than using large chunks or slices. Grated cheese has a larger surface area, allowing it to melt more evenly and quickly into the soup. This helps to avoid clumping or uneven melting.

Melting Cheddar Cheese

Mild cheddar will melt easily and consistently; however, low-fat cheddar cheese and sharper cheddar melt better if first shredded or cut into strips and cooked over low heat. Learn all about how to best melt cheese with our How to Melt Cheese guide!

For an added bonus, cut the softened cheesy bits into smaller morsels and stir them back into the pot to enjoy as tiny Parmesan rind dumplings. In addition to imparting delicious flavor, the rind will also help to thicken and add body, giving thin and brothy soups a silky consistency.