Cheese sauce

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Cheese sauce
Broccoli with cheese sauce, Holiday Restaurant, Semarang, 2014-06-19.jpg
Broccoli with cheese sauce, at a restaurant in Semarang, Indonesia
Alternative namesCheese dip, cheese dipping sauce [1]
Serving temperatureCan be served cold, warm or hot
Main ingredientsCheese, sometimes prepared using processed cheese, dried cheese, or cheese powder

Cheese sauce is a sauce made with cheese or processed cheese as a primary ingredient. Sometimes dried cheese or cheese powder is used. [2] [3] Several varieties exist and it has many various culinary uses. Mass-produced commercial cheese sauces are also made by various companies, in both liquid and dry forms. These prepared sauces are used by consumers and restaurants, and commercial formulations are used in the production of various prepared foods, such as macaroni and cheese mixes and frozen meals.

Contents

Varieties

Many sauces are prepared with cheese or processed cheese as the primary ingredient.

Cheez Whiz is an American brand of processed cheese spread produced by Kraft Foods since the 1950s. It was developed as an easy way to prepare the sauce for Welsh rarebit. It was initially sold in glass jars, and today is sold in jars and spray cans. Cheez Whiz is commonly used for Philadelphia cheesesteak. [13]

Culinary uses

Fettuccine Alfredo, prepared with a butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano mixture that forms a cheese sauce as it cooks The Only Original Alfredo Sauce with Butter and Parmesano-Reggiano Cheese.png
Fettuccine Alfredo, prepared with a butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano mixture that forms a cheese sauce as it cooks
A horseshoe sandwich RealHorseshoesandwich.jpg
A horseshoe sandwich

Cheese sauce is commonly used as a dip for various foods, such as chips and vegetables. [14] It is also used as an ingredient or topping for many various dishes and side dishes, such as sandwiches, roasted potatoes, casseroles, pasta dishes, egg, fish and meat dishes and in soups. [14] [15]

Many dishes are prepared using cheese sauce:

Industrial products

A can of mass-produced cheese sauce 2021-03-27 00 13 42 An open container of Fritos Mild Cheddar Naturally Flavored Cheese Dip in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg
A can of mass-produced cheese sauce

Cheese sauce is a mass-produced product in the United States and other countries, such as China and Switzerland. [26] [27] In the U.S., commercial preparations are available to consumers in grocery stores and are used in family-style, casual and fast food restaurants. [1] [28] [29]

Mass-produced cheese sauce is typically prepared aseptically and then packaged in sterile cans, bottles and bag-in-box containers. [30] [31] Some varieties are sold in aerosol cans. [32] Commercial cheese sauces may be prepared using natural cheese, processed cheese, or both. [lower-alpha 1] Various food additives and preservatives may be used in commercial preparations to create a uniform product that is consistent and stabilized in texture, consistency, color and flavor, to enhance flavor, and to ensure freshness. [15] [34] Some additives and preservatives used may include carrageenan, citric acid, monosodium glutamate, sodium citrate, sorbic acid, and xanthan gum, among others. [15]

The industrial preparation and processing of liquid cheese sauces typically involve the shredding of bulk cheese products which is then placed en masse into a large processing container along with various dry ingredients and emulsifying salts. [15] [35] The mixture is agitated to create a slurry, and is then aseptically treated using various machines to heat and sterilize the product and make it pourable, after which sterile bottles, jars or cans are filled with the product. [15] Such aseptically processed cheese sauces are typically shelf-stable, requiring no refrigeration until opened. [15]

Bag-in-box cheese sauces are typically used in retail environments and involve the use of connecting a bag of aseptically-treated cheese sauce to a vessel that heats it and keeps it warm at a food-safe temperature. [31] A pump dispenser is used that delivers the sauce to various items, such as tortilla chips and sandwiches. [31] [34]

Cheese sauces are also mass-produced in a powdered dry mix form. [36] [37] These are produced as an instant food and purveyed to consumers in sauce mix packets and jars. [38] Dry mix packets are also provided in some dry macaroni and cheese products. [39] [40]

Commercial frozen cheese sauce is used as an ingredient in prepared frozen meals and prepared frozen vegetables. [41] [42] In some instances, particularly when a sauce has a high-fat content, the product may require emulsification to keep the product uniform and prevent it from separating. [41] Factors in frozen sauces such as their overall fat content and the size of particulates in them plays a role in how various frozen cheese sauces are formulated, cooked, treated and processed. [41]

Additionally, commercial cheese sauce formulations have been used as an ingredient in processed canned vegetables in the United States. [43] [44]

Circa the later 2000s, the Campbell Soup Company began to modify its canned cheese sauce formulas based upon the company's perceived consumer preferences in various geographic regions in the United States. [45] The company concluded that the sauce was not considered hot enough (pungent) for average consumers in the American Southwest and West while being too hot for consumers in the Eastern United States. [45] At the time, to better serve its customer base, Campbell's began manufacturing a hotter product in their California and Texas plants compared to their other plants. [45]

In July 2018, Kraft Heinz issued a voluntary nationwide product recall in the United states of around 100,000 jars of cheese dip, [46] [47] due to a potential for the growth of Clostridium botulinum because of ingredient separation. [47] It was only distributed in the United States, and consumers were advised not to eat it, even if it lacked signs of spoilage. [47] [48]

See also

Notes

  1. Last but not least, there is no existing standard for processed cheese 'sauce'. i.e. natural and/or analogue..." [33]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kraft Dinner</span> Boxed macaroni and cheese product

Kraft Dinner (KD) in Canada, Kraft Mac & Cheese in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, Cheesey Pasta in the United Kingdom and internationally is a nonperishable, packaged macaroni and cheese product. It is made by Kraft Foods Group and traditionally cardboard-boxed with dried macaroni pasta and a packet of orange processed cheese powder. It was introduced under the Kraft Dinner name simultaneously in both Canada and the U.S. in 1937. The brand is popular with Canadians, who consume 55% more boxes per capita than Americans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macaroni and cheese</span> Pasta dish

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheez Whiz</span> Trademarked processed cheese

Cheez Whiz is a brand of processed cheese sauce or spread produced by Kraft Foods. It was developed by a team led by food scientist Edwin Traisman (1915–2007). It was first sold in 1952, and with some changes in formulation continues to be in production today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple butter</span> Concentrated form of apple sauce

Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce produced by long, slow cooking of apples with cider or water to a point where the sugar in the apples caramelizes, turning the apple butter a deep brown. The concentration of sugar gives apple butter a much longer shelf life as a preserve than apple sauce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Onion powder</span> Dried ground onion commonly used as a seasoning

Onion powder is dehydrated, ground onion that is commonly used as a seasoning. It is a common ingredient in seasoned salt and spice mixes, such as beau monde seasoning. Some varieties are prepared using toasted onion. White, yellow and red onions may be used. Onion powder is a commercially prepared food product that has several culinary uses. Onion powder can also be homemade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheese spread</span> Soft and spreadable cheese product

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clam dip</span> Dipping sauce and condiment

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macaroni pie</span> Pasta dish

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bean dip</span> Type of dipping sauce

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velveeta Shells & Cheese</span> Brand name stovetop pasta shells and cheese product

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheddar sauce</span>

Cheddar sauce, cheddar cheese sauce, or cheese sauce is a traditional sauce used in English cooking. The sauce is based upon white sauce, which is known as one of the 'mother sauces', and cheddar cheese. It could be seen as an English equivalent of the French Mornay sauce. The sauce is made by adding an amount of cheddar cheese to white sauce and then spiced using English mustard, Worcestershire sauce and pepper among other ingredients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lists of foods</span>

This is a categorically-organized list of foods. Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is produced either by plants or animals, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells in an effort to produce energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crab dip</span> Thick, creamy dip that is typically prepared from cream cheese and lump crab meat

Crab dip, sometimes referred to as Maryland crab dip, is a thick, creamy dip that is typically prepared from cream cheese and lump crab meat. Other primary ingredients such as mayonnaise may be used. Various types of crab preparations, species and superfamilies are used, as are a variety of added ingredients. It is typically served hot, although cold versions also exist. Hot versions are typically baked or broiled. It is sometimes served as an appetizer. Accompaniments may include crackers and various breads. Some U.S. restaurants offer crab dip, commercially produced varieties exist, and some stadiums offer it as a part of their concessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cream of broccoli soup</span>

Cream of broccoli soup is a soup prepared with broccoli, stock and milk or cream as primary ingredients. Ingredient variations exist, as do vegan versions. It is also a commercially, mass-produced soup, often sold in cans. Several recipes use canned cream of broccoli soup as an ingredient, such as its use with cooked chicken dishes and as a sauce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili mac</span> American pasta dish

Chili mac is a dish prepared using chili con carne and macaroni as primary ingredients, which is often topped or intermingled with cheese. Some versions are made using prepared or homemade macaroni and cheese. It is a common dish in the cuisine of the Midwestern United States, and is also popular in other areas of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fried cheese</span> Cheese dish fried in oil

Fried cheese is a dish of cheese that is fried in oil. Fried cheese can be dipped in a batter before frying, and can be pan-fried or deep fried. It can be served as an appetizer or a snack. Fried cheese is a common food in Brazil and the Dominican Republic, and is typically served as a breakfast dish in Costa Rica, Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. Fried cheese is served as a tapas dish in Spain; fried cheese balls are delicias de queso 'cheese delights'. Fried cheese is also found in Italian cuisine. Fried cheese is typically served hot, right after being cooked. It may be accompanied with a dipping sauce or coated with a dressing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avocado sauce</span> Sauce prepared using avocado as a primary ingredient

Avocado sauce is a sauce prepared using avocado as a primary ingredient. Commercial sauces are typically prepared to have a thin, sauce-like consistency that is pourable. Commercial preparation involves mixing the avocado using high-speed blenders, which breaks up the pulp. Spices, water and emulsifiers are added, and the resultant product is then typically frozen to prevent browning. Popular brands include Kumana and Herdez.

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Further reading