Randy Chandler
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a semi-hard, white cheese with a mild, buttery, and slightly sweet and tart flavour. It is an American cheese, having originated in the Mexican Franciscan friars of Monterey, California, in the 18th or 19th century. It is commonly used in Mexican and Spanish cuisine because it melts very well and is mild in flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | White |
| Texture | Semi-firm, creamy, semi-hard |
| Flavour | Mild, slightly sweet, delicate, buttery, slightly tart |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Rind | Yes |
| Aging time | Usually one month |
| Melting ability | Melts very well |
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What You'll Learn
White, semi-hard cheese
Monterey Jack, often shortened to Jack, is a white, semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. It has a mild, slightly sweet and buttery flavour with a delicate, slightly tart taste. It is a true "American" cheese, originating in the Mexican Franciscan monasteries of Monterey, California, in the 1700s or 1800s. The cheese was first made by Mexican Franciscan friars in the region, and then a businessman named David Jack began selling it commercially all over California.
Monterey Jack is made by heating milk with cultures and adding rennet to separate the curds and whey. The curds are then drained and pressed into the cheese. A rind forms, and oil is added to aid the aging process. Typically, Monterey Jack is aged for only about a month, resulting in a semi-soft texture similar to mozzarella. However, it can also be aged for longer to produce a harder cheese called Dry Jack.
The mild flavour and good melting properties of Monterey Jack make it a popular choice for grilled cheese, nachos, and Mexican and Spanish cuisine. It is also used in place of traditional Mexican shredding cheeses in Tex-Mex recipes. When marbled with Colby cheese, it creates a striking visual effect on cheeseboards, known as Colby-Jack or Marble Cheese.
Monterey Jack is a versatile cheese that can be flavoured with hot peppers to create spicy snacking cheeses like Pepper Jack. This variety is made by adding chilli peppers, bell peppers, and herbs to the cheese curds before pressing and ageing. The addition of peppers gives Pepper Jack a slightly firmer texture and more intense flavour than its milder, semi-hard counterpart, Monterey Jack.
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Made from cow's milk
Monterey Jack, often shortened to Jack, is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. It originated in the 1800s in Monterey, California, by Mexican Franciscan friars. It is considered a true "American" cheese. The cheese is white and has a mild, buttery, and slightly sweet and tart flavour. It is aged for a short period, usually about a month, and has a semi-soft to semi-firm texture.
The process of making Monterey Jack involves heating milk with cultures and adding rennet to separate the curds and whey. The curds are then drained and pressed into the cheese. A rind forms, and oil is added to aid the ageing process. If the cheese is aged for longer, it becomes a harder variety called Dry Jack.
Monterey Jack is known for its melting properties and is commonly used in Mexican and Spanish cuisine. It is also often marbled with other cheeses, such as Colby to make Colby-Jack, or yellow cheddar to make cheddar-Jack. These mixed varieties create a striking visual effect on a cheeseboard.
Pepper Jack is another popular variant of Monterey Jack, flavoured with spicy chilli peppers, bell peppers, and herbs. This version adds a kick of spice to the mild, creamy flavour of the original cheese. The versatility of Monterey Jack, with its mild flavour and melting qualities, makes it a favourite for various dishes, from grilled cheese to spicy snacking cheeses.
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Mild, buttery flavour
Monterey Jack cheese, often shortened to Jack, is a semi-hard cheese with a mild, buttery flavour. It is a true American original, first made by Mexican Franciscan friars in Monterey, California, in the 1800s. It was first sold by an entrepreneur named David Jack, who recognised its commercial value and began selling it across California. The cheese became popular under the name "Monterey Jack's" or "Jack's Monterey", eventually acquiring the name Monterey Jack.
The cheese is made by heating cow's milk with cultures and adding rennet to separate the curds and whey. The curds are then drained and pressed into the cheese. A rind forms, and oil is added to keep it ageing. Typically, Monterey Jack is aged for only one month, resulting in a semi-soft texture similar to mozzarella. However, it can be aged for longer to produce a harder cheese called Dry Jack.
Monterey Jack has a delicate, buttery, and slightly tart flavour. It is mild and slightly sweet, making it a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed on its own or melted into various dishes. Its mild flavour and excellent melting properties make it a popular choice in Mexican and Spanish cuisine. It is frequently used in place of traditional Mexican shredding cheeses in Tex-Mex recipes and is often flavoured with hot peppers to create spicy snacking cheeses.
When compared to other cheeses, Monterey Jack is similar in taste and texture to Colby and Cheddar. It is often marbled with Colby to create Colby-Jack or mixed with yellow Cheddar to produce Cheddar-Jack. These blended cheeses not only offer a unique flavour combination but also create visually appealing patterns on a cheeseboard.
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Melts well
Monterey Jack cheese is a semi-hard cheese with a mild flavour and a slight sweetness. It is a true "American" cheese, having originated in the Mexican Franciscan friars of Monterey, California, in the 1800s. It is commonly used in Mexican and Spanish cuisine because it is mild in flavour and melts very well. This makes it a great choice for grilled cheese or nachos. In fact, it is so good at melting that it is often the first choice for flavouring with hot peppers to create spicy snacking cheeses.
The reason why Monterey Jack melts so well lies in its production process and texture. It is made by heating milk with cultures and adding rennet to separate the curds and whey. The curds are then drained and pressed into the cheese. A rind forms, and oil is added to aid in ageing. Typically, Monterey Jack is only aged for about a month, resulting in a semi-soft texture similar to mozzarella. This relatively short ageing process contributes to the cheese's excellent melting ability.
The mild flavour of Monterey Jack also plays a role in its versatility and melting properties. Its delicate, buttery, and slightly tart taste makes it a perfect base for blending with other cheeses or ingredients. It is often mixed with Colby or yellow cheddar to create Colby-Jack or cheddar-Jack, respectively. The mildness of Monterey Jack allows the flavours of other cheeses or added ingredients to shine through.
Additionally, the semi-soft texture of Monterey Jack contributes to its meltability. Harder cheeses with a longer ageing time, such as Dry Jack (an aged version of Monterey Jack), tend to be denser and less prone to melting smoothly. The higher moisture content in Monterey Jack, due to its shorter ageing period, facilitates a smoother melt. This characteristic makes it an ideal choice for recipes that require a cheese that blends easily and creates a creamy, cohesive texture.
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Variants: Dry Jack and Pepper Jack
Dry Jack is an aged variation of Monterey Jack cheese. It is aged for at least 10 months, with some sources saying it can be aged for up to 24 months. The aging process gives Dry Jack a firm, grateable texture and a sharper, fruitier flavour than its younger counterpart. It is a harder cheese with a longer aging time. Dry Jack was created by accident in 1915 when a San Francisco wholesaler forgot about a number of wheels of fresh Jack cheese he had stored. During World War I, when shipments of hard cheese from Europe were interrupted, the wholesaler rediscovered the wheels, which had aged into a product his customers found to be a good substitute for classic hard cheeses.
Dry Jack can be shredded like other premium hard cheeses and is commonly used as an interior melting cheese for quesadillas, California-style burritos, and some Mexican-style burritos ("bean and cheese"). It can also be used on cheeseburgers or for grilled cheese sandwiches. It has a mild flavour and good melting quality for some pasta dishes.
Pepper Jack is another variant of Monterey Jack. It is made by adding peppers and herbs to the base Monterey Jack cheese. The peppers used can include jalapeños, habanero chillies, and garlic, giving the cheese a spicy kick. The addition of herbs and spices gives Pepper Jack a more colourful appearance than the pale yellow or white base cheese. Pepper Jack is a popular entertaining cheese with a fiery flair.
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Frequently asked questions
Monterey Jack is a white cheese.
It is a semi-hard cheese, although the variety most popular in American markets is semi-soft as it is aged for a shorter period of time.
It is made by heating milk with cultures and adding rennet to separate the curds and whey. The curds are then drained and pressed into the cheese. A rind forms and oil is added to keep it ageing.
It has a mild, delicate, buttery, and slightly sweet and tart flavour.
When marbled with Colby, it creates a striking-looking Colby-Jack.
