Dry Jack
Dry Jack cheese can be grated into feather-light wafers and served over
pasta.
Dry Jack is Monterey Jack cheese made from skim or part-skim milk that has been aged from
six to nine months or as long as several years. It has a sharper flavor than young Jack. Dry
Jack cheese was produced accidentally in 1915 when a San Francisco wholesaler found himself
overstocked with Monterey Jack. He salted it in hopes of preserving it, and later found that
the cheese had become fruity, rich, and hard, much like fine Italian Parmesan.
Varieties
Dry Jack is aged at least six months and often longer. A Mexican version of this cheese is
harder and has more bite. A number of outstanding varieties of Dry Jack are now made in
California by artisan producers.
Buying and storing tips
Although promoted as a grating cheese, Dry Jack is also an excellent table cheese. Seek out
an opportunity to taste it. Like genuine Italian Parmesans, it can be eaten in paper-thin
curls shaved from the wedge onto pasta, salads, and soups. Dry Jack should be stored in the
refrigerator, tightly sealed in plastic wrap.
Availability
Dry Jack is widely available in health food stores, specialty stores, and markets.
Preparation, uses, and tips
This rich table cheese is used for salads and grating, and considered a fine complement to
Mexican and Southwestern cuisine; it also makes a fine snack cheese. Dry Jack cheese can be
grated in feather-light wafers and served on pasta; for an hors d’oeuvre, toss finely
grated Jack with warm toasted almonds.
Nutritional Highlights
Dry Monterey Jack cheese, 1 oz. (28g)
Calories: 106
Protein: 6.9g
Carbohydrate: 0.2g
Total Fat: 8.6g
Fiber: 0.0g
*Excellent source of: Calcium (212mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
The information presented in this website is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
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