Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese: How Long Does It Last?

Tillamook is a well-known cheese brand that offers a range of cheese products, including Monterey Jack cheese. Tillamook's Monterey Jack cheese is described as having a smooth, buttery flavor and texture. It is available in different forms, such as blocks, baby loaves, slices, and snack portions. The cheese is made from cultured pasteurized milk, salt, and enzymes, and it contains milk allergens. In terms of aging, Tillamook's Colby Jack cheese, a combination of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses, is aged for 14-18 days. This results in a smooth and mellow flavor that is ideal for sandwiches or melts.

Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese is aged for 14-18 days

Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese is aged for just 14-18 days, resulting in a smooth and mellow flavour. This relatively short ageing process gives the cheese its mild and creamy taste, making it a versatile option for sandwiches, melts, and cheeseboards.

The cheese is crafted from cultured pasteurized milk, salt, and enzymes, resulting in a mildly mannered yet wildly tasty experience. Its smooth and buttery texture has made it a popular choice for snacks and appetizers, with its convenient portions adding to its appeal.

Tillamook's Monterey Jack cheese is a beloved product from the Oregon-based company. The brand has a rich history, with over 100 dairy farm families owning the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) today. The cooperative was formed in the early 20th century by a group of small creameries in Tillamook County to promote and ensure the quality of their dairy products.

The company's commitment to quality and taste is evident in their Monterey Jack cheese, which has become a favourite among consumers. The cheese's short ageing process ensures that it maintains a mild and creamy flavour, making it accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of palates.

With its smooth and buttery texture, mild taste, and versatility in various dishes, Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese is a delightful option for cheese lovers. Its convenient portions and grab-and-go packaging further add to its popularity, making it a favourite for snacks and on-the-go meals.

It is made from cultured pasteurized milk, salt, and enzymes

Tillamook's Monterey Jack Cheese is made from cultured pasteurized milk, salt, and enzymes.

Pasteurized milk is milk that has been treated to kill some bacteria and make some enzymes inactive. Pasteurization does not kill all microorganisms in milk. Cultured milk is milk that has been fermented with lactic acid bacteria like Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, and Streptococcus lactis. Cultured pasteurized milk is thus milk that has been cultured by adding lactic acid bacteria to pasteurized milk.

Enzymes are catalysts of any type, and can be animal, microbial, or vegetable. In cheesemaking, enzymes are used to trigger a chemical reaction that causes coagulation, transforming liquid milk into a solid coagulum, or curd. Rennet is the general name for enzymes that act on proteins in milk, curdling it for easier digestion. Rennet contains two enzymes, chymosin and pepsin, in a natural ratio. Chymosin causes coagulation, while pepsin impacts the aging process.

The cheese has a smooth and buttery flavour and texture

Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese is a semi-hard American cheese with a smooth and buttery flavour and texture. It is made from pasteurised cow's milk and is commonly used in Mexican cuisine due to its excellent melting properties. The cheese has a pale-yellow colour and a compact, supple texture. Its smooth and creamy consistency is a result of its high moisture content.

Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese is known for its mild, buttery flavour that is slightly firm and creamy in texture. The cheese is similar to Gouda cheese in terms of flavour and texture, offering a buttery, nutty taste with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. It shares the mildness and versatility of Monterey Jack, making it a versatile option for a wide range of culinary creations.

The smooth and buttery texture of Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese is a result of its high fat and moisture content. The fat content gives the cheese a creamy and rich flavour, while the moisture content contributes to its smooth and supple texture. This balance of fat and moisture makes it an excellent choice for melting, adding a luscious creaminess to various recipes.

The cheese's smooth and buttery texture makes it a popular choice for melting and adding a creamy contrast to the heat of peppers and other ingredients in Mexican dishes. It is also a great option for grilled cheese sandwiches, nachos, macaroni and cheese, and more. The mild flavour of the cheese complements the bold and spicy flavours often found in Mexican cooking, creating a delicious harmony of tastes.

In addition to its culinary applications, Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese also offers convenience in foodservice with its individually packaged single-sized portions. These portions ensure the cheese stays fresh and flavourful while increasing food safety by eliminating excess handling. The smooth, buttery flavour and texture of Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese make it a versatile and appealing option for consumers.

It is available in different forms like blocks, baby loaves, and slices

Tillamook's Monterey Jack Cheese is available in different forms, including blocks, baby loaves, and slices. The block form, with its mildly mannered and wildly tasty flavour, offers a smooth texture and provides eight servings per container. The Monterey Jack Block is ideal for foodservice, providing smaller single-sized portions that ensure freshness, enhance flavour, and improve food safety by reducing handling. The block form is also available in various shred sizes, including chunks, feather shreds, and snack portions, making it convenient for different culinary applications and serving sizes.

The baby loaf form of Tillamook's Monterey Jack Cheese delivers a similar mildly mannered, yet wildly tasty, and smooth experience. Each baby loaf provides 32 servings per container, making it a great option for those who want to enjoy this cheese in smaller quantities or for those with limited storage space.

Tillamook also offers Monterey Jack Cheese in sliced form, providing a creamy and mild flavour. Unfortunately, this product is no longer available, but it demonstrates the brand's commitment to offering diverse options to suit varying consumer preferences and needs.

The availability of Tillamook's Monterey Jack Cheese in blocks, baby loaves, and slices showcases the brand's understanding of their customers' diverse needs and preferences. Whether for convenience, portion control, or simply a matter of taste, these different forms ensure that consumers can enjoy their cheese in their desired manner.

In 2024, Costco recalled Tillamook cheese due to plastic pieces found in the Monterey Jack slices

In June 2024, Costco issued a recall for a brand of Tillamook cheese slices that may contain small pieces of plastic. The recall affected 32-ounce twin-pack packages of Tillamook Colby Jack and Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese slices with the item number 651195. These packs had a "Best if Used By" date of October 22, 2024, and were sold from May 9 through May 31, 2024. The affected products were only available at Costco stores in the Northwest region, including states like Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that a limited quantity of the cheese slices may contain gray and black plastic pieces. Tillamook County Creamery Association Executive Vice President, Mike Beaver, assured customers that the presence of foreign plastic material was likely very minimal. However, customers were advised to refrain from consuming the recalled product and to return it to their local Costco store for a full refund.

Tillamook offers a variety of Monterey Jack cheese products, including blocks, chunks, snack portions, and feather shreds. The company describes its Monterey Jack cheese as having a smooth, buttery flavor and a mildly mannered yet wildly tasty and smooth texture.

While the recall in 2024 was specific to the Colby Jack and Monterey Jack cheese slices, it is important for consumers to be vigilant and stay updated with any future product recalls or safety concerns. Food recalls due to contamination can happen occasionally, and it is always best to prioritize food safety and follow the instructions provided by the recalling company or health authorities.

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