The best hamburgers are those with lots of hams–and cheeses. And when you talk about cheeses, you can find a wide variety of them in the market for your gourmet burgers wherever you go.
A hamburger, especially a cheeseburger, is an all-time American favorite snack. Thousands of food stalls and restaurants, whether big or small, have spent so many resources just to find the best kind of cheese for their signature burgers.
Hamburger making, which is a $40 billion industry, is also about finding the perfect cheese that goes with it. Interestingly, National Cheeseburger Day is being celebrated every year on September 18, to emphasize the vital role of cheese in a burger.
Aside from a juicy ground beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes, crispy bacon, sesame seed bun, a load of cheese will also complete your burger meal.
The choice of your cheese will determine the value of your hamburger. A cheese that quickly melts in your mouth during your first bite of the hamburger brings a magical dining experience.
With lots of cheese flavors and brands around, you have to be creative in expanding your choices. This way, your hamburger recipe will be more of a juicy gourmet burger!
Indeed, it is the melt-ability of your cheese that becomes the first step in knowing whether you have the perfect burger or not. As cheese adds flavor to the hamburger, you must consider what type of cheese you will use seriously.
Some cheeses for the best hamburgers
Cheddar Cheese
The classic cheddar is irresistible when it comes to your best choice of cheese to go with your hamburger. This immensely popular cheese will give your burger a nice, bold flavor. Whether it is yellow or white cheddar variety, cheddar cheese brings an extra delicious load of flavor to your burger.
Monterey Jack Cheese
Monterey Jack is a smooth and mild cheese from cow’s milk. It has a bland flavor yet is soft with small irregular holes.
This type of cheese will add a different kind of flavor to your hamburger. You can also try using habanero Jack cheese or jalapeño in your Mexican-flavored hamburger.
Brie Cheese
This soft cow’s milk cheese from France is commonly found on a cheeseboard. It is an elegant appetizer. Once you add this to your hamburger, it will create an exceptionally delicious dish. Check the Bacon Brie cheeseburger recipe to prove that you are right!
Swiss Cheese
Swiss cheese gives an extra unique flavor to your hamburger. Add it with sautéed mushrooms and bacon, and you will have a heavenly flavored hamburger on your mouth.
Buttery and nutty, Swiss cheese brings a mellow flavor to your burger. At the same time, a traditional Swiss gives a more robust flavor.
Blue Cheese
A Blue Cheese is one of the best choices of upscale restaurants. The combined effect of Blue Cheese and bacon on your burger will create a rich taste.
Gouda Cheese
Gouda is a traditional Dutch cheese. However, it is now widespread in the U.S. and anywhere in the world. This mild and creamy cheese will make your ordinary hamburger into a fabulous one.
For example, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has its recipe using Gouda Cheese with a zesty chimichurri sauce.
Goat Cheese
For another unique and tasty cheese flavor, you can try cheese from goat’s milk. Montrachet, a soft goat’s milk cheese, brings a creamy tang flavor to your burger. You can even forget the ketchup and focus on goat’s cheese for the delightful burger experience.
Aged Provolone
Aged provolone is another excellent choice if you want to add a bit of tanginess to your burger. The sharp flavor will surely make your burger an unforgettable delight.
American Cheese
American cheese is difficult to resist. It’s classic and simple but extra delicious. It goes well with the fat in the meat.
Mozzarella Cheese
Mozzarella is another favorite cheese for burgers. Smooth and fresh, this cheese can bring an elastic texture to your dish. It has excellent melt-in-your-mouth capabilities.
If you are a taste-wise person, you should experiment with the burger and mozzarella combination. This creamy cheese will not overpower the taste of your burger. It will pair with the sweet and savory flavor of the meat in the burger.
Emmental
Emmental is known as “Swiss cheese” in the U.S. it has distinctive holes and is usually seen on hamburgers, particularly during the barbeque seasons in America.
It melts consistently on your burger. Nutty and mild, this cheese gives a better flavor to your burger meat.
Pimento Cheese
Creamy and homemade pimento cheese is a favorite pair to your burger, especially to the burger lovers in the Southern part of the U.S.
You can add pimento to your hamburger coupled with lettuce, onion, ketchup, and mustard, and what you will get is a perfect and delightful burger dish.