What Is The Difference Between Cheese Curds And Cheese?

There are so many different varieties of cheese available in the market, which can be a bit overwhelming. These classifications of cheese are based on their origins, manufacturing process, milk, aging process, and so on. And there is cheese curd, which might seem like cheese, but it isn’t.

Cheese curds are the pre-stage of the cheese before it is formed into blocks and aged. They are the fresh curds of cheese, often cheddar. But there are still some people who confuse it with cheese. So, to clear this misconception, read ahead and find out how cheese curds are different from cheese.

What Is Cheese Curd, How it’s Different from Cheese?

Cheese curds are the by-product of the cheese-making process; they are the pieces of curdled milk that has a rubbery texture, mild cheddar-like flavor, squeak when eaten fresh. They are most popular in Canada for making poutine, and in India, they are popular as paneer, which is used in a variety of vegetarian dishes.

Generally, cheese curds are preserved in cheesecloth, pressed, chopped into the desired size, and then seasoned with salt to make the regular cheese curds you find in the market. The fresher the cheese curds, the better it tastes and the squeakier they are.

So, cheese curds are the raw material that goes into the process of making cheese. They are not cheese. Compared to cheese, cheese curds have a mild flavor, unique taste and springy texture, which makes it so popular.

Regular cheese acquires its strong flavor due to aging, but cheese curds are different. It cannot be aged; they barely last a few days before they become inedible. This is why it’s difficult to find cheese curds in the market.  And if there isn’t any cheese manufacturing company nearby, you won’t even find cheese curds in a nearby store.

Cheese curds in Australia

Cheese curds are only available in the place where they make cheese. Lucky for you, if you live in Australia or happen to visit Australia, make sure you taste the Pure Dairy’s cheese curds. They are the Australian brand that makes the best cheese curds in Australia and elsewhere.

Though they don’t sell cheese curds online, you can get them through wholesale foodservice distributors around Australia. You can visit their website for more details or contact at the head office if you want to purchase in bulk.

If you have never seen a cheese curd, they almost look like regular cheese and have the same color as the cheese they are used to make. For example, the cheese curds from the cheddar cheese-making process will have an orange or yellow color. They will even have a similar taste, but mild in flavor and a squeakiness is found in all cheese curds.

Cheese curds can be eaten as it is, or we can cook delicious food items. Similar to cooking/melting cheese, you can melt cheese curds or batter-fry them to make them tastier.