Alternative to Pepper Jack

[Shel_B]

There are a couple of recipes I make using pepper jack.  They both require shredded or grated cheese.

I've been buying a pre-shredded pepper jack from TJ's, but some comments I read suggest grating/shredding the cheese yourself.  I've not been pleased with the various pepper jack cheeses I've tried, although I am satisfied with TJ's shredded cheese.

 

I can, however, find numerous, excellent plain jack cheeses.  My thought was to use one of these cheeses and then finely dice or mince whatever peppers I want in whatever proportions that will give me the heat and flavor I want.

 

The idea is to take the diced peppers and mix them with the liquid items in my recipe, which will then be mixed into the dry ingredients before the dish is popped into the oven.  Does this sound like a good way to get that pepper jack taste into my baked dishes, or am I missing something?

[btbyrd]

It will taste like peppers and it will taste like jack, but will it taste like pepper jack? Probably not. When they make pepper jack, the flavor of the peppers is infused into the cheese itself and you won't get that sort of result using the method you describe. That said, it may be an acceptable substitute depending on the recipe you're using it in. You could construct your own pepper jack by adding peppers and emulsifying salts to melted regular jack, but you probably don't want to bother with all that. I guess the real question is why you'd bother with any of this given that you're already satisfied with the shredded cheese you have.

Edited November 19, 2014 by btbyrd (log)

[Shel_B]

I guess the real question is why you'd bother with any of this given that you're already satisfied with the shredded cheese you have already.

 

Satisfied isn't pleased.  I believe I can do better.  The shredded cheese I'm using has additives that effect the texture and perhaps the taste.  This concern was raised in the Pimento cheese thread, and I recently found out why the problem exists, so I'd like to improve my results. 

 

It was you who brought the issue to my attention when you wrote "Pre-grated cheese is never as good as grating your own, as pre-grated cheese tends to break down too much when you mix everything together. It's also usually dusted in starch or cellulose to keep it from clumping together in the bag."

Edited November 19, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[Ttogull]

I agree with btbyrd: pepper jack is more than the sum of its parts.

I think the closest in taste might be roasting the peppers first, removing the skin and seeds, and then chopping. It depends on the recipe, I guess, but just adding them raw doesn't seem the right way to go. Since they will be cooked if you roast them, you can even add them afterward if you like.

[boudin noir]

It interests me that many users of this site try to find more difficult and complicated ways to reproduce results with which they are already happy. The grass may not be greener on the other side of the simple approach.

[heidih]

It would help if you told us what the dishes are that you are trying to "improve".

[Shel_B]

It would help if you told us what the dishes are that you are trying to "improve".

 

There's a Cauliflower with Gruyere Sauce recipe that I've modified to use with pepperjack and a very cheesy frittata that has been discussed in another thread  http://forums.egullet.org/topic/149975-oven-times-for-different-size-baking-dishes/

[FeChef]

Two words. Sodium Citrate.