I’ve really only put it on some burgers, but would like to see what others like it with :D

  • chaogomu@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    26
    ·
    1 year ago

    American cheese is just normal, cheddar style cheese but with the addition of some sodium citrate.

    Sodium citrate is a fun little food chemical that give the cheese a slight citrus bite, but more importantly acts as an emulsifier. It keeps the oil and water inside the cheese bonded together. This means the cheese melts and then never becomes greasy.

    You can abuse this. You can make a super creamy cheese sauce for a higher brow mac and cheese by using some shredded cheese, a couple slices of American, and a few splashes of the pasta water.

  • danhakimi@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    16
    ·
    1 year ago

    American cheese is not a flavor. American cheese is a blend of cheese, fat, and emulsifying agents. if there’s cheddar in the blend, it’ll taste mostly like cheddar, but less of it because it’s only, like, half cheddar.

    The important part of the American cheese, in figuring out how to use it, is the emulsifiers.

    My preferred use case is using a slice of American cheese in mac and cheese, alongside some other cheese (I love Gouda) for flavor. Or like four other cheeses, whatever. Sometimes I mix in a tiny bit of cream cheese or mascarpone or a little milk, which gets emulsified into a sauce thanks to the American cheese, and makes the whole situation creamier. And then I season the whole situation well, especially if I added that last ingredient, to bring out the flavor of the cheeses.

    Now, that’s not a real, advanced mac and cheese. I could be making a mornay or something. But I’m lazy and I don’t really keep butter in the house. So I cheat. Pro chefs might also use other emulsifying agents to control the flavor and chemistry better, rather than just chucking in a slice of some american blend.

    but it’s a handy shortcut.

  • alphabravo@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    1 year ago

    I recommend putting a slice or multiple slices of American cheese on a hot bowl of Top Ramen, Chicken flavor. Cheesy ramen is pretty good

  • squarewagon@lemmy.fmhy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Grilled cheese - American cheese is the only way i enjoy a grilled cheese. Also, Black Forest ham and American cheese sandwich with lettuce tomato and mayo on a baguette or other real tasting bread.

    • livus@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      It fascinates me that you guys would have this stuff in a deli!

      It’s also not called “American cheese” in my country (NZ).

      It’s called “processed cheese” and strongly associated with children’s lunches, so most of it is packaged to appeal to children.

      • lazylion_ca@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        Processed cheese is not cheese. It’s rubber that won’t hold air. It’s cheese product. The only acceptable use for processed cheese slices is throwing at your little brother. I wouldn’t even feed those to a dog.

        • livus@kbin.social
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          I didn’t say I don’t like it! It’s just not a deli food here.

          I have met a cheese I didn’t like, once. It was rubbery and tasted like soap. Unfortunately I had a kilo of it to get through.

            • livus@kbin.social
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              That’s so interesting; I didn’t know about that!

              It definitely wasn’t supposed to taste like soap, it was a standard 1kg block of cheddar, which is pretty much a staple food.

              I still ate it too. Hey, we’re both still alive.

    • TheRealKuni@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Kraft’s Deli-style is pretty good, too (comes in a pre-sliced block, like what restaurants use for burgers). Just don’t get the Kraft singles, which aren’t nearly as good in flavor or consistency.

  • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    1 year ago

    American cheese is great when you want a cheese that melts, but doesn’t become liquid. It’s great for burgers, grilled cheese, Mac and cheese, and dips.

  • treadful@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    1 year ago

    Omelettes and egg sandwiches. Roast beef sandwiches. Oddly, one slice in a bowl of packaged ramen.

    Just get the good quality stuff, not Kraft singles.

    • Duchess@yiffit.net
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      my favourite lunch right now is scrambled egg on toast with an american cheese slice between the bread and the egg

  • ramplay@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    1 year ago

    Assuming this refers to essentially processed cheese like kraft singles.

    9/10 times a different cheese will taste much better and texturally if you’re using a good melting point cheese for the use case better there as well.

    That said, this style of cheese excels and is really only tolerable in HOT food. It needs to be melted. Its nasty pre-melt and its nasty post-melt. But while melted, it’s good.

    A grilled cheese with real and stringy cheeses is great. But sometimes a grilled cheese with 2 kraft singles is what you crave.

    • RinseDrizzle@midwest.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Bonus points if it’s white American from the deli. The way it becomes not quite solid, not quite liquid, makes it perfection on a solid smash patty. Don’t forget to toast them buns, hon.

      Great, now I’m craving a burger…

  • Candelestine@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    1 year ago

    White bread, mildly flavored meats, mild soups.

    Our “cheese” has a very mild flavor, overall, but melts thoroughly and very quickly, which is mainly what we use it for. This is why you find it on things like grilled cheese and cheeseburgers, but if you see a slice cold it’s a little extra sad, since you’re missing out on the one thing it’s actually good at.