Burgers Class

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ChefSteps

Joule® Turbo Sous Vide

Breville Super Q™

Mini loaf pan(s) (5 3/4-inch by 3 1/4-inch by 2 1/4-inch)

1-gallon Ziplock-style freezer bag(s)

Cheese wire

Sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Whole milk

Sodium citrate

Kosher salt

Sodium hexametaphosphate

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Heat sous vide bath

Combine cheddar, milk, sodium citrate, salt, and sodium hexametaphosphate in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag.

Combine ingredients

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container.

Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes.

Heat cheese mixture

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed.

Working quickly, transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold. Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours.

Blend, cast, and chill

During blending, if the mixture thickens to the point that it is no longer moving in a steady vortex, reduce blending speed slightly to help re-form vortex. If that doesn’t solve the issue, you can loosen the texture just enough to help mixture form a vortex again by adding warm milk in 15 g (1 tablespoon) increments, while blender is running.

Be careful not to add any more milk than is necessary to get mixture spinning; adding too much milk will make the cheese harder to slice once chilled and set.

Troubleshooting blending

Once cheese is fully chilled, it can be sliced. Even when fully set, this cheese is too soft to be cut with a knife. Slice into 3 mm-thick slices using cheese wire, kitchen twine, or even unflavored dental floss.

Slice and use

If you’d like a white American cheese, made with sharp aged white cheddar cheese, we recommend using a 50:50 blend of sharp aged white cheddar and white cheddar curds and increasing the amount of melting salts in the formula. Aged cheeses generally require more melting salts.

Follow the process described above using the following ingredient formula: 

200 g Sharp aged white cheddar, cut into 1-inch cubes
200 g Fresh cheddar curds
120 g Whole milk
15 g Sodium citrate
10 g Sodium hexametaphosphate
4 g Kosher salt (1 teaspoon)

You can use this formula with 100% cheddar curds (400 g) for a more delicate white cheddar flavor.

White American cheese

Other cheeses

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine Swiss cheese, milk, sodium citrate, salt, and sodium hexametaphosphate in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag. 

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Swiss cheese

Milk

Swiss (Emmentaler)

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine Gruyère, milk, sodium citrate, salt, and sodium hexametaphosphate in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag. 

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Gruyère cheese

Salt

Gruyère

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine blue cheese and sodium caseinate in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stiff rubber spatula, or gloved hand, mix thoroughly, as if kneading a dough, until well combined. Transfer to a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag, along with milk, sodium citrate, salt, and sodium hexametaphosphate.

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is very soft and appears melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Blue cheese

Sodium caseinate

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine chèvre and sodium caseinate in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stiff rubber spatula, or gloved hand, mix thoroughly, as if kneading a dough, until well combined. Transfer to a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag, along with milk, sodium citrate, salt, and sodium hexametaphosphate.

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is very soft and appears melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Goat milk

Chèvre

We did some trials with Caña de Cabra, an aged bloomy rind goat cheese, and it was one of our favorites. It requires a different formula to get it to the right texture for a sliceable cheese that melts really well. 

400 g Caña de Cabra, or other bloomy rind aged goat cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces (with rind)
100 g Goat milk, or whole cow’s milk 
10 g Sodium citrate 
4 g Sodium hexametaphosphate (1/2 teaspoon)
4 g Kosher salt (1 teaspoon)

Follow the process used for harder cheeses, like Swiss or cheddar.

For G.O.A.T. flavor, level it up with a bloomy rind goat cheese

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, milk, sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and salt in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag. 

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Parmigiano-Reggiano

Fresh mozzarella

During our trials, we found that by adding an extra 100 g of milk to the formula above, you can make a spreadable triple cream–style Parmesan cheese. The formula also works if you use a 50:50 blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano; add some coarsely ground black pepper and you’ve got a cacio e pepe sort of vibe. 

Once you transfer the cheese to a crock, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on its surface to prevent a skin from forming as it chills in the refrigerator.

200 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut into 1-inch cubes
260 g Fresh mozzarella, (about 2 balls) cut into 1-inch cubes
235 g Whole milk 
13 g Sodium citrate
7 g Sodium hexametaphosphate
4 g Kosher salt (1 teaspoon)

Triple cream–style Parmesan

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine ricotta, cheddar curds, milk, sodium citrate, salt, and sodium hexametaphosphate in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag. 

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Fresh ricotta

Fresh white cheddar curds

Ricotta

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine cheddar, mozzarella, milk, sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and salt in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag. 

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar

Low-moisture mozzarella

Clothbound cheddar (Cabot)

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine Gouda, mozzarella, milk, sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and salt in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag. 

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Working quickly, transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or even unflavored dental floss.

Aged Gouda

Aged Gouda (L'Amuse)

Heat a sous vide water bath to [f 167].

Line a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, with at least 2 inches of overhang on all sides to cover surface of cheese once mixture has been cast in the mold. Set aside.

Combine Manchego, milk, sodium citrate, salt, and sodium hexametaphosphate in a 1-gallon ziplock-style bag. 

Lower bag into sous vide bath until ingredients are fully submerged and remove air from bag using water displacement method. Seal bag and clip to side of water bath container. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 30 minutes. 

Working quickly, transfer contents of bag to jar of a countertop blender. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Stop blender to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan or mold.

Tap loaf pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover surface of cheese mixture with overhanging plastic. Refrigerate until cheese is fully chilled and set, at least 6 hours. Slice with cheese wire, kitchen twine, or unflavored dental floss.

Manchego

Manchego/Tomme

Cheese can be stored as a whole block or sliced and layered between pieces of parchment or waxed deli paper, wrapped tightly in plastic, and refrigerated for 2 weeks. Do not freeze.

Make-ahead and storage

Many American childhood involves processed cheese—there’s just something about a warm grilled cheese filled with gooey, melty Kraft American or a big bowl of creamy Velveeta Shells &amp; Cheese that appeals to kids’ tastebuds. As adults, we still crave the comforting texture and unctuousness of processed cheese, but most of us also crave cheese that’s a little more nuanced in flavor—the nutty, earthy notes of Gruyère, for instance, or the wake-you-up funk of Roquefort or Stilton. Enter melting salts and melting aids. A cornerstone of the commercial cheese world, salts such as sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate and melting aids like sodium caseinate allow manufacturers to create products that don’t “oil off”—an industry term that refers to the tendency of the fats in melting cheese to separate from the proteins. In the modernist kitchen, chefs have taken advantage of these additives to alter the texture of great cheeses, creating slices that have the great melty, creamy quality of the plastic-wrapped stuff you find on supermarket shelves, while retaining the wonderful, complex flavors of the best fromage.Here, we walk you through the steps of creating a melty slice using sharp cheddar. After combining the cheese with milk and salts, you’ll heat the mixture and blend it together until it reaches a smooth consistency. You can use the cheese right away, but if you want firm slices, you’ll need to cast the cheese in a mold and chill it for at least six hours.The process works with other cheeses, although you’ll need to adjust the method and ingredients slightly, depending on the cheese you’re starting out with. We’ve included directions for working with a number of popular cheeses; these represent the best results that came out of our kitchen. Check out our <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/melty-cheese-parametric-analysis">parametric analysis of all of our results!</a>In general, younger cheeses, such as mild cheddars and pepper jack, tend to work very well for this application. Fresher cheeses, cheeses with lower protein content, and older cheeses will require more manipulation. If you want to experiment with other kinds of cheese, you’ll need to do some trials on your own, but our work should give you an idea of what’ll work best.EDITORS’ NOTE: We looked at all the comments and questions you had about the original recipe(s) and retested all the old formulas, and we updated and expanded this page to reflect the results of our latest round of trials.

Melty Cheese Slices