Hoop Cheese Toast and Toasted Recipe
Hoop Cheese Toast – Hoop Cheese Toasted
Follow our easy, step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions to learn how to make this old Southern favorite of Hoop Cheese Toast. And, learn how old timers liked to melt or toast the same cheese in a skillet. Printable recipe included.
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Hoop Cheese, either toasted or as toast, was a real treat in my younger years at home. You can do the same with cheddar cheese, but old fashioned Hoop Cheese makes it the best.
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I created this post on Hoop Cheese Toast more as a way to share my memories of it than to actually share a recipe. It’ so simple, it really doesn’t need a recipe as we know them.
Hoop Cheese was a great treat for us in my younger years. I have no idea what it might have cost back then, but we didn’t have it very often as I recall. But, it sure was tasty when we did get the chance to enjoy it.
Mostly we had it at breakfast time. Mama would make either Hoop Cheese toast for us, or she would just cut it into cubes and melt it in her cast iron skillet. Then, we either ate it straight off the plate with a fork, or sometimes, we’d slip it into one of her hot Buttermilk Biscuits and enjoy it that way.
Of course, it was also just a treat for Daddy to slice off a bit of the cheese from the section he bought and hand it to you to enjoy plain. It was all good. Smile.
I’ve used Hoop Cheese several times here on Taste of Southern. You can check out my recipes for Pimento Cheese made with Hoop Cheese or my recipe where I made Homemade Macaroni and Cheese which also used hoop cheese.
I’ll share more about Hoop Cheese with you below. It’s getting harder to find, even here in the South. I can’t resist picking up a pound or so whenever I come across it. And, my brother buys a whole 40lb block of it at Christmas time and has it cut and wrapped to share with his friends and members of his Sunday School class.
Thankfully, there are still a few places close by that carry it. I know it may not be available in your area, but you could also use a mild cheddar cheese that would give similar results.
As I stated, I just wanted to share one of my early childhood food memories with you. I’m sure many folks may have also had it in their growing up, so I’ll be happy to read your Comments on it in the section at the end of the recipe below. Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your memories.
Okay, get the fried eggs and grits ready. Maybe even some Buttermilk Biscuits.
Ready to give our recipe a try? Alright then, let’s head on out to the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking!
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Hoop Cheese Toast & Toasted – You’ll need these ingredients.
I really like this Natures Own Butterbread. It makes great sandwiches in my opinion. They don’t even know me, but you can certainly use the white bread of your choice. You’ll also need a pound of Hoop Cheese.
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The red rind comes off easily. Remove and discard the rind from your block of cheese.
Hoop Cheese is getting harder to find even here in the Southern states. But, any General Store or old time grocery store is bound to have a round of it near the meat department or just sitting on the counter next to the cash register.
Hoop Cheese is made from cow’s milk. It’s made by separating the whey from the cottage cheese curds. The cheese is pressed out into rounds, and is wrapped in cheesecloth. This is sealed with the red wax which usually indicates a mild flavor, but sometimes you’ll find a black rind which indicates a sharp cheddar type of cheese.
The cheese is firm but not hard. Biggest problem is that it doesn’t keep well. Even wrapped in clear plastic wrap and refrigerated, it will develop a mold in about a week. You can cut any small spots of mold off but if it gets really covered, it’s best to discard the cheese.
It’s usually made in 40 pound rounds or “blocks” as it’s sometimes called. Then, it’s placed inside a round wooden box and shipped and sold to farmers markets, general stores and in some cases in the south, gas stations will also have it on the counter. You order it by the pound for the most part, and the store keeper cuts it from the hoop right there in front of you.
The cheese was so popular in the early 1900’s that a special cheese cutter was invented to help cut the cheese more accurately. You’ll find a used one of those on Ebay ever so often, but they generally sell for around 500.00 as a collectible.
One brand was actually called a Computing Cheese Cutter. Rumor has it that the company that made it later became known as IBM. Ever heard of them? Smile
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I’ve cut a couple of slices off the larger end to make my toast. These pieces are just over 1/4th of an inch thick. Use your own judgement.
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Mama would always place about three or four of the squares on each slice of bread. I’m making just two slices of toast and I’m using one of her old pans to make it on. Old pans are the best. Smile.
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Place the cheese toast in an oven that has been pre-heated to 350F degrees. You’ll just have to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Let it stay in the oven long enough for the cheese to melt to your liking. Mine took about 5 minutes or a little longer.
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Hoop Cheese – Toasted or “Melted”
Another way we enjoyed the Hoop Cheese was to melt it in the cast iron skillet. Mama or Daddy would cut the hunk of cheese into smaller pieces and place it in the cast iron skillet. This would then be placed over Medium-Low heat to let the cheese melt.
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As the cheese begins to melt, use a spatula to push it all towards the center of the pan. You do not add any oil as it will produce plenty of that on it’s own. Just keep stirring it around until it melts.
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This is fully melted. You can see the oil around the outer edges. Sometimes, some of the cheese would stick to the bottom of the pan and slightly burn. I always found this hard crusty bit of the cheese was my favorite.
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Enjoy!
This is an entire pound of Hoop Cheese. One slice of toast was very filling, even for an adult. Of course, it was usually served along side your eggs and grits as part of your breakfast.
As for the melted cheese, yes, we did eat it right off the plate like this at times. It was also often placed in one of Mama’s hot Buttermilk Biscuits and enjoyed that way.
It cools pretty quickly, so you had to eat it pretty much as soon as it came off the stove or out of the oven, but it sure was a treat back in my early days. I really enjoyed getting to enjoy this again and I’m thankful for the opportunity to share those memories with you.
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Hoop Cheese Toast and Toasted Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Varies
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Southern
Description
Old fashioned Hoop Cheese was a real treat in my younger years. It’s getting more difficult to find, even in the South. You can substitute a block of cheddar cheese if you can’t find some real Hoop Cheese.
Ingredients
1 lb. Hoop Cheese
White loaf bread as needed for toast.
Instructions
Remove and discard the red wax rind from the pound of hoop cheese.
Slice the larger end of the cheese into slices about 1/4th an inch thick.
Cut the slices into smaller squares.
Place 3 to 4 slices of cheese on each slice of bread.
Toast in a 350F degree oven until the cheese has slightly melted.
Melted Cheese or Toasted Cheese
Cut the hoop cheese into small cubes.
Place the cubes in a cold cast iron skillet.
Place skillet over Medium-Low heat on stove top.
Stir often until cheese has fully melted.
Serve warm as is, or place melted cheese in biscuits.
Enjoy!
Notes
You can come close to our memories of Hoop Cheese toast by using a block of cheddar cheese if you can’t find hoop cheese in your area.
Keywords: hoop cheese, toast, melted cheese, toasted cheese, old fashioned, general store, red rind cheese, cast iron skillet cheese
Your Comments:
Have you tried Hoop Cheese Toast? How about melted or toasted? How did you like it?
Share your memories of this dish with us. It will only take a minute or two for you to leave your comments in the section below.
Just remember, all comments are moderated. That just means that I personally read each and everyone before they are approved for viewing on our family friendly website. Thank you in advance for sharing.
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Be Blessed!!!
Steve
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You might also like: Macaroni and Hoop Cheese
Or, maybe this one? Homemade Pimento Cheese Recipe, made with hoop cheese
How about this? Southern Pear Salad
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Category: Breakfast, Life at TOS
What a blessing your letter is each week. A prayer group sounds wonderful. Thank you for all you do.
I remember hoop cheese. We used to buy it and keep it the fridge to snack on with crackers. We sometimes made cheese toast ,too. I’d be happy to join in prayer for our leaders. Take care.
★★★★★
Never had the opportunity to try Hoop Cheese, but here in Idaho we love melted cheddar on toast!
When I was child there was an old general store near us, you know. the kind that had the old hardwood floors with the treated saw dust scatter all over it. They sold everything from beans to nails. Periodically they would have a hoop cheese-round on the counter and my dad would bring home a big chunk. It was a a great treat! I remember when the barrels of salt fish came in too. The store would put up a sign “salt fish is in”.. It was big deal then! Easter morning we ate salt fish..
Still trying to find Hoop Cheese here in PA, they don’t have too many “Southern Specialties” I did try your tomatoes and rice recipe, it was so delicious. So few ingredients (always save my bacon grease) but yet so yummy. I have a recipe for you to try Steve, stumbled upon it on the internet. Hope you give it a try, even if you only half the recipe it’s really good. They are called “Fire & Ice”
2 Jars dill pickles (sliced or spears) 32 ounce
4 Cups sugar
1/2 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon hot sauce
3 cloves of garlic finely diced
Drain juice from pickles. In a large bowl combine pickles and all other ingredients, mix well and allow to sit for 2 hours occasionally stirring. Place in a container or ladle in jars. Refrigerate for 1 week before using.
These are really good, not too spicy. If you want just try half of the recipe and let me know what you think Steve. I had a problem with worms on a couple of my tomato plants too. They are called Timberlake Hornworms and will eat all the leaves, then destroy any tomatoes you have on the plant. They are almost invisible to the eye. Nasty critters!! Well like you always say..better let you get on with your day, I’ve gotten long-winded 🙂 Monday my prayers are with you as well as everyday….God Bless Steve.
We ate cheese toast regularly, but I have never tried it melted in the frying pan. Mama did put a little chunk inside her biscuit dough when she made biscuits. Those were wonderful, fresh out of the oven hot with the melted cheese inside. I am going to melt some cheese right now for my breakfast. Thank you.
I remember as a child visiting a country store in Cumberland County with my family. The store was “Lester Lucas’s store” and I bet our Steve knows what I am referring too.
But, today you can get Hoop Cheese in a little town called “Bennett, NC,” at “Rouths Grocer and Gas” right on main street.
Thanks for the memories Cousin.
Hi Cousin, I have a few memories of Lester Lucas’ store. I didn’t think you were old enough to remember it though. I’d love to find some old photos of him and the store. That would be awesome. Thanks for your visit today. Do stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My dad loved hoop cheese and we always had it. As a child, I did not fully appreciate the difference in good ole hoop cheese and cheddar cheese. I learned to like scrambled eggs when he cooked breakfast and would put chunks of the hoop cheese in the eggs. Delicious. We also had it for cheese toast. Thank you for your newsletter and for sharing your faith. I have been praying for our President, our country, and for the upcoming election. You have a blessed day!!
★★★★★
Steve,
Talk about memories! When you bought the cheese did you ask for a “Sawmill Slab”?. Had an old country store in Seagrove I’d stop by. He said Sawmill slab 1/4 -3/8 pound with crackers & a Pepsi was lunch at the local saw mill.
F.Y.I. if there is a B.J.’s near you see if you can get ahold of their Wellsley Farms brand cheese. Pretty close to hoop.
Jimmy
★★★★★
Hi Jimmy, I didn’t ask for the Sawmill Slab, hadn’t heard that one. But, I have been known to have the cheese, crackers and cola on more than one occasion. Good stuff. I am fortunate to have about 3 stores within 10 miles of me that sell hoop cheese. I’m just sorry it’s not more readily available around the country. Be Blessed!!! -Steve