Steam Is The Secret To Flawless Melted Cheese On Literally Any Dish

If you're fond of fondue, stretchy pizza, ultimate chicken nachos with all the fixings, a good grilled cheese, or a slice of gooey cheddar on your burger, you know the magic of melted cheese. Not all cheeses melt the same, however, and there are pros and cons to every melting cheese. American is a very meltable option, for example, while cheeses such as ricotta simply refuse to cooperate. Luckily, a little steam is the solution to stubborn melting cheeses.

Steam helps solve the problem of uneven melting. Entrapping your cheesy topping in an enclosed, steamy environment exposes it to hot air, introducing every side of the cheese to heat. Other approaches tend to funnel heat in one direction. As cheeses age, they release moisture. A steamer (or makeshift steamer) also helps reacquaint cheese with some of the liquid that was expelled.

Cheddar, Gouda, mozzarella, and American cheese are popular and reliable options for melting, dipping, drizzling, and spreading on toast, burgers, or baked potatoes. A cheese's melt-worthiness relies on a few elements, including moisture levels, fat content, age, and acidity. Aged cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano and Parmesan, usually don't melt as well as younger alternatives. They become grainy and greasy, and nothing like the perfect cheese pulls in a pizza commercial. A steamer can help even fickle cheeses melt evenly, and prevents them from breaking.

You don't have to go out and purchase a brand new steamer basket to solve your cheese conundrum, though they are quite affordable; there are plenty of hacks and alternatives to a steamer you can use in a pinch. You can put one together using a wire cooling rack, a pie pan with holes, or even aluminum foil paired with a deep pot. The most important step is keeping your cheese covered and separated from the water. For creamy, pourable cheese sauce for nachos, leftover fries, and even veggies, you can invoke the steam method by using a double boiler to melt only the cheese you want to top your dish with.