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See why.Supermarket Brie
Think French pedigree and words like “triple crème” indicate the best examples of this cheese plate favorite? So did we—until we learned that good Brie is a matter of culture.
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See Everything We TestedWhat You Need To Know
A few decades ago, Brie was the pinnacle of sophistication on American cheese plates. Its longtime French reputation as the “cheese of kings,” coupled with its lush, buttery, not-too-pungent profile and velvety edible rind, made it at once fashionable and approachable. But Brie sold in America has changed over the years. The original name-protected versions have been banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for using raw milk, and these days most products found in supermarkets are produced domestically. You’re also increasingly likely to find specimens that are bland, rubbery, and encased in rinds as stiff as cardboard. And yet, if there was a creamy, satiny, richly flavorful Brie available in the average grocery store, we wanted to know about it. So we gathered 10 nationally available brands that ranged broadly in price (from $5.92 to $19.98 per pound), purposely selecting cheeses that spanned a variety of traits that we thought might affect flavor and texture—in particular, fat content (we included standard-fat, double, and triple crème cheeses), nationality (American or French), and format (some are sold as small wheels, others as wedges cut from larger wheels). We sampled the Bries plain at room temperature (the ideal serving temperature) and also baked into phyllo cups with dollops of red currant jelly to see how the cheeses behaved when heated.
Process of Elimination
We could tell just by handling the cheeses that their textures varied considerably: Wheels and wedges alike ranged from soft and pliable to almost rigid. When we tasted the cheeses, we found that their flavors varied just as much—some were “boring,” with “almost no flavor,” while others tasted “mushroomy” and “nutty-rich.” Heating the cheeses only underscored these differences: Fuller flavors intensified and creamier textures became even plusher, while bland cheeses tasted the same and barely melted at all. When we tallied the scores, we were pleased to find that we could recommend without reservation four out of the 10 cheeses—in particular, a standout wedge that embodied everything we want in Brie: a lush, buttery, full-flavored interior encased in a pillowy rind.
But surprisingly, factors like origin, price, and format had no bearing on our preferences. Though our favorite was a wedge from France, our runner-up was an 8-ounce wheel made in California. And a bargain wedge from Michigan outranked French Bries costing two or three times as much.
We also assumed that Bries labeled triple and double crème would taste richer and creamier than standard-fat cheeses—but that wasn’t always the case. Though cream is generally added to the milk when ma...
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
The runaway favorite in both tastings, this Brie boasts “nutty richness,” “ultracreamy” body, and a pillowy rind—all characteristics associated with traditional versions (though the manufacturer wouldn’t confirm the culturing process). As one taster put it, eating this cheese was “sheer pleasure.”
Recommended
The lone triple crème, this traditional Brie was “complex without being too pungent,” “tangy,” and “pleasantly earthy,” but moderately so, with a “slight funk” that tasters found pleasant. Even more appealing was its “silky,” “unctuous” texture that “almost melts in your mouth.”
This traditional Brie was aged up to twice as long as our other top scorers and offered “mushroomy” depth. Its texture was “beautifully runny,” “creamy,” and “so velvety.” But don’t mistake this for Brie de Meaux, one of just two name-protected Bries that are made in the Seine-et-Marne region of France according to strict laws.
Tasters praised this Brie’s “hint of ooze” and “good balance” of “tang” and “buttery flavor.” But what made it really stand out was its bargain price—one-third the cost of other recommended products.
Recommended with reservations
Though this stabilized Brie, with a “thick, dry rind,” was “pleasant” enough, the general consensus was that it was “unremarkable,” “bland,” and “boring.” As one taster said, “This could almost be American cheese.”
Some tasters loved the texture of this “plush,” “silky-smooth” Brie—traits that made us think it was a traditional version (the manufacturer wouldn’t confirm the style), but most found its flavor “sharp” and “almost sour.”
Tasters weren’t offended by this well-known Brie, but they weren’t impressed either. Most offered complaints about its “stiff,” “plasticky” texture; “chalky rind”; and flavor that was “nothing special” (features that made us assume it was a stabilized Brie). In other words, “it’s kind of boring” and “generic.”
“Mild” and “unremarkable,” this Brie (which we assumed was stabilized) “verged on bland.” As a result of its “bouncy” texture, the cheese remained “in firm little cubes” when we baked it in phyllo cups; tasters found this texture off-putting.
Not Recommended
With “almost no flavor” and a texture that was firm to the point of being “rubbery,” this “boring” Brie reminded tasters of “Velveeta” or “American cheese with a rind.” “What’s the point?” one taster asked.
The “funky,” “barnyardy” flavors of this Brie are often prized in France, but most of our tasters found them too strong. They also objected to the cheese’s “sticky,” “gluey” consistency, which was especially evident when it was baked in phyllo cups.
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.
Kate Shannon
Kate is a deputy editor for ATK Reviews. She's a culinary school graduate and former line cook and cheesemonger.