Blue cheese powder is a handy ingredient that captures the potent flavor of blue cheese in an easy to use, shelf-stable powdered form. With a few simple ingredients and basic techniques, you can easily make your own homemade blue cheese powder right in your kitchen.
When dried and powdered, blue cheese becomes highly concentrated, offering an intense cheesy, salty, and tangy burst of flavor. A little bit of this powder goes a long way in ramping up taste in all kinds of dishes.
Selecting The Blue Cheese
The first step in making homemade blue cheese powder is choosing what type of blue cheese to use. There are many varieties to select from, each offering their own unique flavor profile.
Some top options include:
- Gorgonzola - Rich, crumbly texture with robust flavor
- Stilton - Creamy with spicy notes and complex flavor
- Roquefort - Sharp, tangy, earthy, and intensely salty
- Danish Blue - Smooth, mild, clean blue cheese flavor
Think about the specific tasting notes you want to highlight in your homemade powder when selecting a blue cheese. Do you prefer a more pungent kick or slightly milder flavor? The variety you choose will determine the final outcome.
You can also experiment with blending two different blue cheese types to create your own custom combo. Playing around with different balances can yield some delicious results in the finished powder.
Key Takeaway: Choose a blue cheese (or cheeses) with flavor notes that appeal to your tastes. The variety will determine the final powder's flavor profile.
Preparing The Blue Cheese
Once you have selected your blue cheese, the next step is prepping it for the dehydrating process. You'll want to break it down into smaller pieces to create more surface area that can dry out effectively.
If starting with a block or wedge style cheese, first cut larger chunks off the main block. Then use a sturdy fork to crumble these chunks into smaller bits and pieces. The more broken down the cheese gets, the better it will grind up later on.
For blue cheese that already comes pre-crumbled, simply break up any larger clumps into smaller crumbles using a fork or your fingers.
You are looking for pea-sized bits of blue cheese or smaller. The little nooks and crannies in the crumbled cheese will help moisture escape more readily when dehydrating.
Dehydrating Methods
With your blue cheese prepped, it's now time to concentrate the flavor by removing moisture. You can use either an oven, food dehydrator, or even air fryer to properly dehydrate crumbled blue cheese.
Oven Method
Preheat your oven to the lowest possible temperature, usually around 170°F to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the crumbled blue cheese out evenly over the lined pan in a thin single layer. Try to leave a little space between pieces.
Put the pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven and dehydrate for 2 to 4 hours. Check it periodically and use a spatula to stir and flip the cheese. It is ready when completely dried out, brittle, and deep orange in color.
Food Dehydrator Method
A food dehydrator offers precise low temperature control perfect for safely drying out blue cheese. Simply spread crumbled cheese evenly over dehydrator trays in a thin layer.
Dehydrate at 135°F for 4 to 6 hours, checking and stirring the cheese occasionally. It will be ready when no moisture remains and the crumbles turn brittle and deep orange.
Air Fryer Method
While most air fryers don't go as low as ovens for temperature, many now have a dehydrate function that works wonderfully.
Spread crumbled blue cheese in a thin layer over the air fryer basket or an accessory tray insert designed for dehydrating. Set your model to the dehydrate setting and dry for 3 to 5 hours at around 150°F to 170°F.
Grinding Into A Powder
Now for the fun, final step of turning the dehydrated blue cheese pieces into a fine powder! You'll want to use a dedicated coffee/spice grinder or a small food processor for this job.
Add your crispy dried blue cheese crumbles to the grinder bowl in batches and pulse repeatedly until a powder begins to form. Take care not to overfill the bowl or grind for too long continuous stretches to avoid the cheese clumping together from released oils.
You may need to pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Keep pulsing in bursts until the nuggets transform into a fluffy powder. Continue until all cheese is finely ground.
Be sure to clean out your grinder immediately after each batch to prevent leftover oils from gumming up the works.
And that's it - you now have fresh homemade blue cheese powder ready to deploy in recipes!
Storing Homemade Blue Cheese Powder
One of the perks of turning blue cheese into powder form is a prolonged shelf life. When kept sealed in an airtight container away from light and heat, homemade blue cheese powder will retain optimal flavor for 3 to 6 months stored at room temperature.
For even longer lasting powder, store the sealed container in the refrigerator to extend shelf life closer to 12 months. Just be sure to allow the cold powder to fully come to room temp before using to prevent clumping.
Glass jars and vacuum sealed bags work great for storage. Just be sure to keep moisture out by using an airtight container.
Creative Ways To Use Blue Cheese Powder
Now to the best part - time to put that intensely flavored, homemade blue cheese powder to delicious use! Here are some fantastic ways to incorporate it:
- Season roasted vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts
- Fold into mashed potatoes or potato salad recipes
- Combine with olive oil and vinegar for a quick blue cheese dressing
- Toss with hot pasta along with Parmesan cheese
- Mix into ground meats like beef or lamb before patties or burgers
- Make three cheese popcorn by adding cheddar and Parmesan
- Stir into cream based soups and dips for extra richness
- Use as a rub on chicken, steak, or lamb before grilling
- Knock bottled ranch dressing up a notch by blending powder in
- Create custom blends with other dried cheese powders
- Mix with hot sauce and dip anything buffalo flavored into it
The possibilities are endless when you have intense, home crafted blue cheese powder at your fingertips! Dive in to discover your own favorite ways to implement this dynamite ingredient.
Key Takeaway: Incorporate homemade blue cheese powder into savory recipes for an extra burst of salty, tangy cheesy flavor.
| Recipe | Blue Cheese Powder Uses |
|---|---|
| Mashed Potatoes | Fold into potatoes along with butter and milk |
| Roast Chicken | Rub powder blend under skin and over outside |
| Steamed Broccoli | Sprinkle on top for a salty, cheesy finish |
| Hot Wings | Mix with hot sauce for ultimate buffalo dip |
Homemade Blue Cheese Powder Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz blue cheese (Gorgonzola or Stilton recommended), crumbled into small pieces
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread crumbled blue cheese in single layer on sheet. Dehydrate for 2-4 hours, checking and stirring periodically, until dried out completely.
- Transfer dried cheese crumbles to a spice grinder. Pulse in batches until a fine powder forms. Take care not to overfill or overmix to prevent clumping.
- Store powder in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
FAQs
What's the best blue cheese to use to make powder?
Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Danish blue are excellent varieties to powder with nice balance of flavor. Roquefort also works well if you prefer a more pungent, tangy outcome.
Is it safe to dehydrate blue cheese at home?
Yes, using an oven, dehydrator, or air fryer to slowly dry blue cheese at under 200°F is a safe process resulting in concentrated flavor.
How long does homemade blue cheese powder last?
Properly stored in an airtight container away from moisture, heat, and sunlight, homemade powder will retain optimal quality for 3 months at room temp or up to a year refrigerated.
What dishes work well with blue cheese powder?
From roast vegetables to salad dressings, compound butters, meat rubs, pasta, and popcorn, blue cheese powder pairs well with all kinds of savory recipes needing a tangy flavor boost.
Can I use blue cheese powder by itself as a topping?
Absolutely! Sprinkle homemade blue cheese powder right atop finished dishes just like you would grated Parmesan for an instant punch of cheesy richness.
Conclusion
Infusing your cooking with the dynamic flavor of homemade blue cheese powder opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.
From customizing the aroma to prolonging shelf life compared to fresh cheese, the DIY approach enables you to create the exact intensity of salty, tangy cheese powder your recipes crave.