In this post I will explain my reasons for primarily using pre-shredded cheeses in my recipes and when I absolutely insist on using home shredded block cheese.
Grating and shredding your own cheese is espoused by recipe creators and chefs alike, but for the home cook, pre-shredded cheese usually makes more sense. In this post, I will discuss when I use grated or shredded cheese out of a bag (almost always) and when grating or shredding your own is absolutely necessary.
Many famous chefs and cooks will tell you that using pre-shredded cheese is some kind of kitchen cardinal sin!! I’m here to tell you that there is no need to repent if you’re fond of using bagged cheese and that you should definitely NOT feel guilty about doing so. Grating and shredding cheese at home is a royal pain in the a#@. It really is.
First, what’s the big deal with pre-grated cheese? Well, cheese companies add a small amount of starch to their grated and shredded cheeses so that the shreds do not clump or stick together. This starch is what gets people all riled up! In theory, it can inhibit cheese melt which, depending on what it is you are cooking can be a big deal.
Secondly, in my experience having used many types of store and name branded cheeses, I really struggle in justifying the hassle of shredding my own cheese for weeknight dinners. I’ve got a full-time job and two kids, spending time shredding cheese is not at the top of the list of priorities for me!! Not to mention it creates one more mess and another utensil to clean. Bagged shredded cheese is one of the most convenient grocery items you can purchase, and for good reason.
What recipes should you use pre-shredded or grated cheese:
- Pizza
- Casseroles
- Dips*
- Macaroni and Cheese*
- Tacos and other dishes that use shredded or grated cheese as a topping
When should you NOT use shredded or grated cheese:
- Cheese sauces – I will concede that the starch present in factory shredded cheese DOES make things more difficult when trying to make a smooth cheese sauce.
- Mac & Cheese or Dips that use a cheese sauce – if the cheese in your Mac or Dip is part of a cream or cheese sauce, hand shredded cheese will melt and stay melted much easier.
My tips for shredding your own cheese if/when you need to:
- Use a food processor – Seriously, if you have a food processor it probably came with a blade or accessory to shred cheese. It makes life INCREDIBLY easier when you have to shred your own cheese. It does take some set-up and it creates more dishes, but for quickly and easily shredding cheese it cannot be beat.
- Freeze your cheese (a little bit) – chuck your block o cheese in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to help it firm up. If you are grating by hand this makes things go much smoother, especially with a softer cheese like mozzarella or muenster.
- Use hard cheeses – Even low-moisture mozzarella is a nightmare to try and shred by hand, but swiss and cheddar are much easier because of their lower water content.
In what recipes do you shred your own cheese? All of them? None? When do you find yourself using pre-shredded cheeses? LMK!!
*I am part of the Amazon affiliate program and earn a small commission from items purchased via my links*
