Experiments with Pimento Cheese Part 4

I’m getting close to the ultimate pimento cheese recipe. In my previous post, I mentioned sampling some different store-bought concoctions, with Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit being probably the best pimento cheese I’ve ever tasted, so the goal has to be to beat it. I think I can do that.

So, my approach today was to combine all the good things from all of these recipes, and then I can subtract anything I need to subtract, or tweak the measurements and fine tune. I was specific and careful with my measurments for this batch.

Here’s what I did:

• 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated by hand
• 1 lb. Monterrey jack cheese, grated by hand
• 1 package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups of Duke’s mayonnaise
• 2 large jars of Lindsay pimentos, drained
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablesppon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon Crystal with garlic hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Fresh ground black pepper

Notes: It has to chill overnight before I can make definitive statements, but here’s my preliminary thoughts:

This is very good. I mean, very good. First of all, I got the idea to use Monterrey jack from Callies, and I didn’t remember what it even tasted like, but damn, it is exactly right. It is a softer cheese with a unique flavor that is sort of like sharp cheddar, but without the bitter bite of sharp cheddar. It is exactly right, and that is going to stay.

The tablespoon of soy sauce gives it nice umami, and the one tablespoon is right. I wouldn’t put any more in it. I don’t want to taste the soy sauce. Just the umami.

I would like it to be hotter, I think, so I think I’m going to add full tablespoon of cayenne to the next batch.

I am thinking that the cream cheese might be unnecessary, but I’m not sure.

Callies has a load of black pepper so that it is speckled throughout, and I just cracked some in there directly from the pepper mill, and it wasn’t enough to match Callies. So, more black pepper.

The sugar is definitely necessary. It doesn’t make it sweet at all, but it does boost the flavors.

I could probably do two tablespoons of the Crystal and the garlic would still be within tolerance levels.

I sort of think two teaspoons of onion powder might be better than the tablespoon. I could taste the onion for sure, but it was good. I’m just wondering if I want to tone that down a bit. I’ll know better tomorrow.

At any rate, I’m seriously close to finishing this project, and after tasting tomorrow, I’ll rejigger where necessary, make one more batch, and if that gets it, we’re done. I’ll have my ultimate pimento cheese recipe.