Cheese Dip | Wisconsin Cheese (2024)

FAQs

What is so special about Wisconsin cheese? ›

Wisconsin is the only U.S. state that requires that a licensed cheesemaker supervise the making of commercial cheese. It is also the only state to offer a master cheesemaker program, which is patterned on the rigorous standards of similar programs in Europe.

For dips, you'll want to use a tablespoon of cornstarch per pound of cheese, then add at least five ounces of evaporated milk. After that, you can use more evaporated milk to thin out your dip as much as you need.

To keep the sauce at the perfect consistency, you need to add back some liquid. There are options for this. Of course, you can use water, but that will dilute the flavor. You could also use milk or cream, which work well for the texture, but still may give you a bland sauce.

Beer cheese dip is typically made by heating beer with ingredients like garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan until the beer reduces, mixing in cheese and milk, and continuing to cook until the cheese is melted. The resulting mixture is a cheesy spread that can be served warm or cool.

Several varieties of cheese originated or are produced only in Wisconsin, including brick, colby, cold pack, and limburger.

The different climates, soils and grasses from each region produce slightly different milk, farmers say, which in turn, cheesemakers argue, creates slightly different cheese. For example, Cheesemaker Tony Hook, who has made cheese in western Wisconsin since 1970, has had the same farmer patrons for 40 years.

If you start to see bubbles pop up once you've added cheese to the pot, you will want to turn the heat down, and possibly add a little milk to the mix to regain that smooth and creamy consistency.

Flour or cornstarch can both thicken a liquid. In a small separate bowl, mix a tablespoon of either flour or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cheese sauce until the mixture is smooth. Add the mixture back to the milky cheese sauce, and stir until combined and desired thickness is achieved.

Evaporated milk makes for a smoother tasting Velveeta Cheese Dip. It sounds a bit strange, but it's a huge difference-maker, especially when it comes to the pace at which the dip hardens. If you don't have evaporated milk, you can sub in fresh milk or even water.

Cheese sauce can be kept from congealing by applying enough heat to keep it semi-liquid but not enough to scorch it or dry it out. A candle or an electric heat source can be used for this. A fondue pot is one type of vessel commonly used for the process. Add a little bit of Sodium Citrate to the sauce.

Can I use evaporated milk to make cheese? ›

I've made mozzarella from scratch using dried milk (using rennet) in the past and I've made ricotta cheese using evaporated milk. (And yes, I also have freeze dried mozzarella cheese in my storage.)

If you're going thick and cheesy, use about 2 cups of cheese with ¼ cup milk alternative or water. For a thinner creamy sauce, use the same amount of cheese but add an extra ¼ cup of liquid (½ cup total).

FACT: If the state of Wisconsin were a country, it would rank fourth in the world in total cheese production at 2.86 billion lbs./year, behind the entire US, Germany, and France, and just ahead of Italy.

Known as "America's Dairyland", Wisconsin is famous for its cheese as well as other dairy products, such as cheese curds and frozen custard. Other notable foods common to the region include bratwursts, beer, brandy Old Fashioned co*cktails, butter burgers, fish fries and fish boils, cranberries, and booyah stew.

1. Mozzarella (33.9%) This is the most popular cheese variety in both Wisconsin And the nation, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, which compiled these statistics.

Many of the enterprising dairy farmers who settled in southern Wisconsin in the 1840s and 1850s were New Yorkers. At the time, New York was the leading dairy producer in the nation. These New York settlers brought with them the skills needed for commercial dairying and butter and cheese production to Wisconsin.