What Type Of Cheese Does Chipotle Use?
Chipotle is a popular fast-casual restaurant known for its fresh, customizable Mexican-inspired dishes like burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads. Chipotle focuses on using quality ingredients that bring a homemade, authentic flavor to every meal. Among the ingredients that set Chipotle apart is its cheese, which is a favorite addition for many customers. In this article, we’ll cover the type of cheese Chipotle uses, how it enhances their menu items, and even provide a guide on how to make Monterey Jack cheese—the cheese that brings the perfect creamy touch to Chipotle dishes.
Chipotle Monterey Jack Cheese
The cheese you find at Chipotle is Monterey Jack. This shredded white cheese, known for its smooth, semi-hard texture, is made from cow’s milk and has excellent melting qualities.
Monterey Jack cheese at Chipotle is used in multiple dishes, from quesadillas to their popular queso dip, and it’s also available as an addition to burritos, bowls, and tacos upon request. Monterey Jack’s mild flavor and creamy consistency make it a versatile choice that pairs well with the other fresh ingredients at Chipotle, enhancing the flavors without overpowering the other components in a dish.
How to Make Chipotle’s Monterey Jack Cheese?
Making Monterey Jack cheese at home is a fun way to recreate the Chipotle experience. Here’s a simple guide to get you started:
Prepare the Ingredients
You’ll need whole cow’s milk, cheese culture, rennet, and salt. These can be found in specialty cooking stores or ordered online.Warm the Milk
Heat the milk in a large pot until it reaches about 90°F, then add the cheese culture. Stir gently and let it sit for 45 minutes.Add Rennet
Add a small amount of diluted rennet to the milk and let it sit for another 45 minutes, allowing the milk to coagulate.Cut the Curds
Cut the curdled milk into small cubes and gently stir. Then, heat the curds to 105°F and stir occasionally to release whey.Drain and Press
Drain the curds and press them in a cheese mold for a few hours. Remove the cheese from the mold and let it age for a week or more, depending on the flavor intensity you prefer.
This process results in a semi-hard cheese similar to what Chipotle uses, perfect for melting into your favorite dishes.
Conclusion
Chipotle’s choice of Monterey Jack cheese enhances the flavor of their dishes, adding a creamy, mild touch that complements everything from burritos to quesadillas. Monterey Jack is popular not only because it melts smoothly but also because of its mild taste that balances well with Chipotle’s bold flavors. While Chipotle makes it easy to enjoy this cheese by adding it to any menu item, making Monterey Jack cheese at home is an exciting way to bring a little Chipotle into your own kitchen. Whether you’re dining out or trying your hand at homemade cheese, Monterey Jack is the perfect addition to any Mexican-inspired meal.