Patrick Oconnell
Brick cheese is a medium-soft, American cheese made in a large rectangular or brick shape. It is produced in Wisconsin, where it originated in 1877. The cheese-making process is similar to American Cheddar, but it is cultured at a higher temperature, resulting in a higher fat content and softer texture. The colour of brick cheese ranges from pale yellow to white, with an orange rind. When young, it has a sweet and mild flavour, but as it ages, it develops a stronger smell and a nuttier, fuller flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | Wisconsin, United States |
| Colour | Pale yellow to white with an orange rind |
| Flavour | Sweet and mild when young, matures into a strong, ripe cheese with age |
| Texture | Medium-soft |
| Shape | Rectangular or brick-shaped |
| Pairs well with | Pickles, burgers, polenta, mac and cheese, Detroit-style pizza |
| Goes well with | Red wine (fruity Beaujolais or Syrah), white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc), beer (Bock, lager, stout) |
| Storage | Wrapped in wax paper, parchment, or foil and stored in the refrigerator |
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What You'll Learn
- Brick cheese is a medium-soft, American cheese with a sweet and mild flavour when young
- It is made in a large rectangular or brick shape, with a colour ranging from pale yellow to white
- The cheese-making process involves heating raw milk, adding bacteria, and using bricks to press and form the cheese
- Authentic brick cheese has a distinctive aroma and flavour due to the bacterial cultures and brine solution
- It is a versatile cheese, commonly used in dishes such as grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, and pizza
Brick cheese is a medium-soft, American cheese with a sweet and mild flavour when young
The process of making brick cheese is similar to that of American Cheddar, but it is cultured at a slightly higher temperature, resulting in a higher fat content and a slightly altered protein structure. This gives brick cheese a softer texture and a sharper finish than regular Cheddar. The cheese is made by heating raw milk to 162°F, which pasteurises it, and then cooling it to around 90°F before adding a starter culture of bacteria to begin the fermentation process. A substance called rennet is then added, which causes the milk proteins to curdle and separate from the liquid whey. The curds are then cooked for about 40 minutes to help firm the cheese and intensify the acidity.
After this, the curds are cut into cubes and placed into perforated rectangular moulds, which are pressed to remove the whey. The bricks are then placed into a brine solution for 12 hours before being transferred to an ageing room. Brick cheese can be aged for anywhere from one week to several months, with the longest-aged brick cheese reaching around five months. The cheese is considered ready to eat after two weeks and is then wrapped in foil to protect it and contain its aroma.
Young brick cheese is an excellent cheese to use for making grilled cheese sandwiches, as it slices and melts well. It is also commonly used in Detroit-style pizza, combined with mozzarella. It pairs well with pickles and is perfect for adding flavour to burgers, polenta, and mac and cheese. When young, brick cheese has a sweet and mild flavour, but as it ages, it develops a stronger smell and a nuttier, riper taste.
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It is made in a large rectangular or brick shape, with a colour ranging from pale yellow to white
Brick cheese is a medium-soft cheese made in the form of a large rectangular or brick shape. The name "brick" comes from the fact that cheese curds are pressed with clay-fired bricks. It is an American original, produced in Wisconsin, USA. The cheese-making process is derived from white American Cheddar but is cultured at a slightly higher temperature, resulting in a marginally higher fat content and a slightly altered protein structure. The cheese has a slightly softer texture and a sharper finish than regular Cheddar.
The colour of brick cheese ranges from pale yellow to white, with an orange rind. When unaged, the cheese has a sweet and mild flavour and is suitable for melting. After ageing, it develops a stronger smell and a nuttier taste. The ageing process involves placing the cheese in a warm room where bacteria can grow on the surface, causing it to ripen. This process is similar to that of classic French cheeses like Pont I'Eveque, St. Nectaire, Reblochon, and Livarot.
Brick cheese is often served melted and thinly sliced underneath corn polenta in the Midwest. It is also commonly used in grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, mac and cheese, and Detroit-style pizza. It pairs well with pickles and is recommended to be paired with red or white wine, or beer.
While there are hundreds of thousands of pounds of brick cheese being made today, only a small percentage is authentic. The rest is mass-produced in factories and may lack the distinctive traditional flavour of true brick cheese. Authentic brick cheese is considered a washed-rind cheese, and its rind is edible.
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The cheese-making process involves heating raw milk, adding bacteria, and using bricks to press and form the cheese
The process of making brick cheese involves several steps, each contributing to the distinctive flavour, texture, and aroma of the final product. The first step is heating raw milk to 162°F, which pasteurizes it and destroys pathogenic microorganisms that could spoil the cheese or cause foodborne illnesses. The milk is then cooled to around 90°F before being pumped into open steel vats.
The second step involves adding a starter culture of bacteria, which initiates the fermentation process. These bacteria consume the lactose (milk sugar) and produce lactic acid, similar to the action of yeast in bread-making. This step is crucial for developing the cheese's flavour and acidity. Subsequently, a substance called rennet is added, which contains enzymes that trigger the curdling of milk proteins, leading to the separation of curds and whey.
The mixture is then cooked for about 40 minutes to further firm the cheese and intensify its acidity. After cooking, the curds are cut into cubes using wire blades, a process that helps release more whey. The curds are then placed into perforated rectangular moulds and pressed to remove excess whey. Traditionally, this pressing was achieved using bricks, lending the cheese its name.
After pressing overnight, the cheese bricks are immersed in a brine solution for 12 hours. This brining step contributes to the distinct aroma of brick cheese. Finally, the cheese is transferred to an aging room, where it spends anywhere from an additional week to several months, depending on the desired maturity. During this aging process, brick cheese develops a stronger smell and a nuttier, more intense flavour compared to its younger, milder counterpart.
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Authentic brick cheese has a distinctive aroma and flavour due to the bacterial cultures and brine solution
Brick cheese, a medium-soft cheese, is known for its distinctive aroma and flavour, which can be attributed to the bacterial cultures and brine solution used during production. The cheese gets its name from the traditional method of pressing the curds with bricks or clay-fired bricks, giving it its characteristic brick shape.
The process of making brick cheese involves adding a starter culture of bacteria to pasteurised milk, initiating fermentation. This fermentation process, driven by bacterial activity, gives rise to the unique flavour profile of the cheese. Subsequently, the curds are cut and pressed in rectangular moulds, a step that further contributes to the cheese's texture and consistency.
Following this, the bricks are submerged in a brine solution, which not only seasons the cheese with salt but also introduces additional bacterial cultures. This brining step is a crucial aspect of the traditional method, as emphasised by the Widmer family, who have been producing authentic brick cheese for generations. The brine solution serves as a catalyst for the bacterial cultures to impart their distinctive characteristics to the cheese.
The bacterial cultures responsible for the unique aroma and flavour of brick cheese include Brevibacterium linens, the same bacterium involved in the ageing of classic French cheeses like Pont I'Eveque, St. Nectaire, Reblochon, and Livarot. This bacterium also lends a peachy-orange hue to the cheese's surface, a trait shared with Limburger cheese and many French cheese varieties.
The authentic brick cheese, with its potent aroma and full flavour, stands in contrast to the milder, neutral-flavoured brick cheeses commonly found in supermarkets. These mass-produced versions often lack the intense flavours resulting from the bacterial cultures, brine solution, and smear-ripening process of true brick cheese. While the supermarket varieties may be more widely consumed, they do not possess the distinctive traits of the original brick cheese, crafted with care and tradition.
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It is a versatile cheese, commonly used in dishes such as grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, and pizza
Brick cheese is a versatile cheese commonly used in dishes such as grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, and pizza. It is a medium-soft cheese that originated in Wisconsin, USA, and is typically made in a large rectangular or brick shape. The cheese gets its name from the traditional method of pressing the curds with clay-fired bricks to form its distinctive shape.
Brick cheese has a sweet and mild flavour when young, making it ideal for melting and using in grilled cheese sandwiches. Its soft texture and slicing ability also lend themselves well to sandwiches. As the cheese ages, it develops a stronger smell and a nuttier, more intense flavour. Aged brick cheese is perfect for adding flavour to burgers, especially when paired with pickles.
This cheese is also a popular choice for pizza, particularly Detroit-style pizza. Its melting ability and strong flavour make it a delicious topping, either on its own or combined with other cheeses like mozzarella. For a classic pairing, try brick cheese pizza with a glass of red wine, such as a fruity Beaujolais or Syrah.
In the Midwest, brick cheese is often served with corn polenta. The cheese is thinly sliced, melted underneath the polenta, and topped with tomato sauce. This dish showcases the melting ability and versatility of brick cheese, making it a popular choice for a variety of dishes.
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Frequently asked questions
Brick cheese is a medium-soft cheese that is made in the form of a large rectangular or brick shape. Its colour ranges from pale yellow to white with an orange rind.
Brick cheese has a sweet and mild flavour when young and is suitable for melting. It matures into a strong-smelling, nutty-tasting ripe cheese with age.
Brick cheese is often served with corn polenta in the Midwest, where it is thinly sliced and melted underneath the polenta and then topped with tomato sauce. It is also perfect for burgers, polenta, and mac and cheese.
