By Sam Schonberg
For this week’s pairing we are exploring one of the many uses of Ogleshield, a raclette-style cheese from Somerset, England. Ogleshield is only aged three months, lending it a high moisture content and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. While delicious on a cracker or served on a board, it is a phenomenal melter and is highlighted when hit with some heat. Because it is a younger cheese, the milk fats don’t separate when heat is applied. In addition, the raclette style tends to have a slightly lower salt content than a cheese like a cheddar. You can salt both sides of the meat without worrying about blowing out your palette. Finally, although Ogleshield is not aged a particularly long time, it has a well developed flavor that only expands when melted.
As a whole animal butcher, we developed a House Grind to reflect the quality of animal that we butcher in house. Our 80/20 grind has enough meat to hold together when grilled, but is fatty enough to be flavorful without any additives. Toss on some Ogleshield, and you’ve got a rich burger that is just juicy enough to soak into your bun. Smash the burger (at the start of your cooking cycle!) with a spatula to increase the surface area of the burger itself. More surface area means a crispier crust, but more importantly, more room for cheese. Read up on all the benefits and techniques of smash burgers from the man himself, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.
We’ve already devoted space to the decadent pairing of Ogleshield with the Mariposa Red, but it bears repeating that a chillable red is probably the best possible summer burger pairing. Take a big hunk of Ogleshield, eat half while you cook, and put the other half on the burger.