Deep Fried Cheese Curds

Deep Fried Cheese Curds are a true Wisconsin Favorite. Here in Wisconsin we love our cheese and we love our cheese curds, deep-fried or in the form of a foam hat! Wisconsinites love their cheese. Every restaurant, bar, bowling alley, and fast food joint in Wisconsin serves their own version of deep-fried cheese curds. They come as a monster size appetizer or served alongside a bar burger or sandwich.

Comforts of Home

They are often served as a side order along with french fries and onion rings. A favorite at local fairs, festivals and picnics. Wisconsinites who move away from home have been known to crave these tasty treats. When my daughter and her husband lived in Georgia, the first thing they did as soon as they hit the Wisconsin State line, was make a b-line to the nearest drive-thru and order cheese curds. I’ll take two large orders of curds please!

Did You Know?

When the Chicago Bear Fans began to taunt their northern neighbors with the nickname “Cheesehead,” Wisconsinites embraced the insult. In 1987, a man named Ralph Bruno, went to a Milwaukee Brewer Game wearing a cheese-shaped hat, made out of foam from his mom’s couch. (I hope it wasn’t a brand new couch!) This idea morphed into a very popular fashion statement here in Wisconsin. The tradition begins.

Cheeseheads!

Soon foam cheeseheads were being seen at Green Bay Packer home games. Cheeseheads could even be spotted in the crowd of our opponents home games, wearing these silly cheese “hats.” We even “jump around” wearing cheeseheads at Wisconsin Badger home games…this is a great way to keep warm…and make new friends. Cheeseheads can be found everywhere here in Wisconsin, some with hats on and some without.

We call ourselves cheeseheads, some of us more reluctantly than others but some of us with great pride in our voices. After all, we are all cheeseheads at heart. Why? We all love to eat cheese, any and all kinds of cheese. Our favorite way is cheese curds a.k.a squeaky cheese a.k.a cheese turds, a term loved by children. Cheese is a way of life up here in America’s Dairyland and sometimes referred to as “Gods Country.”

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*Want to learn more about the history of the foam Cheesehead

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Cheese Curds in Wisconsin

Cheese Curds are an uniquely Wisconsin delicacy and are formed as a by-product of the cheese making process. Most Cheese Curds in WI
are of a cheddar cheese variety with mozzarella cheese curds coming in second. Cheese curds are little known in locations without cheese factories.
Cheese curds should be eaten fresh and when they’re squeaky, making cheese curds in high demand.

Wisconsin is one of the top producers of cheese in the United States. Much of Wisconsin cheese is made on small, family owned and operated farms and in cheese factories that have been making cheese for generations. Cheese making began in the 1840’s when immigrants from Switzerland and
Germany brought with them their traditions, along with secret recipes of cheese making to Wisconsin.

 

True Cheesehead

A true cheesehead can’t live without the ultimate cheese favorite, deep-fried cheese curds. Drop cheese curds in a beer batter, toss to coat, drop them into hot oil, and fry until crisp. Drain briefly on paper towels, season with salt and serve with ketchup. Cheese curds go great with an icy cold Wisconsin brewed beer:) Pure Heaven and Pure Wisconsin.

Deep Fried Cheese Curds

A Wisconsin Classic
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Ingredients

  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup beer
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions
 

  • Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil in a deep, heavy cast iron skillet to 375 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, combine egg, 1 tablespoon oil and beer. Whisk together.
  • Stir together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
  • Add to egg/beer mixture, mix until smooth.
  • Drop cheese curds into batter, using a fork, toss to coat.
  • Drop a few curds at a time into hot oil, fry for a few minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove curds with a long handled wire mesh strainer.
  • Drain on paper towels. Season with salt while still warm. Serve with ketchup.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @lynnturnips on Instagram with the hashtag #turnips2tangerines

Here are few other deep-fried Wisconsin favorites: Beer Battered Deep Fried MushroomsDeep Fried Dill Pickle SpearsButtermilk Batter-Fried Onion RingsSourdough Battered Fried Frog Legs and Crispy Coated Fried Haddock.