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Washed-curd cheeses are cheeses whose curds are washed before being salted. The washing takes away lactose sugar that the bacteria could change into acid; it also allows the curds to absorb some water.
These cheeses are usually cured only for up to 2 months, as they won’t store as long as cheddar or other unwashed-curd cheeses.
They tend to have a mild flavour and to be very pliable cheeses. Edam, Danbo, Gouda, Havarti, Monterey Jack, and Danish Fontina are washed-curd cheeses.
The term “soaked-curd” indicates a more thorough washing process.
Cooking Tips
These cheeses melt more easily owing to their higher moisture content.
Other cheese technical terms
- Affinage
- Casein
- Cooked-Curd Cheeses
- Creamery
- Double-Cream Cheese
- Fat Content of Cheeses
- Longhorn Cheese
- Pate (of a Cheese)
- Pressed-Curd Cheeses
- Raw Curd Cheeses
- Rennet
- Semi-Cooked Curd Cheeses
- Skim-Milk Cheeses
- Smear-Ripened Cheeses
- Stretched Curd Cheeses
- Sweet Curd Cheeses
- Triple-Cream Cheese
- Truckle
- Turophile