Homemade Gouda cheese for lovers of healthy home-cooked food. Cooking Gouda cheese: a simple recipe with photos step by step

The Gouda cheese that we will prepare today comes from the small town of the same name in the south of Holland. Now this place attracts many tourists every year; fairs are held here every week, where everyone can buy a fragrant wheel of cheese. This cheese is very popular due to its pleasant delicate taste; it is an integral attribute festive table. It is added to salads, pizza, and used as a snack. So, how to make Gouda cheese, what recipe should you choose?

Gouda cheese (photo):

Proper preparation of Gouda cheese

Preparatory process

If you are not afraid of the difficulties of cooking, then why not make Gouda cheese, which is tender and piquant in taste, with a characteristic pungency. To do this you will need a large 16 liter saucepan, 2 cheese molds with a capacity of 1 kg, a press, and cheese wax or a shrink bag for the packaging in which you place finished product for ripening. Well, you will also need patience, since this cheese is aged for at least 60 days, and preferably more.

Ingredients: farm milk – 15 l; mesophilic sourdough containing lactobacilli - half a tsp, 4 g each calcium chloride in liquid and natural form rennet. To prepare the brine you need: 1 liter of boiled chilled water and 200 g of salt. From 15 liters of milk you will get 2 kilograms of excellent Dutch cheese.

Gouda cheese - step by step preparation

Making sourdough

Let's start cooking. First, let's heat the milk, for this it is better to arm yourself with a special thermometer, because we need a certain temperature - 32 degrees. Turn off the stove immediately or set the pan on a cold burner. Pour out the starter. Using a slotted spoon, stir the milk from bottom to top several times.

Then in 50 g of water room temperature dilute a dose of calcium chloride, and only then add it to the milk. Mix in the same way. We do the same with rennet - dilute it in water and add it to milk, stir again from bottom to top. Let the milk ferment until a homogeneous curd forms. This usually takes 45-60 minutes. Armed with a knife, we cut the dense clot into fractions, first along, then across. The cubes are approximately one and a half centimeters in size.

Forming cheese heads

The next step is to constantly stir the contents for 5 minutes. In doing so, you will be able to see that cheese grain decreases. Leave the pan to stand for a few minutes. When the grain of cheese sinks to the bottom, carefully drain one and a half liters of liquid from the pan using a ladle, and instead pour in the same amount of water heated to 65 degrees. Now knead the contents again, only for 10 minutes, after which the mass should settle to the bottom. If the curdled grains are still floating on the surface, stir a little more, then wait, they will definitely fall down.

We remove 5 liters of whey from the container with a ladle, pour in the same amount of water, the temperature of which is 45 degrees. Knead even longer – 20 minutes. The grain is constantly decreasing in size. After this time, leave the mass alone for about 5 minutes. Now the whey needs to be poured through the cheese mold so that it warms up a little, and the mass is compacted as best as possible. Cover the cheese with a lid on top cheese mold and put it under pressure.

Pressing

The pressing process is also not easy - first the cheese is pressed for half an hour with a load of 4 kg. If you do not have special weights, then use bottles filled with water. The weight of water is directly proportional to its volume, that is, 1 liter is equal to 1 kg. After which the weight of the load is increased to 6 kg and the cheese is kept in this form for 1 hour. We take the cheese out of the mold, turn it over to the other side and cover it again. We increase the load to 8 kg and keep the cheese under this pressure for 2 hours. Now the cheese wheels are completely free of whey residues, next we will salt them.

Salting the cheese heads

Prepare the brine and immerse the cheese heads in it for 12-15 hours, remembering to turn them over periodically. After this time, remove the cheese and dry it with napkins. Drying of cheese heads is carried out on a drainage mat or mesh at room temperature for 3 days. Be sure to move the heads on one side or the other so that they dry evenly. When a crust forms on the cheese, it can be sealed in cheese wax by first melting it in a water bath. You can use a shrink bag.

Aging

The cheese is kept in this form at a temperature of 8-15 degrees for at least 60 days. A cellar or basement is a very suitable place to age cheese. High humidity is also a favorable condition for the ripening of Dutch Gouda cheese. After two months of aging, this cheese is considered young. Its taste is soft, delicate and unobtrusive. If the product is aged for up to 6 months, it acquires sharpness and piquancy. The longest-ripening gouda is called “Dutch Master”; it is aged for 12 months. It tastes hot and spicy. Leave your Gouda cheese to age for as long as you like.

As you can see, anyone can make Gouda cheese at home if they can get it. necessary ingredients for sourdough, as well as cheese forms. It is equally important to have a suitable place where the product will mature. If you don't have such a place, a refrigerator will do. Enjoy the cooking process, and then the result of your labors.

Gouda is the most famous cheese Holland durum, which is considered one of the most popular in the world. Taste - creamy, sweetish-nutty, rich, intensifies as it ripens; texture - dense, granular, brittle; eyes - oval shape; color - yellow or caramel. The crust of more expensive types is waxy, while the cheaper ones are latex. The fat content of Gouda cheese is 48-51%.

Features of making Gouda cheese

Gouda cheese is made from cow's milk fat content 3.7-3.9%. Also, sheep or goat milk. The composition includes various additives- cloves and cumin, smoke the cheese after ripening. The weight of finished heads, made in the shape of a cylinder, can be 6 and 12 kg.

All processes are carried out in the cheese manufacturer. The raw materials are pasteurized at a temperature of +72°C for 20 seconds. Cool to +30°C, ferment with rennet elements and calcium chloride solution, and separate the whey. Cut the curd curd into cheese grains.

The following process is very important to obtain delicate taste- wash the cottage cheese, washing out the lactic acid. The Dutch in the Middle Ages used unpasteurized milk, A curd mass washed sea water. This made it possible to obtain cheeses with pungent taste. Now we use lightly salted distillate with a temperature of +65°C.

Liquid saltpeter is added to the cheese maker, the intermediate raw material is cooled to +36°C, and stirred for about half an hour. It is transported through pipes to a molding apparatus, where a layer of cheese is formed. Gradually increasing the pressure, pressing is carried out, draining the whey.

The layer is cut into separate blocks, placed in molds for pressing and dried, turning over several times. Future heads are soaked in saline solution and covered with a polymer film. Gouda cheese is a self-ripening variety. They are left to walk, creating the following conditions: temperature - +12°C, humidity - 75%.

The cost of Gouda cheese depends on the degree of aging and place of production. The product, produced under industrial conditions, is offered to the consumer at a price of 270-800 rubles/kg, depending on the degree of aging. Real Dutch aged cheese costs from 1,400 rubles. for 1 kg.

When making Gouda cheese at home, you need to prepare a starter (for 15 liters of milk):

Mesophilic culture - 1/2 tsp;
Rennet in solution form - 3/4 tsp;
Calcium chloride - 3/4 tsp.

Features of making Gouda cheese:

The milk is heated to 30°C, the mesophilic starter is introduced, after 3 minutes it is mixed from top to bottom with a slotted spoon, and left for 30 minutes. Dilute the remaining components for curdling separately in 3 tbsp. l. cold water, pour into milk.
After 1 hour, cut the layer into cheese grains measuring 1.5x1.5 cm. When the cubes settle on their own, mix the whey with a slotted spoon. This process is repeated several times.
The whey is poured out, and the grains are washed with water heated to 60°C. Then the excess moisture is drained.
The cheese grains are laid out in molds for pressing, placed on a pallet, the surface is covered with drainage mats and a weight of at least 4 kg is installed. They press for 30 minutes, drain the whey from the tray, turn the molds over and leave to press again - the weight of the load is doubled.
After 8-10 hours, the heads are immersed in brine for 30-40 minutes. Remove, remove excess moisture with a cotton towel and leave to dry for 2 days at room temperature (not higher than 22°C). If all processes are completed correctly and temperature regime has not been disturbed, mold will not occur.
A yellow shiny color should form on the surface. cheese crust. It is covered with a film and dipped into melted wax.
So that homemade Gouda cheese tastes like... original product, for maturation you need to create special conditions. Usually the heads are placed in the cellar.

You can taste cheese no earlier than after 2-3 months. From 15 kg of raw materials, 2 kg of the final product is obtained.

Composition and calorie content of Gouda cheese

The nutritional value of the product depends on the degree of ripening, the quality and type of raw materials, and flavoring additives.

Calorie content of classic Gouda cheese is 356 kcal, of which:

Proteins - 24.9 g;
Fats - 27.4 g;
Carbohydrates - 2.2 g;
Ash - 3.94 g;
Water - 41.46 g.

Vitamins per 100 g:

Vitamin A - 165 mcg;
Retinol - 0.164 mg;
Beta Carotene - 0.01 mg;
Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.03 mg;
Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.334 mg;
Vitamin B4, choline - 15.4 mg;
Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 0.34 mg;
Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.08 mg;
Vitamin B9, folate - 21 mcg;
Vitamin B12, cobalamin - 1.54 mcg;
Vitamin D, calciferol - 0.5 mcg;
Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol - 0.5 mcg;
Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol - 0.24 mg;
Vitamin K, phylloquinone - 2.3 mcg;
Vitamin PP - 0.063 mg.

Macroelements per 100 g:

Potassium, K - 121 mg;
Calcium, Ca - 700 mg;
Magnesium, Mg - 29 mg;
Sodium, Na - 819 mg;
Phosphorus, P - 546 mg.

Microelements per 100 g:

Iron, Fe - 0.24 mg;
Manganese, Mn - 0.011 mg;
Copper, Cu - 36 μg;
Selenium, Se - 14.5 μg;
Zinc, Zn - 3.9 mg.

Regardless of the recipe, Gouda cheese always contains fatty acids:

Omega-3 - supports the functioning of the nervous and of cardio-vascular system, increases vascular tone and prevents the development of depression.
Omega-6 - maintains cholesterol levels in the blood and increases local immunity of the skin.
Omega-9 - prevents the development of diabetes and stimulates the production of hormones.
Palmitic acid - increases calcium absorption and prevents the development of age-related changes.
Linoleic acid - increases the density of cell membranes and blood vessel walls.
Linolenic acid - has a fat burning effect.

Note! Whatever recipe you use to make Gouda cheese, one of the processes is washing the curds. Thanks to this, lactose is washed out, and the milk protein casein is absorbed much easier. Even with regular use the load on the digestive system does not increase.

Useful properties of Gouda cheese

This product quickly restores reserve nutrients in organism. 100 g of cheese contains 10 times more nutrients and minerals than 1 liter of whole milk.

Benefits of Gouda cheese:

Prevents the development of osteoporosis, strengthens bone tissue of the musculoskeletal system, and stops the leaching of calcium from the body.
Reduces blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Accelerates peristalsis, creates favorable conditions to increase the life cycle of lacto- and bifidobacteria that colonize the lumen of the small intestine.
Improves the condition of skin, hair and nails.
Stabilizes the functioning of the cardiovascular, visual and nervous systems.
Helps get rid of chronic fatigue and speeds up falling asleep.
Eating Gouda cheese will prevent the development of depression and increase stress resistance.

There are no restrictions on the introduction of the product into the diet for young children, pregnant women and women during lactation. For older people, it will help slow down age-related changes, stay alert and recover from exacerbations of chronic diseases.

To increase beneficial features Gouda cheese, it is better to eat it in the morning, pre-heated to room temperature.

Contraindications and harms of Gouda cheese

When introducing a product into the diet for the first time, individual intolerance may occur. Most often, allergies appear if preference is given to a variety with additives or using smoking.

Gouda cheese can cause harm only if abused:

for diseases whose symptoms are increased pressure and the formation of edema - hypertension, exacerbation of chronic pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis;
for stomach and duodenal ulcers, gastritis with high acidity;
with renal failure.

But absolute contraindications the above diseases are not.

You should not rely on this product if you are obese - it is too high calorie content will lead to rapid weight gain. If you can’t give up your favorite food, it is advisable to choose a low-calorie option - 20% fat.

Recipes with Gouda cheese

Unlike other varieties, Gouda cheese goes well not only with fruits and wines, but also with beer. The type of drink is chosen based on the age of the product and the characteristics of preparation. Aged is used as a snack for ale and Belgian beer, smoked - with porter, young - with champagne, mature - served with port wine or Riesling. Chefs use cheese for cooking various dishes- salads, hot dishes and sauces.

Recipes with Gouda cheese:

Pizza. Knead the dough: 350 g wheat flour, a glass of warm boiled water, a little salt, 1 egg and 1 tsp. instant yeast. As soon as the mixture stops sticking to your hands, leave it to stand for 30 minutes and start filling. You can experiment with ingredients. One option: onions pickled in apple cider vinegar, bell pepper, tomatoes, grated Gouda cheese and boiled chicken. The mold is greased vegetable oil, lay out the rolled out dough, form the sides. Lubricate the layer with ketchup or tomato, lay out a layer of onion and pepper slices, chopped chicken, and tomatoes. Pour in a mixture of 2 beaten eggs, 2 tbsp. l. sour cream and the same amount of milk. Preheat the oven to 180°C, place the mold in it for 10 minutes, then take it out and sprinkle with grated Gouda. Bake for another 30-40 minutes.
Baked potato. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place cleanly washed potato tubers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with olive oil. Bake for 1 hour. Grate Gouda on a coarse grater, mix half the cheese with sour cream and finely chopped onions until paste-like. Salt and pepper. The tubers are cooled, cut in half, the center is removed with a spoon to make a depression, and the “puree” is mixed with cheese and sour cream puree. Place the potato halves on a baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese and put them back in the oven until you get a crispy crust.
Layered salad. 100 g Gouda, 1 boiled chicken fillet, 3 welded hard eggs cut into cubes and tomatoes into slices. Lay out in layers, season with mayonnaise and sprinkle with fried crushed pistachios.
Layered cake. Yeast-free puff pastry purchased in the store - 250 g, preheat the oven to 180°C. The dough is rolled out into 2 layers - the bottom one should be larger and thicker than the top one. Finely chop a bunch of coriander and green onions, several sprigs of dill, grated garlic - 1 clove. Mix the greens with cottage cheese - 400 g. Grease the baking sheet with oil, lay out the bottom layer, and the filling on it, calculating so that you can tuck the edges in and securely pinch the top layer of dough. Sprinkle the filling with grated Gouda - 100 g, close the pie. Bake until the top crust is browned. This usually takes 15 minutes.

The first documentary mention of this variety dates back to 1184. There is an assumption that it got its name in honor of the Gauwe River, on the banks of which a city with almost the same name was built - Gouda.

But this does not mean at all that the first homemade Gouda cheese was made in this town. Recipes for production appeared much earlier, but residents of this province of the Netherlands received the exclusive right to produce and sell the product. Subsequently, a market was organized in the city of Gouda where farmers sold cheese.

The cheese market is still open. Each head is carried out by special porters wearing hats in the colors of the market areas. Previously, their work was much harder: the heads could “pull” a hundredweight or more - up to 160 kg. Now the maximum weight is a pound. Next, the variety is publicly evaluated, like on a stock exchange, and then, by slapping each other’s hands (a ritual called “handjeklap”), the price is announced. The market is not open every day, but on Thursdays from 10 to 12.30.

Of course, this is not the only fair in Holland now. Gouda is made by more than 300 private farms in this country. The Boerenkaas variety from unpasteurized raw materials has been separately patented. EU laws prohibit the production and sale of the Noord-Hollandse Gouda variety outside the Netherlands.

Interestingly, in Gouda’s homeland it is not customary to buy cheese pieces in a store. Farmers make cheese at home in such a size that it can be eaten in 2-3 days.

This variety is allowed to be produced in other countries, since the main name is not patented. Currently, production lines are installed in Germany, Russia and Ukraine. The color and taste of the product may differ, but real Dutch cheese is still unrivaled.

When purchasing Gouda, you need to pay attention to the quality of the product:

The heads must be dry; if moisture is released when pressed or condensation appears, the cheese has begun to deteriorate.
There are few eyes, they are small, round in shape with clear outlines, located approximately at the same level.

The voids under the crust indicate that protein concentrate was used as the starting material or the manufacturing technology was violated.

How to make Gouda cheese - watch the video:

You should not buy cheese for future use and freeze it in the freezer. You can store the whole head on a shelf at a temperature of +2°C-6°C for up to six months. But if you cut it, it is better to eat it within 3-4 days. If you put Gouda in a sealed package, the cheese will “suffocate”, just in plastic bag- will become moldy, and open product will quickly absorb foreign odors and lose its original taste.

Gouda is one of the varieties of the world famous Dutch cheese. This product received its name in honor of the Dutch city of Gouda, where it began to be sold before the 19th century. Subsequently, cheese production spread throughout the country.

This semi-hard cheese has a fat content of about 48-51%, a dense plastic structure and a uniform light yellow tint. Young Gouda has a very delicate taste, but with age this cheese acquires brighter flavor notes.

IN classic cheese Gouda varieties allow the formation of eyes of small size and regular shape. Young cheese is aged for about 2-5 months, and to obtain a more crumbly and savory product the ripening period is extended to 1.5 years. At home, it is not recommended to age cheese for more than 6 months.

Equipment

8 liter saucepan;
3 liter lavsan bag (you can use gauze);

Ingredients

8 liters of milk;
Mesophilic starter (optional):
- 1/8 tsp (0.18 g) Danisco Choozit MM 101 / MM 100 or MA 11
- 1/8 tsp (0.18 g) Hansen CHN-19
- 1/32 tsp (0.06 g) Uglich-4 or Uglich-5A. Optionally - Uglich-P (protection), Uglich-K (acceleration of ripening) - on the tip of the knife.
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) liquid rennet;
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) calcium chloride solution;
20% brine for salting cheese;
Cheese wax or latex coating.

Yield 10-12% - 0.8-1 kg of cheese.

Recipe

1. Pour milk into a saucepan and heat to 32°C, stirring occasionally to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom. Remove from heat.

2. Sprinkle the mesophilic starter evenly over the surface of the milk. Let sit for 3 minutes to allow the starter to absorb moisture. Then gently stir the entire volume of milk with a slotted spoon for 5 minutes from top to bottom. Cover and let the milk sit for 30 minutes to allow bacteria to grow.

3. Dilute a 10% solution of calcium chloride in 50 ml of water, add to milk and mix gently from top to bottom.

4. Dilute liquid rennet in 50 ml of water, add to milk, mix well so that the enzyme is distributed throughout the entire volume of milk.

5. Cover and leave for 45 minutes to form a curd.

6. After 45 minutes, a dense clot should form with the separation of transparent whey. If the curd is unstable and the whey does not separate, let the milk sit for another 5-15 minutes. Cut the curd into cubes with a side of approximately 1.5 cm. Leave for 5 minutes.

7. Next, you need to continuously slowly stir the mass for 5 minutes so that the cheese grain decreases. Let stand again for 5 minutes. The cheese grain should settle to the bottom of the pan and completely separate from the whey. If the cheese grains do not settle, stir for another 5 minutes, then leave for 5 minutes again to allow the grains to settle to the bottom of the pan.

8. Using a measuring cup, remove 0.7 liters of whey (this is approximately 10%) from the pan, carefully so as not to disturb the cheese mass. Instead of whey, pour 0.7 liters of water at a temperature of 65C into the pan so that the entire mass reaches a temperature of 33C. Stir the mixture for 10 minutes, then leave for 5 minutes so that the cheese grain settles.

9. Remove 30% of the whey (2.5 l) from the pan; the cheese grain should be slightly visible from the surface. Pour the same amount (2.5 liters) of water at a temperature of 45C into the pan, stir, check the temperature - it should be 37C.

10. Continuously stir the mixture slowly for 20 minutes. The cheese grain should be the size of a pea. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.

11. Pour the whey through the cheese pan until it warms up a bit.

12. Line the mold with gauze or insert a drainage bag, carefully so that there are as few wrinkles as possible. Knead the cheese mass with your hands; it quickly loses whey and thickens.

13. Close the top with the ends of the gauze, avoiding folds if possible. Place the lid on the mold.

14. Place the cheese under the press. Press with a weight of 2 kg for 30 minutes. Remove the cheese from the mold, remove the cheesecloth, and wrap it in cheesecloth again to prevent the folds from cutting into the cheese. Put it back into the mold and put it under the press. Press with a weight of 3 kg for 1 hour. Take out the cheese, re-wrap the cheesecloth and place under a press. Press with a weight of 4 kg for 2 hours.

15. Remove the cheese from the mold and place in 20% brine for 6-8 hours (3-4 hours for every 0.5 kg ready-made cheese). During this time, you need to turn the cheese once in the middle.

16. Remove from the brine, place on a drainage mat and leave the cheese at a temperature of 10-15⁰C for 3-5 days until the crust becomes dry. The cheese must be turned over every day to ensure even ripening and drying.

17. After this, cover the cheese with a latex coating or wax, or seal it in a shrink bag and set it to rest.

18. Before the cheese is ready, it must be kept for 1 month. goat cheese and 2 months for cow. For more aged cheeses, you can leave the cheese for up to 6 months. Don't forget to turn the cheese regularly (1-2 times a week)!

How to prepare 20% brine

Bring 4 liters of water to a boil, dissolve 1 kg rock salt. Cool to room temperature and strain or carefully drain so that any dirt from the salt (if any) remains at the bottom. Add 5 ml of 6% vinegar, 5 g of dry calcium chloride or 40 ml of 10% calcium chloride solution. The brine can be used several times.

Gouda cheese recipe

In classic Gouda cheese, the formation of eyes of small size and regular shape is allowed. Young cheese is aged for about 2-5 months, and in order to obtain a more crumbly and piquant product, the ripening period is extended to 1.5 years. At home, it is not recommended to age cheese for more than 6 months.

Equipment

Ingredients

16 l. milk;
Mesophilic starter (optional):
- 1/4 tsp (0.45 g) Danisco Choozit MM 101 / MM 100 or MA 11
- 1/4 tsp (0.45 g) Hansen CHN-19
- 1/32 tsp (0.3 g) Uglich-4 or Uglich-5A. Optional - Uglich-P (protection), Uglich-K (acceleration of ripening).
3/4 tsp. (4 g) liquid rennet;
3/4 tsp. (4 g) calcium chloride solution;
20% brine for salting cheese;
Cheese wax or latex coating.

· Yield 10-12% - 1.6-2 kg of cheese.

Recipe

1. Pour milk into a saucepan and heat to 32°C, stirring occasionally to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom. Remove from heat.

3. Dilute a 10% solution of calcium chloride in 50 ml of water, add to milk and mix gently from top to bottom.

4. Dilute liquid rennet in 50 ml of water, add to milk, mix well so that the enzyme is distributed throughout the entire volume of milk.

5. Cover and leave for 45 minutes to form a curd.

8. Using a measuring cup, remove 1.5 liters of whey (this is approximately 10%) from the pan, carefully so as not to disturb the cheese mass. Instead of whey, pour 1.5 liters of water at a temperature of 65C into a saucepan so that the entire mass reaches a temperature of 33C. Stir the mixture for 10 minutes, then leave for 5 minutes so that the cheese grain settles.

9. Remove 30% of the whey (5 l) from the pan; the cheese grain should be slightly visible from the surface. Pour the same amount (5 liters) of water at a temperature of 45C into the pan, stir, check the temperature - it should be 37C.

10. Continuously stir the mixture slowly for 20 minutes. The cheese grain should be the size of a pea. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.

11. Pour the whey through the cheese pan until it warms up a bit.

12. Line the mold with gauze or insert a drainage bag, carefully so that there are as few wrinkles as possible. Knead the cheese mass with your hands; it quickly loses whey and thickens.

13. Close the top with the ends of the gauze, avoiding folds if possible. Place the lid on the mold.

14. Place the cheese under the press. Press with a weight of 4 kg for 30 minutes. Remove the cheese from the mold, remove the cheesecloth, and wrap it in cheesecloth again to prevent the folds from cutting into the cheese. Put it back into the mold and put it under the press. Press with a weight of 6 kg for 1 hour. Take out the cheese, re-wrap the cheesecloth and place under a press. Press with a weight of 8 kg for 2 hours.

15. Remove the cheese from the mold and place in 20% brine for 12-16 hours (3-4 hours for every 0.5 kg of finished cheese). During this time, you need to turn the cheese once in the middle.

17. After this, cover the cheese with a latex coating or wax, or seal it in a shrink bag and set it to rest.

18. Before the cheese is ready, it must be aged for 1 month for goat cheese and 2 months for cow cheese. For more aged cheeses, you can leave the cheese for up to 6 months. Don't forget to turn the cheese regularly (1-2 times a week)!

How to prepare 20% brine

Bring 4 liters of water to a boil, dissolve 1 kg of rock salt. Cool to room temperature and strain or carefully drain so that any dirt from the salt (if any) remains at the bottom. Add 5 ml of 6% vinegar, 5 g of dry calcium chloride or 40 ml of 10% calcium chloride solution. The brine can be used several times.

Gouda cheese originates from the Netherlands, but is now produced in many countries. By the way, in Russia it is successfully replaced by the well-known Kostroma cheese, which in properties and composition is practically no different from Gouda.

Gouda cheese is similar to Edam cheese, but it is firmer and produced in larger heads.

Gouda - light cheese with a soft creamy taste. The more mature the cheese, the more its character changes. It acquires a stronger aroma and becomes drier. A special variety of this cheese is “Dutch Master,” which matures for almost a year.

The rind of Gouda cheese is thin, dry, smooth, and light gray to gray-green in color.

The cheese dough is white to yellowish in color, matte, not waxy.

The structure of Gouda cheese at home is hard and elastic. Round or oval eyes, evenly distributed throughout the cheese dough.

The taste and aroma are not spicy, turning into spicy, but not sour.

How to make Gouda cheese

To prepare Gouda cheese with 50% fat content use whole milk 3.75-3.9% fat content and high hygienic quality.

Short-term high-temperature pasteurization at 72°C for 15-20 s is used as heat treatment. In some regions, flash heating to 75°C is used. Cool the milk to 31°C.

Add 0.02% (in the form of a 35% solution), as well as 0.005% sodium nitrate to inhibit the development of gas-forming bacteria.

In winter or early spring, add 1-2 ml of annatto or carotene per 100 liters of milk. To produce cheeses with a more intense color, use 20-25 ml of annatto per 100 liters of milk.

As a starter, 0.5-1% (on average 0.8%) of the starter culture is added at a temperature of 31°C. Lactococcus lactissubsp is used at different enterprises. lactis, L. Lactis subsp. lactis biovar, diacetylactis and Leuconostocmesenteroides subsp. cremoris.

Rennet is added in an amount sufficient to obtain a curd ready for cutting within 25-30 minutes; Usually 0.8 - 1.2 g of CHY-MAX ExtraPowder rennet is added per 100 liters of milk. At a temperature of 28-30°C and acidity of 0.19-0.20%.

The clot is cut within 10-15 minutes into cubes 0.5-1.5 cm in size using knives with steel blades or a harp.

Knead to dry and prevent the cheese grain from settling.

Knead for 20-30 minutes, then leave; after the cheese grain settles, 30% of the whey is removed.

Add water (at a temperature not higher than 80°C), heating the cheese mass to 36-38°C (possibly up to 32-40°C).

Stir continuously for 15-20 minutes while adding hot water, and then for another 20-30 minutes.

The cheese grain is left to settle to the bottom of the bath, and then the resulting layer is pressed using steel plates.

The whey is removed after compacting the cheese mass.

Molding is carried out at a pH of 5.85-6.05, using wooden or plastic molds consisting of 2 parts.

The cheese mass is cut in the bath. The cheeses are wrapped in a napkin, placed in a mold, covered with a lid on top and transferred under a press.

You can buy a mold for Gouda cheese in the online store with delivery by Russian post or courier service.

The cheeses are pressed for 5-8 hours. During pressing, they are turned over and given the required form(smooth out sharp edges).

Increase the load by increasing the pressure from 95 to 195 kPa. The pH value of the pressed cheese mass is 5.1-5.2, the acidity of the whey released during the pressing process is 0.35-0.40%.

The cheese is immersed in brine at a temperature of 15°C for 3-5 days. Brine concentration 20% and pH 4.8. The salt content in cheese should be 1.5-1.8%, pH - 5.15-5.25.

You need to keep in mind that it takes longer than a month for salt to penetrate into the central part of the cheese.

Gouda cheese ripening occurs at a temperature of 15°C for 4-6 weeks, after 2 weeks. The pH is 5.2-5.3.

Mature cheese is stored at 10°C for 6-12 months. (after 8 weeks the pH is 5.3-5.5).