Frederic Melton
Goat cheese, also known as Chèvre, is a versatile cheese with a wide range of flavours and textures. It is made in a similar way to other cheeses, but using goat's milk. The milk is filtered, and a curdling agent is added, which can be rennet or a starter bacteria. The cheese is then moulded and separated from the whey. The curds are moulded, dried, flavoured, and cured. Curing is the process of ripening the cheese for several months, and the length of time and conditions under which the cheese is cured will affect the flavour and texture.
Characteristics and Values of Cured Goat Cheese
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Milk Type | Pasteurised goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Filtered, curdled, moulded, dried, and flavoured |
| Texture | Buttery, compact, crumbly, creamy, semi-hard, hard, flaky, or runny |
| Flavour | Sweet, sour, salty, tangy, nutty, earthy, mushroomy, citrusy, or spicy |
| Aroma | Yeasty, wet hay, bread dough, fruity, or chalky |
| Colour | Ivory, yellow, or white |
| Rind | Natural, thin, or brushed and bathed in olive oil |
| Weight | 2.3 kg |
| Origin | Andalucía, Spain |
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What You'll Learn
Goat cheese is made like other cheeses
Goat cheese is made in a similar way to other cheeses. The process starts with raising healthy and happy goats, as the milk produced is directly linked to the goat's health and diet. The goat's teats are then sanitized to remove any unwanted bacteria, and the milk is extracted. The milk is then filtered to remove any remaining impurities. A curdling agent is then added to the milk, which can be rennet, or a starter bacteria that affects the curd's size and the cheese's consistency. Examples of starter bacteria include Lactococcus lactis lactis, L. l. cremoris, and Streptococcus thermophilus.
The curds are then separated from the whey (the uncurdled liquid part of the milk). The curds are then molded, dried, and flavoured. The cheese is then cured, and any variations in this process—such as the type of starter, the time or pressure of the draining, or the temperature and duration of the curing—can change the texture and flavour of the cheese. The finished cheese is then packed into containers for sale.
Goat cheese can be made at home with just three ingredients: goat's milk, citric acid, and water. The goat's milk is combined with heat and acid in a process called the "coagulation method". The cheese can then be flavoured with dried herbs such as chives, thyme, or rosemary, or covered in fresh herbs such as chives or dill. The cheese can also be covered in chopped nuts when made into logs or disks.
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Flavour and texture vary
Goat cheese, or chèvre, comes in a variety of flavours and textures, from crumbly to creamy, young to mature, mild to tangy. The flavour and texture of goat cheese varies depending on factors such as the type of starter agent used, the time and pressure of draining, and the temperature and duration of the curing process.
Fresh goat cheese, such as the Maltese ġbejna, is moist and creamy, with a tangy, lemony, and milky flavour. Unaged goat cheese is particularly delicate, with nowhere to hide its faults. Other fresh goat cheeses, such as those from the French Loire and Poitou regions, are known for their piquant, animal flavours.
Aged goat cheeses tend to be more approachable, with a mellow, buttery texture and hints of lemon. The longer the ageing process, the more subtle the flavour becomes, with firm, aged, rinded varieties offering flavours of nut skins and cooked milk. Goat cheese aged for 5-6 months, such as the Spanish variety from Andalucía, has a buttery texture and an intense, slightly spicy flavour with an aftertaste of nuts.
Goat brie, a French variety made with goat milk, is even milder than its cow milk counterpart, with a sweet and delicate flavour and a slight citrus tang. White mould goat cheeses, such as Goat Brie or Castello Double Crème White with Goat's Milk, have subtle hints of rural mushroom and rich cream. Blue mould cheese made with goat's milk has a clean and sharp aroma, evoking fresh blue mould and earthy mushrooms.
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Goat cheese is versatile
Goat cheese is made in a similar way to other cheeses. The milk is filtered to remove impurities, a curdling agent is added, and then the cheese is molded and separated from the whey. The curds are then molded, dried, flavoured, and cured. Goat cheese is versatile in that it can be made with different types of milk, including goat, sheep, or cow's milk, and can be used to create a wide range of flavours, textures, and types of cheese.
Goat cheese, also known as Chèvre, can be white, coated with ash or herbs, or wrapped in grape leaves. It can be crumbly or creamy, with a soft, almost spreadable texture, and its flavour can range from earthy and tangy to mild and delicate. The flavour of goat cheese tends to soften with maturation, taking on hints of rural mushroom and cream.
The versatility of goat cheese is further demonstrated by its ability to pair well with a variety of drinks. White wine is often considered the perfect match for cheese, with its freshness, perfumed notes, and combination of sweetness and acidity complementing many cheeses. Beer is also a surprisingly good pairing with cheese, as its freshness, carbonation, and complex taste notes make it a great match for a cheese platter.
Goat cheese can be found in many different forms and varieties around the world. In the Maltese Islands, for example, there is a small goat's or sheep's milk cheese called ġbejna, which comes in several types, including fresh, sundried, salt-cured, peppered, and seasoned. In Japan, Yagi cheese is a type of goat cheese, with "Yagi" simply meaning "goat" in Japanese. In the Netherlands, goat cheese is usually made in the Gouda style, while in other parts of the world, goat cheese is made in the Brie style, such as in the Rhône-Alpes and Poitou-Charentes regions of France, and in Vermont, USA.
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Goat cheese is ripened/cured for 5-6 months
Cured goat cheese is made from pasteurized goat milk and ripened for 5-6 months. The curing process involves drying, flavouring, and curing the cheese curds. The duration of curing impacts the texture and flavour of the cheese. A longer curing process results in a firmer texture and a more intense flavour.
During the curing process, the cheese develops a natural or bloomy rind. A natural rind forms when air dries the outside of the cheese, creating a thin, edible crust. A bloomy rind, on the other hand, is formed by applying Penicillium candidum, a white bacterial powder, to the surface of the cheese. This bacteria produces a white, fuzzy surface similar to that of Brie.
The texture of cured goat cheese can vary from soft and creamy to crumbly, depending on the curing time and other factors. The flavour of cured goat cheese is described as intense and slightly spicy, with nutty undertones. The longer curing process enhances the flavour, making it more complex and pungent.
Cured goat cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be crumbled over polenta cakes, added to salads, or used as a topping for burgers. It also works well in grilled cheese sandwiches, especially when paired with honey, pistachio, and kale pesto.
The storage method for cured goat cheese depends on its variety. Soft or semi-soft cheeses should be stored in a resealable plastic container, while semi-hard cheeses are wrapped in wax paper and then foil or plastic wrap to prevent drying out. It is recommended to consume the cheese within a week of opening, as it can develop mould or become sour if stored for too long.
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Goat cheese is made worldwide
In Europe, goat cheese production spans several countries. In Greece, xynotyro or xynotyri is a traditional goat's milk cheese with a hard and flaky consistency and a pungent aroma. In Italy, the term caprino encompasses at least 33 different goat milk cheeses, while in Spain, cured goat cheese is produced in regions like Andalucía and Castile and Leon.
Goat cheese is also made in various parts of Asia. In the Philippines, kesong puti is a soft, unaged white cheese that can be made with goat milk, while in Japan, yagi cheese is a type of goat cheese named after the Japanese word for goat. Armenia is also known for its Yeghegnadzor goat cheese.
The process of making goat cheese involves filtering the milk to remove impurities, adding a curdling agent such as rennet or starter bacteria, moulding and separating the curds from the whey, and then drying, flavouring, and curing the cheese. The specific techniques and ingredients used can vary, resulting in different textures and flavours of goat cheese worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
Cured goat cheese is a type of cheese made from goat's milk that has been cured and ripened for several months.
The taste of cured goat cheese can vary depending on the degree of maturation, with older cheeses offering flavours of nut skins and cooked milk, while younger styles are more piquant and goaty.
The texture of cured goat cheese can range from crumbly to creamy, with some varieties being described as buttery and compact.
Cured goat cheese is produced in various regions around the world, including Spain, France, Canada, the United States, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Japan, Armenia, the Philippines, and the Maltese Islands.
Cured goat cheese is made by filtering the goat's milk to remove impurities, adding a curdling agent, moulding and separating the curds from the whey, and then curing and drying the cheese.
