Andy Montoya
Monterey Jack cheese, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a semi-hard, white cheese made using cow's milk. It was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars in Monterey, California, and was later sold commercially by businessman David Jacks. The cheese is known for its mild flavour and slight sweetness, and is often used in dishes such as quesadillas, burritos, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Monterey, California |
| Date of origin | 18th century |
| Inventors | Franciscan friars |
| Commercialised by | David Jacks |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Flavour | Mild, slightly sweet |
| Texture | Semi-hard |
| Moisture content | Not more than 44% moisture |
| Milkfat content | Not less than 50% milkfat |
| Versions | Dry Jack, Pepper Jack, Colby-Jack, Cheddar-Jack |
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What You'll Learn
- Monterey Jack was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars in Monterey, California
- It was later sold commercially by California businessman David Jacks
- It is a semi-hard, white cheese made from pasteurised cow's milk
- It has a mild flavour and is slightly sweet
- It is often mixed with Colby or cheddar to make Colby-Jack or cheddar-Jack
Monterey Jack was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars in Monterey, California
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk. It has a mild flavour and slight sweetness. It was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars in Monterey, California.
In its earliest form, it was known as 'Jacks' Cheese' and was sold commercially by California land speculator and businessman David Jacks. It eventually became known as 'Monterey Jack'. It is made from pasteurised cow's milk and may contain added common salt. It contains not more than 44% moisture and its total solids content is not less than 50% milk fat.
Monterey Jack is commonly used as an interior melting cheese for quesadillas, California-style burritos, and some Mexican-style burritos. It can also be used on cheeseburgers or for grilled cheese sandwiches. It has a good melting quality for some pasta dishes.
Other ranchers in the area also produced the cheese, including Andrew Molera, whose Monterey Jack was especially well regarded. Dry Jack is a harder variety of the cheese, aged for up to 24 months. It was created by accident in 1915 when a San Francisco wholesaler forgot about a number of wheels of fresh Jack he had stored.
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It was later sold commercially by California businessman David Jacks
Monterey Jack cheese, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk. It was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars of Monterey, Alta California. It was later sold commercially by California businessman David Jacks, who produced a mild white cheese that came to be known as "Jacks' Cheese" and eventually "Monterey Jack". Other ranchers in the area also produced the cheese, including Andrew Molera, whose Monterey Jack was especially well-regarded.
Dry Jack, a harder variety of the cheese, was created by accident in 1915 when a San Francisco wholesaler forgot about a number of wheels of fresh Jack he had stored. As World War I intensified and shipments of hard cheese from Europe were interrupted, he rediscovered the wheels, which had been ageing for months, and found that his customers enjoyed them as a substitute for classic hard cheeses.
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It is a semi-hard, white cheese made from pasteurised cow's milk
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a semi-hard, white cheese made from pasteurised cow's milk. It was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars of Monterey, California. It was later sold commercially by California land speculator and businessman David Jacks, who produced a mild white cheese that came to be known as "Jacks' Cheese" and eventually "Monterey Jack".
Monterey Jack has a mild flavour and slight sweetness. It 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 good melting quality for some pasta dishes.
Other ranchers in the area also produced the cheese, including Andrew Molera, whose Monterey Jack was especially well regarded. Dry Jack is a harder variety of Monterey Jack, aged for up to 24 months. It was created by accident in 1915 when a San Francisco wholesaler forgot about a number of wheels of fresh Jack he had stored.
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It has a mild flavour and is slightly sweet
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk. It has a mild flavour and is slightly sweet. It was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars of Monterey, Alta California, and was later sold commercially by California land speculator and businessman David Jacks. It is named eponymously after him.
The cheese is made from pasteurised cow's milk and may contain added common salt. It contains not more than 44% moisture, and its total solids content is not less than 50% milkfat. It is a versatile cheese that can be eaten by itself, or used as an interior melting cheese for quesadillas, California-style burritos, and some Mexican-style burritos. It can also be used on cheeseburgers or for grilled cheese sandwiches, and has a good melting quality for pasta dishes.
Monterey Jack is commonly used to produce other cheeses, such as Colby-Jack (marbled with Colby) and cheddar-Jack (marbled with yellow cheddar). Pepper Jack is a version flavoured with chilli peppers and herbs, while Dry Jack is a harder cheese with a longer ageing time, created by accident in 1915 when a San Francisco wholesaler forgot about a number of wheels of fresh Jack he had stored. During World War I, when shipments of hard cheese from Europe were interrupted, he rediscovered the wheels, which had aged into a product that customers found to be a good substitute for classic hard cheeses.
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It is often mixed with Colby or cheddar to make Colby-Jack or cheddar-Jack
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk, with a mild flavour and slight sweetness. Originating in Monterey, on the Central Coast of California, the cheese was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars of Monterey, Alta California. It was later sold commercially by California land speculator and businessman David Jacks, who produced a mild white cheese that came to be known as "Jacks' Cheese" and eventually "Monterey Jack".
Monterey Jack is frequently marbled with Colby to produce Colby-Jack, or with yellow cheddar to produce cheddar-Jack. Pepper Jack is a version flavoured with chilli peppers and herbs. Dry Jack is a harder variety of Monterey Jack, aged for up to 24 months. It was created by accident in 1915 when a San Francisco wholesaler forgot about a number of wheels of fresh Jack he had stored. As World War I intensified and shipments of hard cheese from Europe were interrupted, he rediscovered the wheels, which had aged into a product his customers found to be a good substitute for classic hard cheeses.
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Frequently asked questions
Monterey, California.
It was first made by 18th-century Franciscan friars of Monterey, Alta California.
It is made from pasteurised cow's milk, and may contain added common salt.
Softer varieties are aged for one month, while "Dry Jack" is a harder variety aged for up to 24 months.
It has a mild flavour and a slight sweetness.
