Cheddar jack cheese is like an easy-going friend who's always happy to help. Need a melter for your nachos? Cheddar jack cheese will melt for you like a dream. Whipping up a quick grilled cheese sandwich? Cheddar jack is quick to volunteer its creamy goodness. Time for an afternoon snack? No one will turn down cubes of cheddar jack cheese. The perfect balance of creamy jack and mild cheddar cheese, cheddar jack pretty much gets along with everyone.
In Wisconsin, we love how cheddar jack cheese aims to please – that's sort of our approach to life as well. Maybe that's why we make 600+ varieties, styles, and flavors of cheese, more than anywhere else on earth – we're just trying to bring more happiness to the world. And when you see how much Wisconsin Cheese the world buys, it seems like it might just be working.
It's hard to cry foul when pairing cheddar jack cheese - this mild-hybrid goes with almost everything. Cheddar jack can make a nice malbec wine pairing, and a chardonnay, pinot Gris, rose, or merlot pairing are all on the table as well. For malt beverages, a lighter beer like an American pale ale, lager, pilsner, or IPA will match the freshness of a cheddar jack cheese. And if you're itching for something harder, rye whiskey and tequila reposado are always a good bet.
Cheddar cheese is a combination of cheddar cheese and monterey jack cheese. Cheddar jack cheese can be made by marbling the curd from both cheeses in a mold, or by combining and packaging shredded forms of the two cheeses.
Cheddar cheese is made with a process called cheddaring. After the curd is separated from the watery whey, it is formed into large blocks of cheese that are stacked flipped many times to release more whey and create a denser curd. At the end of the process, the slabs are milled to create smaller curds which are pressed into a mold where the cheese drains and is left to age. The aging process is what creates different types of cheddar cheese. Mild cheddars are aged 3 to 6 months. Sharp cheddar cheese is aged 9 to 12 months, and extra sharp cheddar cheese is aged up to two years or longer.
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When you have a hankering for cheddar jack cheese, Wisconsin cheesemakers will be happy to fix you up. They've been making cheese for 180 years, and they've gotten pretty darn good at it. They've taken old-world recipes like cheddar and kicked them up a notch. They've perfected hybrids like cheddar jack by constantly pushing the boundaries of what cheese can be.
From the look of it, their hard work is paying off. Our cheesemakers have won more awards than cheesemakers from any other state or country in the world. And our cheese sells like crazy – Wisconsin produces one-quarter of all the cheese sold in the U.S.
So, when you're looking for a flavorful cheddar jack at the grocery store, just make sure there's a Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge on the label. That's when you know your cheddar jack cheese was made by the best cheesemakers in the world.
Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?
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