tranum

Never made homemade, have a recipe from the web, but would like yours. I have a craving!!

toverly

Just made a large bowl this afternoon. I buy sharp cheddar cheese in the block and grate it. I don't use bagged shredded because it has something on it that keeps it from softening. Use a large jar of pimentos, juice and all and then add Hellman's mayonnaise to blend it in. It gets better and better the longer it hangs around. Sometimes the cheese absorbs the mayo and you had to add more to keep it loose. I don't heat mine and I keep it covered in the refrigerator.

Thus said, there are so many ways to make it that almost all are good. My Sister in law uses Velveeta and cream cheese and melts hers together. My mom always added sugar. It all depends upon what you like.

tranum

thanks! Will make this, how much cheese do you use or just until it looks right? Always shred my own cheese after I found it tastes much better and different than package shredded. Eventually I learned something like sawdust (cellulose) is added to keep shreds from sticking in a glob. Ewww!

I decided I'm making my own after pricing it at store today!

toverly

No set amount of anything. We like it around here so I usually make about a pound of cheese with the large pimento jar. The mayonnaise is a stir in and see. You are right the cellulose is what messes up the shredded cheese. But I have used it in a pinch.

beckyboo1

When we were kids, Mom made pimento cheese with Velveeta, pickle relish, pimentos and mayonnaise.

BCM

I do exactly what toverly does!! Sometimes I do use different brands of mayo--I have no favorite mayo so buy what is on sale. I don't measure the mayo, but mix to a consistency that I like. Sometimes I put a dash of red pepper in bowl--depending on the crowd I'm serving.

marge954

1 lb. cheddar cheese (I use 8 oz. block of medium & 8 oz. block of sharp), 7 oz. jar pimento, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt (I use 1/2 teaspoon), 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/2 cup mayor. Grate cheese on coarse side of grater or put through food processor. Take half of cheese out of food processor. In food processor add just the pimentos (reserve liquid to add at the end), sugar, salt, vinegar and mayo. Pulse processor until you have a smooth paste. Add 1/2 of the liquid from pimento jar and pulse a couple of times. Add rest of cheese back in and pulse just a couple of times. You are mixing, not making more paste. Check to see if it needs more liquid. If you need to add more liquid it's best to dump it in a bowl and stir in liquid until you have a spreadable pimento cheese. This makes 32 ounces of pimento cheese. Enjoy!
I got this recipe from my grandmother and have been making it for 40 years. I sent my eight year old son over to her house to write down the recipe. He's now in his 40's and every time I look at this worn piece of notebook paper I get teary eyed because I miss my grandmother and miss that little boy.

ladydukes

Another thing you can use instead of pimentos is roasted red peppers. They come in a jar or you can roast your own (which I do in summer when I grow red bell peppers, then put them up to use all year long).

A while back I started using roasted red peppers instead of pimentos because they have more flavor. I chop roasted red peppers in potato salad instead of pimentos as well.

cpower

I like the idea of roasted red peppers! I also add jalapeņos to mine, but that's the Texas girl in me. The Bunco group I belong to loves it when I bring this with French bread toasted!

lawsonmugs

When I make mine I sometimes add a few sliced black olives and a dash of onion powder. Otherwise it's the basic recipe everyone else seems to use. Good luck and enjoy.