MyTastr

Best pepper Jack, according to chefs

Two picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from J. Kenji López-Alt and Emily Hunt. Recommendations come from seriouseats.com and tastingtable.com.

Dairy & Cold · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Cabot Pepper Jack

    Chosen by
    The “runaway winner” of a blind tasting of eight pepper Jacks (7.3/10), and “the only brand we’d heartily recommend with no reservations.” It “melted like a dream, with a creamy, oozy texture and a tart, well-developed flavor that resembled a good cheddar,” with “plenty of spice.” A Vermont dairy co-op, sold nationwide.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗
  2. 2

    Tillamook Pepper Jack

    Chosen by
    The most flavorful of Tillamook’s three Jacks: “The jalapeño flavor is very smooth and comes through equally throughout the cheese,” on a “buttery, creamy” base. “Worth a special trip to the store.” An Oregon co-op, sold nationwide.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: tastingtable.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best pepper Jack, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Cabot Pepper Jack, chosen by J. Kenji López-Alt (Serious Eats). The “runaway winner” of a blind tasting of eight pepper Jacks (7.3/10), and “the only brand we’d heartily recommend with no reservations.” It “melted like a dream, with a creamy, oozy texture and a tart, well-developed flavor that resembled a good cheddar,” with “plenty of spice.” A Vermont dairy co-op, sold nationwide. Source: seriouseats.com ↗
What are the other top picks for pepper Jack?
No. 2 is Tillamook Pepper Jack, chosen by Emily Hunt (Tasting Table). Only two picks cleared the bar so far. Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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