Classic Southern Pimento Cheese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Box grater with large holes
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Sturdy wooden spoon or fork
• •Rubber spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Grate the cheese by hand

   Using the large holes of a box grater, grate both cheddars into a large mixing bowl. This takes about ten minutes of honest work. The texture should be fluffy and loose, not packed or compressed. Hand-grating creates irregular strands that bind with the mayonnaise properly, giving you that creamy spread texture instead of a chunky mess.

   Cold cheese grates easier. Keep it refrigerated until the moment you're ready.
2. 2

   Prepare the creamy base

   Add the softened cream cheese to the grated cheddar. Using a sturdy fork or wooden spoon, work the cream cheese through the shreds until roughly incorporated. Don't worry about perfection here. You want some cream cheese distributed throughout, not a homogenous paste.

3. 3

   Build the flavor base

   Add the Duke's mayonnaise, garlic powder, cayenne, Worcestershire, black pepper, and salt. Fold everything together with broad strokes, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate. The mixture will look shaggy at first. Keep folding. After about two minutes of steady work, it should come together into a cohesive spread with visible cheese strands throughout.

   Duke's mayonnaise is the Southern standard for a reason. Its tangy, eggy flavor is essential. If you can't find it, Hellmann's works, but add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice to compensate.
4. 4

   Add the pimentos

   Fold in the drained pimentos and the reserved tablespoon of pimento liquid. The liquid adds sweetness and color, keeping the spread from becoming too thick. Distribute the pimentos evenly so every bite gets that signature pop of sweet red pepper.

5. 5

   Taste and adjust

   Here's where you make it yours. Taste the spread on a cracker or your finger. Does it need more salt? More heat? This is the time. Add the pickle juice if you want that bright, tangy note my grandmother loved. More cayenne if you like things spirited. The spread should taste bold and well-seasoned, never bland.

   The flavors will mellow and marry as it chills. Season it slightly bolder than you think it needs right now.
6. 6

   Rest before serving

   Transfer to a serving bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Overnight is better. The cheese needs time to absorb the seasonings, and the texture improves as everything settles together. Bring to cool room temperature about fifteen minutes before serving for the best spreadable consistency.

Chef Tips

• •The ratio of sharp to extra-sharp cheddar matters. All extra-sharp can taste harsh and one-dimensional. The blend gives you depth with balance.
• •Never use a food processor. It turns the cheese into paste instead of a textured spread. The hand method takes longer, but you'll taste the difference.
• •Store pimento cheese in a glass container if you have one. Plastic can absorb odors from your refrigerator and transfer them to the spread.
• •This spread belongs on everything: crackers, celery sticks, hamburgers, hot dogs, stuffed into jalapeños, spread on toast and broiled until bubbly. At Lagniappe, we put it on our fried green tomato BLT.
• •If your spread seems too thick after chilling, stir in another tablespoon of mayonnaise or pimento liquid to loosen it up.

Advance Preparation

• •Pimento cheese improves after a day in the refrigerator as the flavors marry together. Make it the night before your gathering.
• •Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. The flavor actually peaks around day three.
• •Do not freeze. The mayonnaise breaks and the texture becomes grainy and separated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 28g)