Wisconsin Cheese Curds - Fresh squeaky cheese curds, dipped into a beer batter and deep fried to perfection. A delicious Wisconsin tradition!
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Today is such an exciting day! It's Monday? Nope, that's not what I was thinking. Are you kidding me? Today is June 1 and the beginning of June Dairy Month here in Wisconsin. Although I'm not a big fan of the cold, long winters we have around here, I wouldn't trade the food for anything. Dairy is a staple around these parts and I'm not sure what I would do without my milk and cheese. For our family of four, we probably go through at least 3-4 gallons of milk a week. And cheese. . .well, we buy it in bulk.
Today, I'm sharing my recipe for good ole' Wisconsin Cheese Curds. If you've never had a cheese curd, the experience should really go on your bucket list. Whenever we have guests visit from out of state, we take them to a local cheese store just for the cheese curd experience. Ten times out of 10 they leave the store with no less than 3-4 bags of these little beauties to take home to their own family.
Let me tell you a little bit about cheese curds. See how the ones in my bowl above look a bit "wet?" That means they're fresh. Most of the grocery stores get their shipments from the cheese factories Thursday and Friday mornings, and the majority of the time, the curds I'm taking home are literally still warm in the bag. Now THAT's fresh.
The worst thing you can ever do with cheese curds is refrigerate them. I've learned that I can normally keep curds unrefrigerated for up to 48 hours. One of the best parts of fresh cheese curds is the squeak when you bite into them. So, so good. If you do have to refrigerate them, pop the curds into the microwave for 3-5 seconds (don't let them melt!) and, believe it or not, the squeak will return.
So, you can eat curds fresh or you can deep fry them. I love eating them both ways. If you go to any restaurants, carnivals or fairs here in the state of Wisconsin, you're going to see cheese curds on the menu, and most of the time, they're of the beer-battered variety.
Now, I get it. You may have never tasted a cheese curd, you may not have them where you live. It's okay. I feel bad for you, but it's okay. Substitute the curds with some cheese cubes or get a little crazy and order some online. Just Google it. They're out there.
The homemade beer batter I'm sharing today is my Dad's recipe. We've had it in the family for years. When I was little, our family would go fishing and we'd bring our catch home on ice. Dad would clean all the fish, filet them, keep them fresh in ice water, and the next day, he'd get his deep fryer set up on the lawn and we'd have the BEST FISH EVER outside at our picnic table in the backyard.
So what I'm trying to say is, this batter is versatile and works well with cheese curds AND fish and whatever else you feel like deep frying. This batter holds so much nostalgia for me, and just smelling it as it hits the oil in the fryer brings back such fond and emotional memories from my childhood. Have you ever gotten teary-eyed over beer batter? No? Well, then you just need to hang with me a bit longer. That's just how we roll here in Wisconsin.
Okay, so a couple tips when you're deep frying your curds. . .I like to spray my basket with nonstick spray before each batch. Don't try and fry a pound of curds at a time. Instead, work with smaller batches, shaking the basket a bit once the curds hit the oil and, really, throughout the frying. You want to make sure they're not too close together or they will melt into one another and you'll just have one big heap of melted cheese. How do I know this? Just trust me, okay? 😉
Watch the curds closely and start lifting them out when they begin turning golden brown. Let them cool a bit and then serve with a dipping sauce if you like. Here in Wisconsin, they're normally served with ranch dressing on the side. Me. . .I dip them in ketchup. I dip most everything in ketchup. That's a conversation for another time.
Being able to make restaurant quality cheese curds at home is dangerous. It's way too addicting. It's also way more affordable, however, than paying $6-8 per little basket of curds you get at one of our local fairs or carnivals. So, go ahead, treat yourself to these ooey, gooey delicious cheesy curds. They are so worth it and a true Wisconsin delicacy!
Wisconsin Cheese Curds
Ingredients
- 24 ounces cheese curds or cheese cubes
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup beer
- 2 quarts oil for frying (I used peanut)
Instructions
- Heat oil in fryer or a sauce pan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk egg and add to flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and beer.
- Spray the fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
- Coat the curds in the batter and use a slotted spoon to place them into the frying basket.
- Place cheese curds into the fryer in small batches - no more than 10 at a time.
- Shake the basket to loosen any curds from the bottom of the basket and to separate them while frying.
- Deep fry until golden brown - usually 2-4 minutes.
- Drain on paper toweling.
Notes
- Maintaining Oil Temperature: Keep a close eye on the oil temperature throughout the frying process. Use a deep-fry thermometer to ensure that the oil remains at the optimal temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fluctuations in temperature can affect the texture and color of the cheese curds, so adjust the heat as needed to maintain consistency.
- Preventing Oil Splatter: To minimize oil splatter and ensure safe frying, carefully lower the cheese curds into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or tongs. Avoid overcrowding the fryer basket, as adding too many curds at once can cause the oil to bubble over and create a messy kitchen. Fry the curds in small batches to maintain control over the frying process.
- Draining Excess Oil: After frying, transfer the cheese curds to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Gently blot the curds with additional paper towels to remove any remaining oil on the surface. This step helps to achieve a crispy exterior while preventing the curds from becoming greasy. Serve the cheese curds immediately while they're hot and crispy for the best flavor and texture.
Bunny
After a visit to Milwaukee I found this recipe but had to catch my breath that in 6 fried curds there is 3080 calories - oh my - is that really correct??!!! If so I will have to have a lot of will power
Sara
No, the calorie information is off. I apologize. Fried Cheese Curds aren't exactly in the "healthy" category but 6 of them certainly won't set you back over 3,000 calories. I'm going to remove that info. Nutrition calculators can often be "off."
Tony in Minnesota
Okay, I just wanted you to know that we made your recipe for cheese curds tonight and after trying another recipe last time and also the store bought, already battered and frozen ones, THIS is the recipe I will be using from now on! The batter stuck so much better to the curds than the previous recipe and they were simply delicious! The only change I made was to decrease the salt because we have one on a low sodium diet, but the curds themselves are salty enough.
Thanks so much!
Sara
I'm so glad you enjoyed them! There's nothing better than a good cheese curd!
Sandra
These sound devilishly delish! Any chance they can be made in advance, frozen, then reheated on cookie sheet in the oven? I have a 4 lb bag and don't want any to go to waste doing small batches. Thank you
Sara
I've never tried to freeze mine but if you do, I'd love to know how they turn out!
Kristy
My batter didn't stick to the cheese, so the cheese pretty much melted into nothingness and my batter is fried into bits. Any suggestions?
Sara
If the batter seemed too thin, you can always allow it to thicken a bit after you prepare it. If your curds are melting the oil may be too hot or you're leaving the curds just sit in the basket in one place for too long. You also want to make sure you're not adding too many cheese curds into the fry basket. Just add a few at a time. I even like to spray my frying basket with cooking spray before I put the curds in. Once I lower the basket into the oil, I shake the basket around a bit to ensure the curds aren't sticking together or to the basket. Once they start floating to the top of the oil, you'll know they're almost ready. Don't give up! With a little practice you'll be a cheese curd frying pro!!
Billy Knight
AYYYyy nice article girl. u go girl. hell yeah.
Connie | URBAN BAKES
Wow this is pretty cool. I've never heard of cheese curds like this so I definitely learned a lot. Curious to give these a try too!
Krysta @ KrystaSteen.com
Being from Minnesota, I've eaten my share of cheese curds...yum! Thanks for sharing at Tips & Tricks! 🙂
Brandi Clevinger
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing at Inspire Me mondays!
Kristin
Ummmm....I'm going to need these in my mouth right now. These look amazing!! Definitely pinning them for another date!
amanda @ fake ginger
LOVE THESE! I just saw some cheese curds at my grocery store the other day but didn't grab any since I didn't have a recipe. Totally trying this soon!
Sara
I hope you do, Amanda. They're super good!
Beth
My family lives in Minnesota and we were just back there visiting last week, and yes.. the pulled out the cheese curds!
Melanie | Melanie Makes
Squeaky cheese! Having lived in Madison for 7 years, I'm definitely a fan of cheese curds!
Sara
Mad town is a great place to get curds and yes, the squeakier, the better!!
Becky | The Cookie Rookie
Such a fun idea! I would have never been creative enough to make these at home. LOVE!
Sara
You could make these in a heartbeat, Becky! They are super easy!
Kate @ Diethood
WOW! These sound so delish! I wish I had a few for a mid-morning snack!
Sara
They certainly hit the spot any time of day, Kate!
Heather @ Sugar Dish Me
Yes to cheese curds! You can keep your ketchup though. I think I'm a cheese curd purist. These look awesome!
Sara
Ha, ha, Heather! I think I put ketchup on just about anything. I respect your purity, however. LOL