Homemade Gouda-style cheese
Gouda is one of the most popular types of cheese. Interestingly, it originated near Rotterdam, in the Dutch city of… Gouda, from which it takes its name. It is a ripened, semi-hard cheese. Very well known in Poland. Unfortunately, we don’t have good news— to enjoy its unique flavor, you need to be patient. This type of cheese should mature for 4 weeks. We assure you it’s really worth it. Below we show, step by step, how to make homemade Gouda-style cheese. Ready for a cheesemaking adventure? Let’s begin!
Notes
Recipe for homemade Gouda-style cheese
Preparation:
Heat the milk to 33°C. Add the starter culture, stirring gently, then remove from the heat, cover, and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour. Dissolve the calcium chloride in a small amount of water and add it to the pot, stirring gently. Let stand for 10 minutes. Dissolve the rennet in 50 ml of water at 38°C, then add it to the pot. Mix thoroughly and leave for 1 hour. Once a curd has formed, cut it into 1 cm cubes and leave for 20 minutes. After this time, drain off 20% of the whey. Replace it with the same volume of water at 30°C, stirring gently throughout. Without stopping stirring, carefully heat the curd to 53°C. Wait 20 minutes for the curd to settle and drain off all the whey. Gently knead the curd by hand, then transfer it to a cheesecloth and a cheese mold. Place the prepared cheese in a cheese press and leave it for 16 hours at room temperature. After pressing, remove the cheese from the mold and place it in brine for 3 days. Then take the cheese out and place it on a flat dish lined with paper towels - to drain and dry. Leave for 3 days, turning it two/three times a day for an even result.
Note:
The cheese should mature for 4 weeks at 12–16°C.
Brine recipe:
Add 5 tablespoons of salt to 1.5 L of water at 15°C.
