Andy Montoya
Cheese is a man-made dairy product that is made from milk, salt, culture, and rennet. Different types of cheese go through different processes, but all real cheese is made from these four ingredients. For example, mozzarella and queso Oaxaca are kneaded and stretched, while Gruyère and Comté are washed with a bacteria-infested brine called morge. Some people consider American cheese to be fake cheese, but it is actually made from real, honest-to-goodness cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Milk, salt, culture, and rennet |
| Culture | Living cultures, including starter culture, used to acidify milk, aid coagulation, and prevent spoilage |
| Rennet | An enzyme typically taken from the stomach lining of an unweaned calf or from vegetable-based sources |
| Types of Rennet | Animal, vegetable, and microbial |
| Processing | Coagulation, separation, cutting, washing, draining, stirring, moulding, salting, pressing, heating, inoculating, and aging |
| Aging | Months or years |
| Synthetic Hormones | rBST and rBGH |
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What You'll Learn
Milk, salt, culture, and rennet
Real cheese is made from just four ingredients: milk, salt, culture, and rennet. However, the process of making cheese is complex and results in a wide variety of flavours and textures.
The milk used can come from a cow, sheep, goat, or even a human. The milk is then treated with rennet, an enzyme typically taken from the stomach lining of an unweaned calf, or from vegetable-based sources. Rennet coagulates the milk and separates the curds and whey, forming a solid curd mass. There are three types of rennet: animal, vegetable, and microbial.
The addition of a starter culture rapidly acidifies the milk, aiding coagulation and preventing spoilage. The culture also helps the cheese to develop its aroma, texture, and flavour as it matures. The cheese is then cut to extract the whey, and the remaining curds are washed, drained, stirred, and packed into moulds.
Salt is then added to the cheese. It enhances flavour, controls moisture and pH, and aids in rind formation. The cheese is then pressed for hours or even days to develop its texture, and may be aged for months or years.
Some cheeses undergo further processing steps. For example, mozzarella and queso Oaxaca are kneaded and stretched, while Gruyère and Comté are washed with a bacteria-infested brine called morge. Most cheeses are inoculated with bacteria and allowed to ferment and age, during which they develop flavour and rinds and lose moisture.
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Curdling, coagulating, separating, and draining
The process of making cheese involves several steps, including curdling, coagulating, separating, and draining.
Curdling
Curdling is the process of converting milk sugars into lactic acid, which causes the milk protein casein to clump together and form a solid or gel-like structure called curd. This can be done by adding an acid, such as vinegar, or by using starter bacteria, which play a significant role in developing the flavour of aged cheeses. Mesophilic bacteria are used to make mellow cheeses like Cheddar, Gouda, and Colby, while thermophilic bacteria are used to make sharper cheeses like Gruyère, Parmesan, and Romano.
Coagulating
Coagulation is the process of separating milk into solid curds and liquid whey. Rennet, a mixture containing the active enzyme chymosin, is added to the milk to speed up coagulation and produce a stronger curd. It also allows curdling at a lower acidity, which is important for inhibiting the growth of flavour-making bacteria in some types of cheese.
Separating
After coagulation, the curds and whey are separated. The curds are then cut into small cubes and gently heated, causing them to shrink. This step determines the moisture content and final consistency of the cheese.
Draining
The whey, which is the remaining liquid, is removed by draining or dipping. It can be further processed to make other products, such as whey cheeses or beverages, or dried and preserved as a food ingredient. The curds are then captured, pressed, and moulded to form blocks of cheese.
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Pressing, inoculating, and aging
Pressing
Cheese pressing involves applying pressure to the cheese curds to remove excess moisture and shape the cheese. The curds are placed into moulds and pressed for hours or even days, depending on the desired texture. This process also helps remove whey, a liquid that contains more lactose. Proper pressing ensures that the curds consolidate into a single mass without cracks or holes, preventing internal mould growth during ageing.
Inoculating
Inoculation is the process of introducing bacteria to the cheese. Most cheeses are inoculated with bacteria and allowed to ferment. This process contributes to flavour development, rind formation, and moisture reduction. The specific bacteria used and the fermentation conditions can vary depending on the type of cheese being produced.
Aging
Ageing is the final step in cheese-making, and it can last from several months to years. During ageing, cheese is stored in a cool, dark, and humid environment, often referred to as a "cave." The temperature and humidity must be carefully controlled to prevent unwanted mould growth. Ageing allows cheese to develop its unique flavour and texture, and it reduces moisture and lactose content. Longer ageing periods result in harder cheeses with lower lactose levels, making them suitable for individuals with lactose intolerance.
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Rennet types: animal, vegetable, and microbial
Rennet is a substance that is traditionally made up of a combination of enzymes from the stomachs of young ruminant animals like goats and calves. It is used to coagulate milk, helping to separate the curds and whey. There are three types of rennet: animal, vegetable, and microbial.
Animal rennet is derived from animal organs, specifically the stomach lining of an unweaned calf. This type of rennet is not suitable for vegetarians, as the animals must be slaughtered to extract it. Cheeses that use animal rennet include Montgomery's Cheddar, Colston Bassett Stilton, Cravero Parmigiano Reggiano, and Marcel Petite Comté.
Vegetable rennet, on the other hand, is derived from plants with coagulating properties. Various plants can be used to coagulate milk, such as nettles, thistles, ground ivy, dried caper leaves, figs, and artichokes. Vegetable rennet is a traditional method, with certain regions of the world relying primarily on plants to coagulate their curds. For example, traditional "tortas" in the Extremadura region of Spain are coagulated using the cardoon thistle, a method also used in Portugal.
Microbial rennet is derived from molds that produce a coagulating enzyme. It is considered vegetarian-friendly, as only microorganisms are involved in its production, typically fungi or mold. Microbial rennet has become one of the most popular types of rennet used in cheesemaking today, as it is a viable alternative to animal and vegetable rennet, offering higher production yields, better curd texture, and reduced bitterness.
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Salt: enhancing flavour, controlling moisture, and aiding rind formation
Salt is an essential ingredient in the cheese-making process. It is added to cheese for several reasons, including enhancing flavour, controlling moisture, and aiding rind formation.
Salt enhances the flavour of cheese in two ways. Firstly, it gives cheese a salty taste, a flavour that is generally highly appreciated. Secondly, it helps to enhance other flavours present or cover up unpleasant ones. Salt can also help to preserve cheese by acting as an antimicrobial agent, inhibiting the growth of some microbes. This process can also allow more salt-tolerant microbes to grow.
Salt controls moisture in cheese by pulling it out of the cheese curd through osmosis. This process also allows the cheese to absorb some of the salty water, which is known as diffusion. Salt molecules will spread out equally and creep into the cheese, permeating throughout its structure. This process can also alter the texture of the cheese by changing how microbes and enzymes behave.
Salt also aids in the formation of the rind. During the ageing process, which can last from months to years, cheese develops a rind and loses moisture. Salt helps to control the moisture loss during this process, ensuring the cheese does not become too dry.
There are several methods cheese makers can use to introduce salt, including dry salting and brine salting. Dry salting involves sprinkling cut-up curds with salt. Brine salting uses a brine solution, which is typically an 18% salt solution. This solution is commonly known as a fully saturated brine and provides adequate salt absorption during the brining process.
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Frequently asked questions
Real cheese is made from milk, salt, culture, and rennet. The milk is treated with rennet, which coagulates it and helps separate the curds and whey. The curds are then drained, salted, and pressed together.
There are three types of rennet: animal, vegetable, and microbial. Most cheeses fall into the vegetable and microbial categories.
Salt enhances flavor, controls moisture and pH, and aids in rind formation. The cheese is pressed for hours or even days after salting to develop its texture.
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