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Beer Battered Cheese Curds

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Beer Battered Cheese Curds are melty, chewy, salty, crispy bites of deliciousness! And now, you don’t even need to go to the state fair to get them!

 

main image of cheese curds in a bowl for recipe

 

Those squeaky, salty, cheese curds never tasted so good as when they’re deep fried and perfectly golden brown.

I mean, let’s be honest, everything tastes better deep fried. But deep fried cheese? Heaven.

I love how simple this beer battered cheese curds recipe is! There’s nothing tricky about it and no special flavorings so the cheese curds and beer flavor get to be the stars.

Beer battered cheese curds also taste great with a glass of milk on a hot summer day. The absolute perfect summer treat!

And they’re way cheaper than buying fried cheese curds at your local state fairs. I can tell you that!

Plus you don’t even have to get out of your pajamas to enjoy deep fried cheese curds. The ultimate cheese curd win!

 

milk, flour, beer, salt and eggs in a bowl unmixed.

 

What are Cheese Curds?

If you live outside Minnesota or Wisconsin, you may not have come into contact with cheese curds.

Though cheese curds are actually quite popular throughout Canada and the midwestern United States, they mostly call Minnesota and Wisconsin home.

You’ll even find them on the local restaurant menu in those states! They’re like the cheese curd capital of the world.

Cheese curds actually aren’t a different type of cheese at all. They’re just cheddar cheese that hasn’t been aged at all.

The cheese is separated from the whey during the cheese making process and they are immediately packaged up and sold.

The fresher your cheese curd, the more of a squeak it’ll have when you bite into it with your teeth.

So don’t forget the best cheese curds are the fresh ones. If you’re in Wisconsin, many dairy farms will sell them made the same day. So don’t forget to check your local farm.

They also come in a variety of flavors, such as BBQ, Onion and Garlic, Dill, Cajun, Ranch, etc.

For this recipe, you’ll just use the plain flavors of cheese curds. They can be either white cheddar cheese curds or yellow cheddar cheese curds.

 

Beer batter mixed and ready for cheese curds

 

What Ingredients are in Beer Battered Cheese Curds?

Here’s the list of simple ingredients you’ll need to make delicious beer battered cheese curds.

  • Vegetable Oil: You could also use another neutral, high heat oil such as canola oil. Just be sure to use one that won’t overpower the other flavors.
  • Milk: Use any milk you have in your fridge to help create the cheese curd batter.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour creates a nice crisp texture on the outside of the cheese curds.
  • Beer: This tasty dish is safe for even kids to eat as the alcohol cooks off but the flavor stays.
  • Salt: The salt will help bring out the flavors of the rest of the batter.
  • Eggs: Eggs help hold the batter together and also help the batter adhere to the cheese curds.
  • Cheese Curds: The fresher the better! Break them into pieces for easy frying.

Pro Tips:

  • If you can’t find cheese curds at your local grocery store try a specialty store or order online.
  • You can also use cubed and cut up cheddar cheese as a replacement or mozzarella sticks in a pinch.
  • The cheaper the beer the better! Don’t feel like you need to buy the expensive stuff. We just need the flavor.
  • For a spicy twist, try throwing some Cajun seasoning in the mix!

 

cheese curds in batter ready to be fried

 

How to Make Beer Battered Cheese Curds

Here’s how to make this classic Wisconsin appetizer.

  1. Heat the Oil: It’s important to get the oil to the right temperature. Otherwise they take too long to cook and soak up excess oil or they burn.
  2. Make the Beer Batter: The milk, flour, beer, salt, and eggs all need to be mixed in a small bowl to create your delicious batter.
  3. Fry the Cheese Curds: Place cheese curds in the batter and then fry over medium-high heat until golden brown! Use a slotted spoon to remove. This may need to be done in small batches, depending on the size of your pot.

Pro Tips:

  • If your cheese starts to ooze out in the pan, you’ve either cooked them too long or the heat is too high.
  • I like to use an oil thermometer to make sure I’ve got the perfect temperature to get the golden color.
  • Test your first cheese curd as it comes out to make sure you’ve got the right consistency.
  • Use a large deep fryer or pot of hot oil to cook multiple cheese curds at a time.
  • Once you remove from the hot oil, place on paper towel to drip dry.

 

spoon scooping beer battered cheese curds out of batter

 

What to Do With Cheese Curds

Besides just popping those squeaky cheese curds straight into your mouth, there are actually many recipes you can make with them as well!

So if you’ve still got remaining cheese curds, try one of these delicious recipes.

  • Beer Battered Cheese Curds: This recipe is the ultimate comfort food appetizer.
  • Crispy Fried Cheese Curds: The non-alcoholic version of beer battered cheese curds.
  • Corned Beef and Cheese Curd Quesadilla: Crunchy, gooey melted cheese, and delicious.
  • Corned Beef Poutine: Hot crispy fries topped with cheese curds and corned beef and doused in chicken gravy.

And for your beer battered cheese curds don’t forget to dip cheese curds in something yummy!

Ranch dressing is the perfect dip! Or try a side of marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.

 

cheese curds fried in oil

 

Can You Freeze Curd Cheese?

Absolutely! Most cheeses can be frozen, and cheese curds are no exception.

However, if you’re pulling your cheese curds out of the freezer and popping them straight into your mouth, you’ll be sure to notice the difference.

Frozen cheese curds will lose their squeakiness quite quickly. So if that’s really what you’re looking for, it’s best to keep them fresh.

However, if you’re cooking the cheese curds in any of the above recipes where they need to melt, just toss them into the freezer.

It’ll help them to stay fresh longer and they’ll still taste great in your recipes!

 

zoomed out image of cheese curds on a cutting board, cooling

 

Why Do Curds Squeak?

Along with that springy, rubbery texture, cheese curds squeak! And occasionally, they squeak really loudly!

That’s due to how they’re processed. Not allowing the cheese to age means there are long protein strands that are very elastic in the cheese.

When the protein strands get squished between the enamel on your teeth, it produces a squeaky sound.

I’ve even heard that occasional squeak from people eating fresh cheese curds all the way across the room!

 

top view of cheese curds in bowl

 

Are Squeaky Cheese and Cheese Curds the Same Thing?

Yes, squeaky cheese is a popular pet name for cheese curd lovers.

So if you ever hear someone referring to squeaky cheese, you’ll know they’re actually talking about those delicious squeaky cheese curds.

If you’re at the Minnesota state fair, you won’t have to look very hard to find them!

 

side view of cheese curds in a bowl

 

Do Cheese Curds Melt?

Yes! Although cheese curds won’t melt on your counter, when cooked, cheese curds will definitely melt.

The idea for most cheese curds is the heat. Long and slow cooking will get them to melt the best.

While they melt when fried as well, they retain enough of their texture to be the perfect gooey mess.

 

view of curds on a board with honey in background

 

How Long Do Beer Battered Cheese Curds Last?

Beer battered cheese curds are best eaten fresh! I mean don’t burn your tongue, but enjoy them when they’re hot!

While they’ll still be safe to eat after they’ve cooled, they’ll begin to lose their crunch and the cheese will firm back up.

You can re-melt the cheese and crisp them back up again in a warmed oven or air fryer for up to 4 days.

Be sure to store your fried cheese curds in the fridge in an airtight container.

 

hands pulling a curd apart

 

More Cheese Recipes You’ll Love…

Beer Battered Cheese Curds are the perfect summer snack! Light, golden, crispy, melty, and salty, you’ll enjoy every little delicious bite!

 

Yield: 8 Servings

Beer Battered Cheese Curds

fried cheese curds stacked up on a cutting board cooling off

Beer Battered Cheese Curds are melty, chewy, salty, crispy bites of deliciousness! And now, you don’t even need to go to the state fair to get them!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts of vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cups milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup beer
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 pounds fresh cheese curds broken into pieces

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large fryer or sauce pan to 375* - if you don't have a thermometer, you'll know oil is ready when it bubbles around the handle of a wooden spoon.
  2. While oil is heating up, whisk together milk, flour, beer, salt and eggs until well incorporated.
  3. Place a small amount of cheese curds in batter, making sure to not over crowd the batter. Stir to coat.
  4. Using a slotted spoon to pull them out of batter, shaking off excess batter.
  5. Deep fry curds until golden brown, flipping half way through to ensure they cook evenly. This should take about 1 minute per side. This may require multiple batches.
  6. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
Originally Posted: March 28, 2014

Photos & Text Updated: July 15, 2022

 

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Lisa

Monday 28th of March 2022

Turned out amazing!. We actually used 2 different kinds of curds and made them 2 different ways. The batter was perfect and super easy. A big hit in my house !

Janelle

Friday 15th of July 2022

Thank you so much for your kind review! So glad they turned out great!

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