Old-Fashioned Southern Pimento Cheese
Virginia Willis
It’s tempting to use pre-grated cheese, but sometimes it contains additives that prevent clumping. It’s better to freshly grate your own so the pimento cheese will be creamy–and additive-free. Pimento peppers, also spelled “pimiento,” are an appropriately named variety of chili pepper that are small and red. They are sweeter than bell peppers and very mild, with one of the lowest Scoville scale ratings of all the chilies.
- 1 pound freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar about 4 cups
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ sweet onion grated
- One 4-ounce jar pimentos drained and finely chopped
- Dash of hot sauce or to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
►Combine the cheese, mayonnaise, and onions in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Add pimentos and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. The prepared pimento cheese can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.