What Is The Difference Between Large & Small Curd Cottage Cheese?

A cheese where curd and cream are combined is cottage cheese. This is a fresh cheese and is formed when your milk is curdled by acid and the resultant texture is mixed up with cream.

This cottage cheese is popularly categorized as large curd cottage cheese and small curd cottage cheese depending on their texture and flavor. As compared to small curd cheese, the taste, and texture of large curd cheese are superior, making it one of the most desired cheese varieties.

The mode of preparation also plays a huge role in determining whether the curd cheese is large or small. It is a known fact that for milk to start coagulating into curd, the presence of acid or enzymes is required.

Cottage Cheese Small Curd vs Large Curd – Are They Healthier?

This enzyme is different for large cheese and small cheese curd. In the large cheese curd, an enzyme named rennet is used while small cheese curds are prepared without rennet. This rennet can be extracted either from animals or plants depending on your preference.

These rennets work on converting milk into curd and help in the separation of whey into curd. These enzymes drain the whey portion out and leave the curd behind. To turn this curd into cottage cheese, a proportion of cream is added. 

The process of coagulating milk to curd differs based on whether a rennet or non-rennet enzyme is added and in addition to changing the texture of the cottage cheese, this rennet also plays a huge role in shifting the taste of the cottage curd cheese.

Rennet works effectively in shortening the span of coagulation and hence the resultant cottage cheese is usually less acidic and this makes your curd size large. When rennet is added, your cottage cheese will be less acidic and you can feel the taste of curd predominantly, making the large curd cheese a preferred option by many.

As the name indicates, the large curd cottage cheese has huge chunks of curd as compared to the small curd cottage cheese. Large curd cheese is a full-fat cheese while small curd cheese has a lesser fat content. The presence of whey is less in a large curd cheese as compared to small cottage cheese.

Large curd cheese has a low moisture content while small curd cottage cheese has a huge moisture content. Compared to a large curd cheese which is dry, a small curd cheese has a smooth and creamy texture making it effective for people who have problems with faster digestion.

If you are experiencing lower metabolism or your digestion is not intact, a small curd cheese will be ideal for you. The low moisture content and the dry nature of large cottage cheese prolong its span and make the aging process slower. You can store a large cottage cheese for a longer duration as compared to the small curd cottage cheese. 

When it comes to taste, a large curd cottage cheese has a tangier taste as compared to a small cheese which has a neutral taste. Although a small curd cottage cheese is creamy in texture as compared to the large curd cheese, the absence of whey content in a large curd cottage cheese increases the fat content same.

Small curd cottage cheese has an increased proportion of whey in them and this boosts its protein content as compared to the large curd cottage cheese. The presence of low fat and high protein makes small curd cottage cheese a low-calorie cheese and this ensures it is ideal for consumption even when you are following a weight loss routine and are indulging in a low-calorie diet. 

Since small cottage cheese is creamy in texture, the same is often used for baking purposes as compared to a large curd cheese that is dry and can be used for making a crisp snack. Most often a large curd cheese is used as a topping and a small curd cheese is used as a main ingredient. 

Also, Read Best Recipes To Go With Cottage Cheese – Easy To Make Recipes!

Conclusion

In general, cottage cheese is stored in an airtight container in a cool area, preferably a refrigerator at 40-45 degrees Celsius and once you open the package of cottage cheese it is advisable to use it within a week.

However, the presence of low moisture content and the dry texture of a large curd cottage cheese ensures it has a longer shelf life as compared to a small curd cottage cheese.

Both large and small curd cottage cheese have health benefits and depending on your health, metabolism, and body type you can choose the curd cheese which is ideal for you.

Multiple cuisines are effectively created today with the usage of both large curd cottage cheese and small curd cottage cheese making it a healthy, tasty, and delicious evening snack option.