WOW! CRAZY! Home Made Processed American Cheese Recipe - Glen And Friends Cooking

TL;DR

Learn about the history of American processed cheese and how to make it at home.

Transcript

welcome friends welcome back to the kitchen today we're going to make something goes by a bunch of different names it can be called American cheese American processed cheese sometimes it's just called processed cheese it is an invention that goes back to the early 1900s JL Kraft of Kraft Foods was a Canadian who moved to the United States to Chicag... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧀 American processed cheese was invented to use unsalable cheese off-cuts and was patented in 1916 by JL Kraft.
• 🫠 The process of making homemade American processed cheese involves melting butter and milk together, adding shredded cheese, and using emulsifying salts for smooth melting.
• 🧀 Shredding the cheese yourself is recommended as pre-shredded cheese contains additives that affect the melting process.
• 🧀 Sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate are emulsifying salts commonly used in making American processed cheese.
• 🧀 Homemade American processed cheese can be used on cheeseburgers, in mac and cheese, and for making queso dip.
• 🧀 Some people have a love-hate relationship with American processed cheese, finding it useful for certain dishes but preferring other types of cheese for different purposes.
• 🧀 Making American processed cheese at home allows for customization using different types of cheese for desired flavors.

Questions & Answers

Q: Who invented American processed cheese and why?

American processed cheese was invented by JL Kraft in the early 1900s as a way to use unsalable cheese off-cuts and make more money selling cheese.

Q: What are the ingredients needed to make homemade American processed cheese?

The ingredients include butter, milk, shredded cheese (e.g., cheddar, Colby, or pepper jack), and emulsifying salts like sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate.

Q: Can I use pre-shredded cheese from the grocery store to make homemade American processed cheese?

It's best to shred the cheese yourself as pre-shredded cheese contains additives that affect the melting process and may not yield the desired results.

Q: How can I make sodium citrate at home?

Sodium citrate can be made at home by mixing baking soda with citric acid, adding a little water, and then drying and grinding the mixture.

Key Insights:

• American processed cheese was invented to use unsalable cheese off-cuts and was patented in 1916 by JL Kraft.
• The process of making homemade American processed cheese involves melting butter and milk together, adding shredded cheese, and using emulsifying salts for smooth melting.
• Shredding the cheese yourself is recommended as pre-shredded cheese contains additives that affect the melting process.
• Sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate are emulsifying salts commonly used in making American processed cheese.
• Homemade American processed cheese can be used on cheeseburgers, in mac and cheese, and for making queso dip.
• Some people have a love-hate relationship with American processed cheese, finding it useful for certain dishes but preferring other types of cheese for different purposes.
• Making American processed cheese at home allows for customization using different types of cheese for desired flavors.
• It is possible to achieve a better flavor and melt with homemade American processed cheese compared to store-bought varieties.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• American processed cheese was invented by JL Kraft in the early 1900s as a way to use unsalable cheese off-cuts. He patented the process in 1916 and started the branding campaign for American cheese.

• To make homemade American processed cheese, melt butter and milk together, then add shredded cheese (such as cheddar, Colby, or pepper jack) a little at a time. Emulsifying salts like sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate help the cheese melt smoothly.

• Pre-shredded cheese from grocery stores contains additives that affect the melting process, so it's best to shred the cheese yourself.