Traditional Dutch Gouda Cheese

Gouda Cheese

3 gallons organic whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

6 ounces buttermilk

3/4 tsp calcium chloride

3/4 tsp rennet

2.5 lbs kosher salt & 2 L (Quarts) of water for brine

Directions

1. Add 3 gallons of milk to a large pot. While milk is heating add 1 C heavy cream. Heat milk mixture to 86 F.

2. Add buttermilk and stir for one minute using a top to bottom stirring motion. Allow this mixture to ripen for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile measure out 1/4 cup unchlorinated water and add 3/4 tsp calcium chloride to it and stir. Wait for the milk mixture to get to 86 F before adding the calcium chloride.

4. Measure 1/4 cup unchlorinated water and add 3/4 tsp rennet to it. Stir it into the milk mixture for one minute using the top to bottom motion. Do not stir longer because the rennet will begin to set. Let the mixture rest off the heat for 60 mins.

5. After one hour check the curd. Look for a clean break. Cut the curd vertically & horizontally into 1/2 inch cubes. Let them rest for five minutes.

6. Take 1 gallon of water and heat it to 175 F. And remove 4 cups of the whey from the cheese pot. Add back just enough water to bring the temperature of the whey to 92F. We wash the curds to reduce the acidity of the cheese. Gouda is a sweet cheese and removing the acid at this stage helps reduce the acidity for this traditional style cheese.

7. Stir the cheese a few times over 10 minutes. Drain off the whey to the level of the curd.

8. Once again, while stirring continuously, add more of the 175 F water to bring the temperature to 100 F. Keep the curd at 100 F for 15 minutes stirring the curds to keep them from matting.

9. Let the curds set for 30 minutes and then pour off the remaining whey.

10. Quickly place the warm curds in a cheese mold lined with cheesecloth without breaking them.

11. Press at 24 pounds for 20 minutes.

12. Remove the cheese from the mold and peel away the cheesecloth, turn the cheese over and re-dress the cheese with cheesecloth and press again at 24 lbs for 12 hours.

13. Repeat the process and press again at 30 lbs pressure for another 12 hours.

14. Make an 18% saturated brine solution by combining the salt and water in a glass or stainless steel container. Soak the cheese in the brine for 12 hours at room temperature, flipping it at the 6 hour mark.

15. Remove the cheese from the brine and place it on a drying rack at room temperature for 2-3 days until dry on both sides. Flip the cheese every 12 hours to aid the drying process.

16. Vacuum seal (or wax it) and label and date it and place in a cool location or a wine fridge set at 54 F for at least 6 weeks. Flip the cheese at least once per week during the aging process.

You can age it for up to a year if you can wait that long! The longer it is aged, the more developed the flavour becomes. We recommend tasting this cheese with the Stolen Harvest Peppered Pear or one of our Traditional Meads. It makes a lovely addition to any charcuterie & cheese board.