Mozzarella cheese is a personal favorite, and I dont think Im alone in this regard.
The others, however, not so much.
Cooking cheeses is never going to stop, and it shouldnt.
Where would we be without grilled cheese, lasagna, cheddar omelets, or pizza?
Lost in a sad, cheeseless oblivion.
I dont want that for anyone, especially not myself.
When it comes to widely available types of mozzarella, Im referring to low-moisture, fresh, and burrata.
The best mozzarella for cooking at high temperatures is low-moisture.
These different puzzle pieces work together to contribute to a cheeses melt, stretch, and chew.
Mozzarella has a strong protein internet, which makes it good at stretching.
You could even think of them ashigh-moisturemozzarella.
There are other high-moisture cheeses out there, and the water content contributes to its meltability.
Lets be honest: Youre not eating the pizza or lasagna while its bubbling.
You know whatll happen to the roof of your mouth.
Youre waiting for it to cool.
Once it cools, the cheese retains a slightly chewy texture and creamy taste.
From 150F to 160F the mozzarella puddles in water and begins pushing out some of its fats.
After cooling, the cheese is firm and chewy, almost like string cheese.
Heated to about 190F and over, the cheese loses moisture and the fat globules break away.
The cooled cheese is greasy and the texture is hard, almost like chewing coconut.
Burrata acts the same way, but its even more tragic when the structure breaks down.
If youmustwarm your burrata, keep it under 130F.
Its drier and firmer, with a texture closer to cheddar or provolone.
Low-moisture mozzarella doesnt overheat to spew out a puddle of water, nor does it become greasy.
Serve it warm as a finishing component over hot foods.
For reference, you might touch or pinch cheese under 130F.
Once the cheese nears that temperature, pinching up a pile of melty mozzarella starts to hurt.
Not that I want to be in the habit of pinching hot cheese, but here we are.
