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Cheese from United States

Monterey Jack

Pasteurised cow milk is soured with a lactic culture, set with rennet, cut, stirred and heated, and part of the whey is replaced with cold water so the curd loses lactose. The washed curd is salted and pressed lightly into blocks or cloth-wrapped balls and aged only a few weeks, giving a mild, moist cheese.

Fully documentedCheese21 days – 42 daysUS standard of identity (21 CFR 133.153)Family: Washed-curd cheese family (Gouda as template)

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceThe standard sets the calcium chloride limit and no other amounts.
Milk, nonfat milk or creamPasteurised; used alone or together[cfr-133-153][cdc-jack]
Lactic acid-producing bacterial culture[cfr-133-153]
Rennet or other clotting enzymesAnimal, plant or microbial[cfr-133-153]
Calcium chloride, optionalAt most 0.02 % of the milk[cfr-133-153]
Water or salt brineTo replace part of the whey[cfr-133-153][cdc-jack]
Salt[cfr-133-153]
Vegetable oil, optional, with or without rice flourRind coating[cfr-133-153]
Starterlactic acid-producing culture

Total time across the recorded steps: 21 days – 42 days

Start
Drag the bar or press Play
61.6 °C

What changes: The milk is pasteurised before the cheese is made

Step 1 of 6
Pasteurise the milk
Time
at least 30 min
Set
Temperature
61.6 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

Output: pasteurised milk.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
white

Microbes at work in this step

heat kills raw-milk microbes

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

At a glance

Pasteurised cow milk is soured with a lactic culture, set with rennet, cut, stirred and heated, and part of the whey is replaced with cold water so the curd loses lactose. The washed curd is salted and pressed lightly into blocks or cloth-wrapped balls and aged only a few weeks, giving a mild, moist cheese. Made in 6 steps over 21 days – 42 days. The longest step, age briefly, takes 21–42 days (Canadian Dairy Commission).

Key numbers
Main step21–42 daysReported[cdc-jack]Age briefly
Temperature61.6 °CSet[cdc-jack]Pasteurise the milk

What makes this one different

Monterey Jack is a washed-curd cheese like Colby; cold water that replaces part of the whey leaches lactose out of the curd. It is pressed more lightly than Cheddar, aged only weeks, and may be formed as a cloth-wrapped ball.

Milk
Pasteurised cow milk, nonfat milk or cream
Ripening
Typically 3–6 weeks
Composition
Moisture at most 44 %; milkfat at least 50 % of solids

Related ferments

Variants

  • High-moisture jackSame standard, but moisture over 44 % and under 50 %.
  • Pepper JackMonterey Jack flavoured with spicy chili peppers (its own entry).
  • Dry JackA harder, longer-aged Monterey Jack.

Safety

The US standard requires pasteurised dairy ingredients.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

The Canadian Dairy Commission calls the story that Spanish monks made it in Monterey County, California, in the 18th century a rumour, and notes that other origin stories exist. Wikipedia says Doña Juana Cota de Boronda made and sold queso del país in Monterey in the 19th century and that David Jacks sold the cheese commercially, so that it became known as Jacks' cheese and then Monterey Jack. The US standard of identity for Monterey cheese was issued in 1989.

Microbes
No study we found names its microbes.
  1. [cfr-133-153] US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 133.153, Monterey cheese and monterey jack cheese (standard of identity)spec
  2. [cfr-133-154] US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 133.154, High-moisture jack cheesespec
  3. [cdc-jack] Canadian Dairy Commission, Monterey Jack and Colby (cheese technology page)gov
  4. [wp-jack] Wikipedia, Monterey Jack (supports only the Boronda and Jacks history and the Pepper Jack and Dry Jack variants)wiki