Patrick Oconnell
Gjetost cheese is a traditional Norwegian cheese with a unique flavour and texture. Its name comes from the Norwegian words gjet, meaning goat, and ost, meaning cheese. Gjetost is made by boiling down whey, usually from goat's milk, until it forms a solid brown block. This process can take several hours, and the resulting cheese has a sweet and savoury flavour, with a creamy texture. Gjetost is popular in Norway, both as an ingredient and as a topping, and is also produced in other Scandinavian countries and the US.
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What You'll Learn
Gjetost is made by boiling down whey
Gjetost is a traditional Norwegian cheese with a unique flavour and texture. It is made by boiling down whey, usually from goat's milk, although cow's milk can also be used. The process of making Gjetost involves slowly simmering the whey in a large pan over a low heat for 2-3 hours. This reduces the whey to a thick, gravy-like consistency, about one-fourth of its original volume. During this process, the whey takes on a light caramel colour and starts to caramelise.
At this point, cream is added to the reduced whey, and the mixture is cooked further, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of large lactose crystals. The cheese will continue to caramelise, turning from golden brown to a darker brown. It will eventually solidify in the bottom of the pan. The cheese is then removed from the heat and beaten with a spoon, similar to the process of making fudge. It is then poured into buttered moulds to cool and set. The entire process of making Gjetost can take up to two days.
The resulting cheese has a distinct sweet and savoury flavour, often described as caramel-like, with hints of butterscotch and a slightly nutty taste. Its texture is soft and creamy, similar to that of a young gouda, making it easy to spread on crackers or bread. Gjetost is a versatile cheese that can be served warm as a pasta sauce, grated over pizza, or enjoyed as a topping on bread or waffles. It is also commonly paired with fruit, nuts, or rye bread and is a popular breakfast item in Norway.
The process of boiling down whey to make Gjetost is a traditional one, dating back to the Viking era. It was a staple food for the Norsemen during their long voyages due to its long shelf life and high energy content. Today, Gjetost remains a popular cheese in Norway and is produced in small batches by artisans in the mountainous regions of the country.
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It's made from cow or goat milk
Gjetost cheese is made from the whey of cow's or goat's milk. The whey is slowly simmered in a pot until the liquid is reduced to one-fourth of its volume and has taken on a light caramel colour. This can take several hours. At this point, cream is added to the whey and it is cooked more quickly, stirring constantly to prevent large lactose crystals from forming in the cheese. The cheese will continue to caramelise, turning from golden brown to darker brown. It will begin to solidify in the bottom of the pan.
When made from cow's milk whey, it is called Mysost or Brunost. This version is sweeter and less tangy than the goat's milk variety. In Norway, Gjetost made from goat's milk is traditional and is called "Ski Cheese". It is taken on excursions as a trail food.
Gjetost has a unique flavour and texture. It is both sweet and savoury, with a caramel-like flavour and hints of butterscotch. It has a soft and creamy texture, similar to that of a young gouda, though perhaps stickier. It is easy to spread on crackers or bread and pairs well with fruit, nuts, and bread.
Gjetost can be made at home using leftover liquid whey from other culinary activities. The whey is poured into a large pan and brought to a low boil. It is then simmered uncovered for 2-3 hours, stirring frequently, until it has reduced to the texture of thick gravy and is about 1 pint in volume. Cream is stirred in, and the mixture is simmered until the desired consistency is reached. It is then removed from the heat and allowed to cool for a few minutes before being blended to enhance creaminess.
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It's a traditional Norwegian cheese
Gjetost, pronounced "yay-toast", is a traditional Norwegian cheese. It is made by boiling down whey—usually from goat's milk, though cow's milk can also be used—until it caramelises into a solid brown block. This process can take several hours, and the resulting cheese has a distinct sweet and savoury flavour, a creamy texture, and is known to be sticky. In addition to its unique taste, Gjetost is also known for its long shelf life, perhaps a reason why it was a staple food for the Norsemen during their long voyages in the Viking era.
In Norway, Gjetost is typically served for breakfast with fruit and rye bread, or as a post-dinner snack with coffee or dark beer. It is also used as a topping on bread or waffles, and can be grated over pizza. Gjetost is produced in the mountainous regions of Norway, where goats are raised, and is considered a trail food, often taken on excursions.
The name "gjetost" comes from the Norwegian words "gjet", meaning goat, and "ost", meaning cheese. While Gjetost is primarily produced in Norway, it is also made in other Scandinavian countries and some parts of the United States. The most popular version in the US comes in red packaging and is often labelled "Ski Queen".
Gjetost is made by slowly simmering whey in a pot until the liquid is reduced by about 75% and has taken on a light caramel colour. Cream is then added to the whey, and it is cooked more quickly, stirring constantly to prevent large lactose crystals from forming. The cheese will continue to caramelise, turning from golden brown to darker brown, and will begin to solidify in the bottom of the pan. At this point, the cheese is removed from the heat and beaten with a spoon, before being poured into buttered moulds to cool.
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It's also known as 'Ski Cheese'
Gjetost cheese, also known as Ski Cheese in Norway, is made by boiling down whey, usually from goat's milk, until it caramelises into a solid brown block. This traditional Norwegian cheese has been made for hundreds of years and was a staple food for Norsemen during their long voyages due to its long shelf life and energy-providing properties.
The process of making Gjetost cheese involves slowly simmering the whey in a pot over several hours until the liquid is reduced to one-fourth of its original volume and takes on a light caramel colour. At this stage, cream is added, and the mixture is cooked more quickly while being constantly stirred to prevent the formation of large lactose crystals. The cheese continues to caramelise, turning from golden brown to a darker shade. It eventually solidifies at the bottom of the pan and is then removed from the heat.
To enhance the creaminess of the cheese, it is beaten with a spoon, similar to the process of making fudge, and then poured into buttered moulds to cool. The entire process of making Gjetost cheese can take up to two days. While traditionally made with goat whey, Gjetost can also be made with whey from cow's milk, resulting in a product called Mysost or Brunost, which is sweeter and less tangy than the traditional goat's milk version.
In Norway, Gjetost is commonly served for breakfast, thinly sliced and paired with fruit and rye bread. It is also enjoyed during the last meal of the day, known as kveldsmat, a return to breakfast foods. Gjetost is versatile and can be used as a fondue, grated on pizzas, or spread on bread or waffles. Its unique flavour profile, combining sweetness and savouriness, along with a creamy texture, has earned it a dedicated following, both in Norway and internationally.
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It's popular for its unique caramel-like flavour and texture
Gjetost cheese, also known as Brunost, is a traditional Norwegian cheese with a unique flavour and texture. Its popularity is driven by its distinct taste and mouthfeel, resembling a block of savoury caramel or butterscotch, with a hint of nuttiness. The cheese is soft, creamy, and spreadable, similar to the texture of young gouda but slightly stickier. It is often served thinly sliced with fruit and rye bread, or used as a topping on bread, waffles, or crackers.
The caramel-like flavour and texture of Gjetost are a result of the cheese-making process, specifically the boiling and caramelisation of whey. The whey, which can be from either cow or goat milk, is slowly simmered in a pot for several hours until it reduces to a thick, gravy-like consistency and takes on a light caramel colour. At this stage, cream is added, and the mixture is cooked further while being constantly stirred to prevent lactose crystals from forming. As the cheese continues to caramelise, it turns from golden brown to darker brown and begins to solidify at the bottom of the pan.
The unique flavour and texture of Gjetost develop during this cooking process, with the cheese taking on a darker colour and a more intense caramelised flavour. The final product is a solid brown block of cheese with a sticky, creamy texture and a sweet and savoury taste. The traditional method of making Gjetost involves using goat whey, which gives the cheese a slightly goaty flavour. However, a cow's milk version called Mysost or Brunost is also produced, which is sweeter and less tangy than the traditional Gjetost.
The process of making Gjetost is time-consuming, taking up to two days, but the resulting cheese is highly valued for its rich, caramel-like characteristics. The cheese's long shelf life and energy-providing properties also contributed to its popularity, especially during long voyages in the Viking era. Today, Gjetost remains a beloved cheese in Norway, enjoyed at breakfast or as a post-dinner treat, and has also gained fans in other parts of the world, including the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
Gjetost cheese is made by boiling down whey from goat’s milk until it caramelises into a solid block.
The boiling process can take several hours.
Gjetost cheese has a unique flavour that is both sweet and savoury, with a caramel-like flavour and a hint of butterscotch.
The texture of gjetost cheese is soft and creamy, and it is easy to spread on crackers or bread.
In Norway, gjetost cheese is typically served for breakfast, sliced thinly with fruit and rye bread. It can also be served as a topping on bread or waffles.
