Steal This Game-Changing Cheese Tip For Steakhouse-Style Side Dishes

Will we ever run out of things to do with cheese? Perhaps not. The versatile accompaniment has proven its place on ice cream cones (cheese in ice cream sounds ridiculous, but trust the process), soup bowls, and even as the headliner in every classic steakhouse side dish — especially if it's smoked. Its versatility, layered with a pleasantly subtle burnt taste, gives your sides a gorgeous upgrade and overall results in a well-rounded meal. Slide a gooey slice into your mac and cheese, for instance, and you're in for a wild ride with this steakhouse secret that makes your food taste better.

This trusty ingredient revered for its adaptability (and rightfully so) is a natural culinary accent that boosts the flavor of any dish, especially when given time to mature. Over time, amino acids develop from the milk proteins found in cheese, which contributes a delightful tingle on our taste buds we call umami. Detecting that in food sends us a signal that something is delicious. Smoking cheese makes umami shine even more, and creates a domino effect that results in a more palatable bite.

Potatoes au gratin is an amazing accompanying dish. The gooey texture that permeates throughout the plate is a feast on its own. Cheddar is a fine choice for this luscious side, especially when sirloin steak is front and center. The cheddar cheese's piquant kick is the perfect match to the hearty sirloin, enhancing the meat's character. If you can't help but reach for the creamy-and-sweet combination of gruyère for your potatoes au gratin, a tomahawk steak might be a better companion. Melting it and layering it on your juicy steak can also be a fine choice.

On the other hand, fried goat cheese seasoned with black pepper plus a drizzle of honey next to a serving of filet mignon works wonders. The sharpness of the cheese combined with the subtlety of the meat proves that opposites do attract. Alternatively, making a salad with blue cheese vinaigrette should do the trick if ribeye steak is your meat of choice since the brightness of the cheese beautifully cuts through the meat's juiciness. Overall, side dishes significantly improve every bite and deserve as much attention as the entrees. Since a steak restaurant's side can determine the quality of the whole menu, consider it a red flag if it treats sides as a second thought. You're going to miss out on a world of flavors without the trusty sidekicks.