Why Brick Cheese Is The Top Pick For Detroit-Style Pizza
Unless you live in the Motor City or can shell out cash for a trip to Detroit, most people have to make their own Detroit-style pizza at home. If you want to make the best, most authentic, thick-crusted, crispy-edged Detroit-style pizza, you should definitely use brick cheese. It has a distinctive flavor, melts well and, most importantly, it's high in fat, which is why the crust of Detroit-style pizza is so irresistibly crispy.
Primarily made in Wisconsin, brick cheese is a semi-ripened cow's milk cheese (like Brie or Camembert) made in a bricklike shape. Traditionally, cheesemongers form this soft, buttery cheese using bricks, which is how brick cheese got its name. Unaged or young brick cheese has a mild, earthy flavor while aged brick cheese is nuttier and tangy. It's ideal for crafting the crispiest grilled cheese sandwich – or a Detroit-style pizza.
How to use brick cheese on Detroit-style pizza and more
Part of what makes Michigan's Detroit-style pizza unique is its thick, ultra-crispy, focaccia-like crust; the best way to achieve that irresistible crunch is the liberal use of Wisconsin brick cheese. When making Detroit-style pizza, Michigan pie-makers make sure to distribute the cubed or shredded brick cheese all along the edge, where the dough meets the sides of the anodized steel pan. This ensures that the edges of the crust get smothered in fat as the cheese melts, causing the dough edges to literally fry while cooking.
While Wisconsin's brick cheese is the top pick for Detroit-style pizza, its uses certainly don't end there. Its high fat content and mild, nutty flavor makes it excellent for au gratin (or scalloped) potatoes and as the perfectly melted cheese on your burger. It's also great cubed and served with the best store-bought pickles for a simple, mid-day snack.