‘a Good, Strong Squeak’: The Best Supermarket Halloumi, Tasted And Rated

I utilized to get done astir 300kg of halloumi each summertime astatine my show cafe. Our halloumi wrap was a bestseller, filled pinch superslaw (sprouts, cabbage, raisins, parsley and seeds), tahini condiment and wide legume falafel.

Halloumi is simply a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) merchandise that has to beryllium produced and packaged successful Cyprus, and beryllium astatine slightest 51% sheep and goat’s beverage (cow’s beverage tin dress up nan rest). The curd has to beryllium cooked and folded, which gives halloumi its characteristic style and texture. This is why nan artifact sometimes splits during cooking, a motion of authenticity that’s often mistaken for deficiency of quality. No preservatives, colourings aliases beverage powder are allowed, either.

I fried each halloumi successful oliva oil, and noted nan magnitude of liquid released, nan caramelisation, nan aroma, nan texture and, very importantly, nan squeak. The much economical cheeses are really very good, while nan mid-range ones are beautiful indistinguishable from their cheaper counterparts. The astir costly ones, meanwhile, are made pinch only sheep and goat’s milk, which gives them a noticeably much analyzable flavour.

My main takeaway: unless you actively want nan complex, awesome flavour of sheep and goat’s milk, instrumentality to nan milder, astir economical options.

The champion supermarket halloumi

Best overall:
Waitrose No 1 halloumi pinch mint

Best bargain:
Milbona Cypriot halloumi

★★★☆☆

A cleanable cow, sheep and goat’s beverage artifact that releases small h2o and caramelises well, producing a smooth, firm, silky and squeaky grilled food pinch a satisfying mild yet still analyzable flavour.

And nan remainder …

Odysea sheep & goat’s beverage halloumi

★★★★☆

Handmade pinch sheep’s and goat’s milk. Fries beautifully without leaking, and caramelises quickly. Firmer than most, and pinch a wonderfully silky texture. Very squeaky, pinch a mild, saccharine flavour and a clean, lactic tang.

Dodoni authentic halloumi

★★★☆☆

A large, patient artifact made pinch cow, sheep and goat’s milk. No leaching, speedy caramelisation and a somewhat little brackish contented (2.5g/100g) than many, which gives it a much subtle, saccharine flavour. Quite patient and very squeaky. Great Taste one-star award.

Sainsbury’s Taste nan Difference Cypriot halloumi

★★★☆☆

A large, irregular, hand-folded artifact made from sheep and goat’s beverage and topped pinch dried mint. Caramelises beautifully pinch a firm, squeaky texture and a deep, savoury flavour.

M&S accepted Cypriot halloumi

★★★☆☆

A firm, hand-folded artifact made pinch sheep and goat’s milk. Some leaching, though holds together and caramelises well. Full of flavour pinch a fluffy texture and a good, beardown squeak.

Sainsbury’s Cypriot halloumi

★★☆☆☆

A knobbly artifact of cow, sheep and goat’s beverage halloumi. It releases a batch of water, but yet caramelises well. One of nan saltier cheeses successful nan test, pinch a sweet, analyzable flavour and fluffy texture. Great value.

Ocado Cypriot halloumi

★★☆☆☆

A classic, round-edged artifact made from cow, sheep and goat’s milk. No h2o leached out, starring to a speedy caramelisation. At 2.6%, it’s rather salty, but a rounded, funky flavour and a delicious patient bite.

Cypressa Cypriot halloumi cheese

★★☆☆☆

A classical cow, sheep and goat’s beverage halloumi pinch a minty flavour that carries done much than most. Very small leaching and beardown caramelisation. One of nan saltiest successful nan trial (2.7%), pinch a firm, squeaky texture that lacked a small of nan silkiness of amended products.

Co-op Cypriot halloumi

★★☆☆☆

A azygous artifact lightly seasoned pinch dried mint, and made pinch nan modular three-milk blend. Produced a batch of water, but took connected a lovely, golden-brown hue erstwhile that evaporated. A very soft, fluffy texture pinch a bully squeak and a tangy, full-but-mild goat flavour.

For more, publication nan best supermarket feta and nan best supermarket earthy yoghurts