Whether you're melting cheese for nachos or for tricky-to-make chili cheese fries, the oozy dairy product has the power to elevate pretty much any dish it's added to. But, and it's a big but, how you melt that cheese makes all the difference between gooey greatness and an oily disaster. Sure, the microwave is a quick fix when you're craving melted cheese in a hurry. But more often than not, you end up with a bowl that looks as though it's been through a cheesy apocalypse. This is all the fault of the microwave overheating the cheese, causing its proteins to detach from the fat and moisture. The result is a disappointingly greasy, rubbery mess.
On the molecular level, cheese is mainly made of milk and its protein, casein, which helps milk clump together to create curds. When you heat cheese, the casein proteins break apart, allowing it to melt. But if you push it too far -- like microwaving it on a high setting -- you'll pass the cheese's melting point, which may be low. Cheddar, for instance, melts at around 150 degrees Fahrenheit, as does Swiss. When heat is involved, the proteins in some cheeses can go rogue. Instead of melting into a smooth, velvety consistency, you just get a messy glob of oil.
The key to perfectly melted cheese in the microwave is patience. To prevent that sad, chunky mess, you want to melt cheese slowly, and at a low temperature. All you need to do is follow a few key steps, and you can achieve the gooey results you're after every time.