What Is The Difference Between Aged Cheddar And Naturally Aged Cheddar?

With its extreme popularity, you will notice plenty of different types of cheddar cheese on the market. Between the varying sharpness levels and colors available, it can be confusing to sort through the options and decide which one you want to try or use in a particular recipe. All cheddar cheese is aged to a certain extent, but the exact amount of time will vary. You will also notice some cheddar is labeled as naturally aged while others are just labeled as aged. In most cases, there is not a significant difference between these designations, but to understand the variations, you need a bit of background information.

Ages And Sharpness

Aged cheddar is also known as sharp cheddar. The rule of thumb is that the longer a cheese has been aged, the sharper it will be with the term sharp being used to refer to the changes in flavor and texture that occur through aging. Mild cheddar is typically aged only two or three months. Sharp cheddar will be aged about six to nine months. Finally, extra-sharp cheddar will be aged anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 years in most cases, depending on the cheese. By looking at specialty cheese retailers, however, you can find even older cheddars, such as those that are 5 or even 10 years old and therefore extremely sharp.

How Cheddar Is Aged

Whether it is aged naturally or simply aged, cheddar undergoes a similar process. The cheese is placed in a room where the temperature and humidity are carefully controlled. This allows the fats and proteins to break down and create simpler compounds, creating the delicious taste we associate with cheddar.

The Labels

When it comes down to it, there is no official difference between aged and naturally aged cheddar; cheese manufacturers are free to select the term they want to use. If, however, you buy a mass-produced aged cheddar from your supermarket or other non-specialty shop, it is possible that it is not actually aged. There are some commercial cheeses that mimic the flavors and texture of aged cheddar but aren’t actually aged. Instead, they may not even be cheddar and will instead be flavorings in an oil suspension. In comparison to this type of “aged cheddar”, a naturally aged cheddar can refer to a product that is actually cheese and has been aged.

On the other hand, real cheddar that has been aged may be simply called aged cheddar. Some companies will refer to their cheese as naturally aged if the aging occurs in the traditional way, within a cheese cave as opposed to a cheese refrigerator. Instead of focusing on whether a cheese is aged naturally or not, pay attention to the source of the cheese and ingredients list.