Ghost Pepper Jack Cheese

Spice Things Up with Ghost Pepper Jack Cheese

When you're looking for a cheese that packs a punch, try a chunk of ghost pepper jack. This extraordinary cheese is made with mild monterey jack that's infused with bits of the bhut jolokia chili pepper, known throughout the world as the ghost pepper. Roughly 170 times hotter than Tabasco sauce, the ghost pepper was at one time the world's hottest chili pepper. Together, ghost peppers and monterey jack cheese are a heat lover's dream, adding spikes of spicy flavor and creamy goodness to everything from nachos and enchiladas to burgers and pasta.

Ghost Pepper Jack Cheese from Wisconsin

Just as they've done for more than 180 years, Wisconsin cheesemakers have taken the traditional monterey jack recipe and come up with some pretty innovative varieties – ghost peppers included. You'll find Ghost Pepper Jack Cheese from Nasonville Dairy alongside Monterey Jack Ghost Pepper from Springside Cheese. Hoffmann's Natural Cheese Ghost Pepper also features jalapeno and habanero peppers. We've even got ghost pepper cheese curds from the Wisconsin Cheese Company, for that extra kick in your cheesy snacks.

All about Ghost Pepper Jack Cheese

Ghost pepper jack cheese is part of a long tradition of monterey jack varieties made with added ingredients – everything from spicy peppers and horseradish to mushrooms and bacon to rosemary, dill, and other herbs. Ghost pepper jack features bits of the ghost pepper chili. Originating in Northeast India, this spicy devil is one of the hottest peppers in the world.

Where did ghost pepper jack cheese come from?

Monterey jack cheese had its origins in California's Monterey County, where Franciscan monks brought their recipe for a fresh, white cheese to the region in the 18^th century. The name comes from the businessman who first boosted production and distribution of the cheese, a Scottish immigrant named David Jacks who marketed his products as “Jack's Cheese.” No one's sure who first added additional ingredients to jack cheese, but somewhere along the way, cheesemakers began introducing ingredients like peppers to add flavor and heat to the cheese.

How is ghost pepper jack cheese made?

Monterey jack cheese is made by gently heating cow's milk, adding cultures, and then curdling it with rennet. After the curd is cut into small pieces, it's stirred and pressed to drain off the whey, then mixed with salt and pressed into wheels or blocks. The forms are flipped and then pressed again. To make ghost pepper jack cheese, flakes or chunks of the pepper are added to the cheese before it's pressed into the cheese form. This spicy cheese may be aged for anywhere from six weeks to 10 months or more.

How spicy is ghost pepper jack cheese?

The heat of peppers is rated with Scoville Heat Units, which measure the number of times a pepper must be diluted before the sensation of heat is no longer present. Ghost chili peppers have a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating of 1 million or more – they must be diluted a million times before you can't feel the burn. That's roughly 200 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper and six times hotter than a habanero pepper.

What Goes Down Well with Ghost Pepper Jack?

When you're pairing food and wine for something as hot as ghost pepper jack cheese, there are two ways to go. You can match the intensity of the cheese by choosing food and beverages with big, bold flavor profiles, or you can select items that will offer a pleasing and refreshing contrast.

What to drink with ghost pepper jack

A spicy, full-bodied red wine like zinfandel can stand up nicely to ghost pepper jack, while sparkling or sweeter whites will provide some relief to the pepper's heat. If beer is your thing, an imperial stout can go toe to toe with ghost pepper jack, while a lighter lager or a fruity wheat beer will balance the fire of the cheese quite nicely.

What to eat with ghost pepper jack

On a cheese board, your ghost pepper jack cheese will appreciate some bold-flavored buddies like peppery salami, spicy chorizo, and green or black olives. For a cleansing contrast, the acidic quality of sweet jams and dried fruit will offer an antidote to the heat of the cheese.

Where to use ghost pepper jack cheese

A slice of ghost pepper jack adds amazing spice to cheeseburgers, or you can grate it over chili for an extra bit of kick. Stir it into macaroni for a decidedly fiery mac and cheese, or melt it over enchiladas or into the hottest queso dip you'll ever serve.