Grate vs. shred: is there a difference? Learn how these two terms are often used and what they mean for the final size and texture of your cheese.
1 Answer
Shredding cheese produces long, thin strips, while grating creates fine, smaller pieces. The choice depends on the recipe and desired texture.
Detailed Explanation:
The difference between shredding and grating cheese lies primarily in the size and shape of the cheese pieces produced. Shredding typically involves using a tool with larger holes or slots, resulting in long, thin strands of cheese. This is ideal for applications where you want the cheese to melt evenly and provide a stringy texture, such as on pizzas, in casseroles, or as a topping for tacos.Grating, on the other hand, uses a tool with much smaller holes, creating fine, almost powdery pieces of cheese. Grated cheese is often used as a garnish, to add a subtle cheesy flavor, or to incorporate into sauces where a smooth, even distribution is desired. Think of Parmesan cheese on pasta or nutmeg.The tool used also differs. Shredding is often done with a box grater using the side with the larger, elongated holes, or with a rotary grater designed for shredding. Grating is typically done with the finest side of a box grater, a microplane, or a rotary grater with a fine grating drum. The type of cheese also matters; harder cheeses are generally easier to grate finely, while softer cheeses are better suited for shredding.
Pro Tip:
To prevent cheese from sticking to your grater, lightly spray it with cooking oil before shredding or grating. This makes the process much easier and reduces cheese waste.