My Chedar Doesn't melt. They should use it for Insulation OMG

[keju]

Hi All,
I have made a couple of cheddars now, and tried to melt them to make melty welty nice cheese e.g. put on toast.
After greating the cheese, then trying to melt it in a microwave or a pan, the greated cheese is acting more like indestructible flame retardant, keeping it's shape, simply becoming warmer and perhaps more like a haloumi...........
Am I expecting the wrong thing of my grated cheddar that it should melt when heated ?

[Duntov]

Did you use acid or rennet to coagulate the milk?  If by acid, the cheese will not melt.  And possibly the citric acid you added to the annatto mixture may be the cause.

https://bodrumnyc.com/cheese-melt/

[River Bottom Farm]

If they don't melt you have an acidity problem with your cheddar. Can you offer any details of the make? What is the texture before grating?

[keju]

I made this to the curd nerd recipe, coagulated with rennet, and in this case I didn't add any colour.
Before grating it was a firm texture, perhaps a little "dry" feeling. It did grate really well actually.
Not sure what else to tell about it.............
Is it possible that too much rennet has caused this flame proof cheese ?

[awakephd]

Give us the whole make protocol - maybe something will stand out as the cause.

[River Bottom Farm]

If you cut a slice of the cheese does it flake off and crumble easily? If so the pH likely went too low during the make or the aging process.