What to use instead of cheddar
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Melted over a hot snack under a grill or broiler
Mild to medium cheddar has the moisture and fat balance to flow into an even blanket, and it browns at the edges where the protein and lactose catch.
Monterey JackRan out
Match by weight
Melts smoother and stretchier with far less flavour, so add 1/4 tsp mustard powder or a pinch of salt per cup to stop it tasting blank.
Colby or Colby-JackRan out
Match by weight
Softer melt and a sweeter, milkier flavour, with the same orange colour and none of the tang.
Young GoudaRan out
Match by weight
Buttery and very smooth, and it browns harder and faster, so pull the tray a minute earlier.
Mild provoloneRan out
Match by weight
Stringier with a lactic tang, and it stays pale under a broiler, which makes the tray look underdone.
Plant cheddar shredsPlant-based
Match by weight, plus 1 tsp oil per cup, covered for the first 3 min
Melts only under a lid or foil and sets to rubber within two minutes of leaving the heat, so it has to go straight to the table.
What doesn't work: Extra-sharp or two-year cheddar. The acid is higher and the moisture lower, so the protein contracts under a broiler and the cheese breaks into oil and grainy curds that slide off in one sheet.
Melted into a sauce or a hot dip
Here it has to disperse into liquid and stay dispersed, which depends on the protein staying loose rather than knitting together and squeezing out fat.
Sharp cheddar tossed with cornstarchRan out
1 tsp cornstarch per 1 cup grated cheese
Stronger flavour with none of the breaking, since the starch keeps the protein apart. The sauce comes out glossier and slightly thicker.
American cheese slicesRan out
Match by weight
Emulsifying salts make it flawlessly smooth every time. Milder and saltier, so cut the recipe salt and add a spoon of sharp cheddar for flavour.
Cream cheese with half the cheddarRan out
4 oz cream cheese per 1 cup grated cheddar
Tangier, thicker and stable at any temperature. A buffalo chicken dip made this way holds for an hour on a table without splitting.
Young Gouda or FontinaRan out
Match by weight
Smoother and less prone to breaking than cheddar, with a milder, sweeter result that needs more mustard or hot sauce behind it.
What doesn't work: Adding the cheese while the sauce is still boiling. Past about 85C the casein knits together and wrings the fat out, and no amount of whisking brings it back. Take the pan off the heat, wait 30 seconds, then stir the cheese in a handful at a time.