Pimento cheese that holds its own

Cold, sharp acidity or restrained whiskey both cut the cheddar fat.

Dry Riesling; bourbon old-fashioned kept light on sugar; ginger-lime soda with a pinch of salt.

Holds 4–5 days cold. After about 90 minutes at room temperature the texture starts to suffer.

• Sharp cheddar12 oz
• Diced pimentos4 oz
• Mayonnaise0.5 cups
• Cream cheese2 oz
• Onion1 ea
• Dijon mustard0.5 tbsp

Multiplying the ingredients is the easy half. These are the parts of the recipe that the batch count does not move.

Cooking time

Nothing cooks, so batch size does not change a cooking time. Chilling does not scale either — it is set by the depth of the container, so a double batch in one deep tub takes far longer than two shallow ones.

1. Read the whole method before you shop. This is a planning recipe for pimento cheese that holds its own, not a certified kitchen test.
2. Amounts below are one batch: 10 portions. Build a plan and this card scales itself to it.
3. This dish can be completed up to 2 days ahead. Cold storage is the real limit — do not make it ahead if the fridge is already tight.
4. No heat. Assemble from cold ingredients. Keep covered until service.
5. Holds about 90 minutes once finished. After that, quality drops — do not invent extra time.
6. Drink pairing: Dry Riesling; bourbon old-fashioned kept light on sugar; ginger-lime soda with a pinch of salt.
7. Leftover route: Holds 4–5 days cold. After about 90 minutes at room temperature the texture starts to suffer.
8. Confirm every ingredient and every allergen yourself. Dietary tags are planning filters, not safety guarantees.