Frederic Melton
Gouda is a popular Dutch cheese with a creamy, yellow appearance and a distinctive flavour. It is named after the city of Gouda in South Holland, where it was historically traded. Gouda is made from cow's milk, which is heated and mixed with a culture and rennet to form curds. The curds are then placed in a cheese press to be pressed and moulded, before being dried and coated to prevent further drying. The cheese is then aged, which hardens it and further develops its flavour.
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What You'll Learn
Heating milk to 86°F
To make Gouda cheese, you will need to start with a large quantity of milk, typically between 2 and 10 gallons, depending on the desired batch size. The milk can be pasteurized or raw, but if using raw milk, it must be of the highest quality to prevent unwanted bacterial growth during aging. Heat the milk to 86°F (30°C). This temperature is important as it falls within the range for mesophilic cheese cultures, which are used for low-temperature cheeses like Gouda.
Once the milk has reached the target temperature, add a small amount of culture. The type and amount of culture can vary depending on the recipe, but typically it is around 1/2 teaspoon of MM100 or C101 culture. Allow the milk to ripen or sit quietly at this temperature for about 30 minutes. This step is crucial as it allows the culture to develop and gives the cheese its characteristic flavour.
After the ripening period, it is time to add the rennet, which is an enzyme that helps to coagulate the milk and form curds. The amount of rennet added can vary, but it is typically around 1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons, diluted in water. Stir the mixture gently for about 30 seconds and then let it set quietly for about 40 minutes while maintaining the temperature at 86°F. During this time, the milk will begin to thicken, and a firm curd will develop, marking the end of this stage of the cheese-making process.
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Adding bacteria and rennet to curdle milk
To make Gouda cheese, you'll need to start with milk. You can use either 2 or 6 gallons of whole full-fat milk, depending on how much cheese you want to make. This can be pasteurized or raw milk, but if you choose raw milk, make sure it's of the highest quality to prevent unwanted bacteria from forming during the aging process. Heat the milk to 86°F (30°C).
Once the milk has reached the correct temperature, it's time to add the bacteria and rennet. If you're using pasteurized milk, add 1/2 teaspoon of calcium chloride to improve the firmness of the final curd. Then, add 1 pack of C101 culture and let it sit at 86°F for 30 minutes. The culture will help the milk ripen and reach the proper acidity level. After 30 minutes, the milk will have a thicker consistency.
Next, add the rennet, which will cause the milk to curdle and form curds. For 2 gallons of milk, use 1/2 teaspoon of rennet or 1/2 rennet tablet diluted in 1/4 cup of water. If you're using 6 gallons of milk, add 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of single-strength rennet. Stir the mixture for 30 seconds, then let it sit quietly for about 40 minutes while maintaining the temperature at 86°F. During this time, the rennet will cause the milk to curdle and form a very firm curd.
At this point, you should have a batch of curdled milk with firm curds. The next step is to cut, cook, and wash the curds. This step is crucial in developing the texture and moisture content of the final cheese. The amount of time the curds are cooked and stirred will determine the dryness of the curds and the eventual aging time.
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Draining whey and adding water
Draining the whey and adding water is a crucial step in making Gouda cheese. This process, known as "washing the curd" by cheesemakers, involves removing about one-third to one-quarter of the whey and slowly replacing it with hot water. The water temperature should be around 130°F (54°C), added over 15 minutes, to reach a final temperature of 98-102°F (37-39°C) in the vat. This step is essential as it slows down the acidification process, resulting in a sweeter cheese rather than a sharp and acidic one. It also helps remove some lactose and milk sugars, preventing their conversion into acid by lactic bacteria.
During this step, it is crucial to stir the curds gently and continuously for about 30 minutes to prevent them from matting. The curds should be stirred only enough to keep them from sticking together. The stirring duration can be adjusted to achieve the desired final moisture content, with longer stirring resulting in drier curds suitable for longer aging. Once the desired temperature and moisture content are reached, the curds are ready for moulding.
Before moulding, the whey is drained further to make room in the vat. A sanitized hoop or mould is placed in the vat, and the curds are carefully scooped into it. The warm whey from the vat is then poured over the curds several times, ensuring they are evenly coated. The filled mould is then removed from the vat, and the whey is allowed to drain naturally for about an hour or until the draining slows. This process helps to consolidate the curds and remove excess whey before pressing and moulding the cheese.
After draining, the cheese curds are dressed in a cheesecloth and placed in a cheese press. Weights are applied, typically starting with lighter weights and increasing gradually. For the initial pressing, about 9-15 pounds of weight is applied for 30 minutes. The cheese is then flipped, rewrapped, and pressed again at 16 pounds for another 30 minutes. This process is repeated, with the weight increased to 25 pounds for 30 minutes, and then pressed overnight for drier, long-aging cheese. Finally, the weight and cloth are removed, and the cheese is allowed to rest overnight in the mould at a controlled temperature of around 50°F (10°C).
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Pressing curds into moulds
To prepare the moulds, place them into a pan that is large enough to retain the whey. Then, pour free whey into the moulds to warm them. After the moulds are warm, fill them with curds, allowing the whey to rise 1-2 inches over the top of the curds. Add the follower, which is a piece of equipment used in cheese-making, plus 6 lbs of weight on top (approximately 1 lb of weight per lb of final cheese yield). Leave the curds to consolidate for 15 minutes.
The moulds used for Gouda cheese can be purchased from specialist cheese-making suppliers, or they can be homemade. For example, one cheese-maker describes how her husband built her a cheese press that can accommodate two wheels of cheese stacked on top of each other. She also offers instructions on how to make a homemade cheese press for a little over $10.
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Brining and ageing the cheese
Gouda cheese is brined by soaking it in a solution of water and salt. The cheese is then removed from the brine solution and air-dried on a cheese mat at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or until the rind is almost dry to the touch. The cheese is then waxed and left to ripen for about 6 weeks.
The brining process gives Gouda its distinctive salty taste and contributes to the formation of its rind. The longer the brining process, the higher the salt content of the cheese. Younger Gouda tends to be milder and less salty than aged Gouda.
During the ageing process, the texture and flavour of Gouda cheese change. Young Gouda has a smooth, creamy texture and a mild, nutty flavour. As it ages, it develops a firmer, more crumbly texture and a richer, golden hue. The flavour becomes more intense, with fruity, spicy, and caramel notes. The cheese also becomes slightly crunchy due to the formation of cheese crystals.
The ageing process for Gouda typically lasts from 6 weeks to several months or even years. The longer the ageing, the drier and more intense in flavour the cheese becomes. Proper ripening and ageing are crucial for developing the desired texture and flavour profile of Gouda cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
Gouda cheese is a creamy, yellow cow's milk cheese.
Gouda is traditionally made by heating milk to 86°F, adding culture, and allowing it to ripen. Rennet is then added, and the mixture is left to thicken and form curds. The curds are then placed into a mould and pressed.
Gouda cheese originates from the Netherlands, and is named after the city of Gouda, South Holland, where it was historically traded.
The flavour of Gouda cheese varies with age. Young, factory-produced Gouda is mild and creamy, with a nutty flavour. More mature farmhouse Gouda has a fruity tang with a sweet finish, developing an almost butterscotch flavour if aged over two years.
