The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

and spread like a liquid. Depending on the type of
cheese, this takes place at anywhere from around
120°F, for super-melty high-moisture process
cheeses like Velveeta, all the way up to 180°F and
higher, for superdry cheeses like well-aged
Parmigiano-Reggiano. Once the protein structure
breaks down too much, individual microdroplets of
fat and water coalesce, breaking out of the protein
matrix and causing the cheese to completely break.
Some cheeses, like feta or halloumi, have a protein
structure so tight that no amount of heating will
cause them to break or melt. Others have emulsifiers
added to them to ensure that they melt smoothly at
low temperatures without breaking (here’s looking
at you, American!). Still others need a bit of
assistance from a recipe to remain stable.
Here’s a chart of some of the more commonly
available cheeses, along with their melting properties
and best uses.