How do they make Gruyere cheese?

How is Gruyere Cheese made? It is made by heating raw milk in a copper vat, adding rennet and separating the curds and whey. The curds are placed into molds, salted in brine and smeared with bacteria. The cheese is then ripened for at least two months at room temperature, generally on wooden boards.

What is a cheaper substitute for Gruyere cheese?

Technically, a knockoff of Alpine Emmentaler, American Swiss is made with pasteurized cow's milk and has smaller “eyes” and milder flavor. For a low price and convenience, it's a sturdy Gruyere alternative. In a real bind, other mild, semi-firm cheeses like Wensleydale or Edam could stand in for Gruyere.

What milk is used to make Gruyère?

To make Gruyère, raw cow's milk is heated to 34 °C (93 °F) in a copper vat, and then curdled by the addition of liquid rennet. The curd is cut up into pea-sized pieces and stirred, releasing whey. The curd is cooked at 43 °C (109 °F), and raised quickly to 54 °C (129 °F).

What cheese is similar to a Gruyère?

There are plenty of other premier cheeses that can serve as good substitutes for Gruyère cheese. Depending on whether you're melting cheese or adding more variety to your charcuterie board, you might consider Beaufort, Comté, Jarlsberg, Emmental, or Fontina .

Does Gruyère cheese go bad?

Unopened Gruyère cheese in the original vacuum sealed packaging can last 2-4 months from the printed date on the package. Once opened, it's good for about 5-7 weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

What jam pairs well with Gruyere?

I cut the 6-month Le Gruyère AOP into triangle wedges and paired them with pears and fig jam . The pear notes married perfectly with the fruity element of the cheese, while the fig jam added a nice sweetness to bolster the creaminess.

What pairs well with gruyere?

Gruyere cheese is also a perfect accompaniment to crackers, fruits, bread and pecans, as well as a wide range of meats such as ham, salami, prosciutto . In fact, it's also one of the best cheeses to use in a chicken cordon bleu.

Do I cut the rind off Gruyere?

All cheeses should be served with the rind on unless it is wax, cloth, or bark … the flavor profile changes as you get closer to the rind, and as a host, you don't want to deprive anyone of that!"

What fruit goes with Gruyère?

Apples hold up well against stronger cheese flavors like Gruyere, a sharp cheddar or the crumbly cheeses. Pears: Bosc, D'Anjou, Barlett or Comice are all great pear varieties that also go well with most any cheese, although I tend to especially love them with brie and Gouda.

What is Gruyère commonly used for?

So, what is gruyere cheese good for? This ingredient is a suitable soft filling for a cheese sandwich like the popular French dish called croque monsieur, or a standard grilled cheese. Aside from that, it's also commonly used for making fondue and French onion soup.

Is Gruyère cheese worth it?

The strong Gruyère is a fine dessert cheese. Gruyere cheese has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor. It's kinda like a mix of Swiss and cheddar. As for the price, it's partly because it takes a lot of milk to make, and it has to be aged for quite a while, which adds to the cost.

What other cheese is Gruyère like?

Finding close traits to those of Gruyere, Comté is a milder iteration, similar especially in texture. Dense with undertones of butter and salt , this cheese deserves mention, when looking to find a substitute for Gruyere.

Is all Gruyère made from raw milk?

Swiss Gruyère, controlled by government quality standards, is made from the raw milk of grass-fed cows . Most Gruyère made outside of Switzerland (with the exception of French Gruyère) is made with pasteurized milk.

All About Gruyere Cheese + Recipe To Make At Home

Our Gruyere Cheese recipe will guide you, step by step, how to make a Gruyere cheese that is delicious and has great textured.

The best part?

You will have more confidence in you cheese making,less stress throughout the process, and you’ll have a simple, proven recipe for a great tasting Gruyere cheese.

That’s not all…

We have the full history, the taste, the nutrition, wine pairings, the best uses for Gruyere and much, much more.

How To Make Gruyere Cheese At Home

Gruyere Cheese Ingredients

10 liters or 3 gallons of whole cow’s milk.
¹/₃ a teaspoon of thermophilic culture.
A pinch of propionic culture.
One teaspoon of Rennet diluted in a ¹/₄ cup of water.
Cheese salt for the brine.

Gruyere Cheese Recipe

Warm the milk up to 32°C or 90 degrees Fahrenheit
Add the bacterial cultures and stir thoroughly.
Cover the milk and leave it to ripen for about 45 minutes.
Add the diluted Rennet and leave it to set for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour or until you have a clean break.
Afterwards, carefully cut the curd into equal 3cm cubes and leave the curds to rest for 10 minutes.
Carefully stir the curds with a whisk to cut the curd once more.
Your curd should result in pieces that are slightly larger than grains of rice.
Slowly heat the curds until the temperature reaches 46°C or 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
This should take between 30 to 45 minutes to attain the temperature. Be careful to slowly raise the temperature. A longer scalding period results in a drier cheese while a shorter period should give you a more moist cheese.
Gently stir the curds regularly at about every 5 minutes during the scalding period.
Once the optimal temperature is reached, leave the curds to settle for 10 minutes.
Drain off the whey up to the level of the curds.
Scoop up the curds to one side of your pot or container and place approximately 5kg or 10lbs of weight directly onto the curds. I used a large plate and 1 x barbell weight to do this pre-press.
Leave them for 15 minutes then pour out all remaining whey.
Immediately move the curds onto a cloth-lined mold while being careful and gentle so as not to break them.
Press the curd at 10kgs or 25lbs for an hour. If you used different measurements work out your pressing pressure here.
Remove, flip then redress. Press again at 15kg or 35lbs for an additional 2 hours.
Remove, flip and redress then press again at 20kg or 50lbs for 8 hours. You can also leave them overnight.
Remove and unwrap the cheese.
Soak it in saturated brine for 12 hours and make sure you turn over the cheese every 3 hours to ensure even coverage.
Remove and pat dry.
Air dry it at 10°C for 2 weeks or until you notice it is obviously dry on the surface.
Rub salt on the cheese and afterwards transfer it to your cheese cave.
Wash the cheese with brine about 3 to 4 times a week for the first 2 to 3 months to manage the growth of molds.

Photo:Myrabella/Wikimedia Commons

Aging Gruyere

It should be aged in your cheese cave for any length of time between six months to three years. I age mine for 12-18 months.

Just like most types of cheese, storage is quite simple; ensure the ventilation in your ripening box is adequate and ensure the humidity levels are low.

Storing Gruyere Cheese

Place it on a wooden tray and wrap it in clean parchment paper to preserve the delicate flavors.

If mold appears in a pack of sliced, shredded, or crumbled cheese, dispose of the entire thing. To further extend the life it’s, you may freeze it and expect it to last up to 6 months. In a normal refrigerator, it can last for up to 3 or 4 weeks.

Where Is Gruyere Cheese From?

Gruyère originates from the Cantons of Vaud, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Bern, and Jura, in Switzerland. It has been around since 1115. It is named after a town found in the district of Gruyère, canton of Fribourg.

The medieval town is located a region in the upper valley of the Saane or Sarine river overlooking a Lake and sits atop an 82-meter hill.

AOP And AOC Certification

It achieved its Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in 2001. The AOC designation has been in effect across European since December 2011. The AOC denomination changed to “Appellation d’Origine Protégée” (AOP).

Gruyere Cheese Taste

It is a type of hard Swiss yellow cheese that has small holes throughout. It that can be described as being slightly salty and sweet with a flavor that greatly varies with its age.

The taste of a young Gruyere cheese is creamy and nutty, which becomes increasingly assertive, complex, and earthy as it ages.

A fully aged Gruyere cheese should be about five months to twelve months. When fully matured it has small cracks, that impart a slightly grainy texture upon it.

The cheese has a hard and grainy rind that ranges in color from brown to dark golden. The Gruyere rind is edible and can best be enjoyed when melted down in a French soup or when grated on pasta.

Gruyere Nutrition

Gruyere cheese ingredients make it a healthy choice that is not only tasty but packed with nutritional benefits.

A slice of Gruyere cheese contains 117 calories, of which 31% are fats, 69% proteins, and 0% carbohydrates. The cheese also contains vitamins A and C, Calcium and Iron.

Gruyere cheese is safe for consumption by pregnant women as it doesn’t cause any known adverse effects.

Gruyere Cheese Substitute

If you need a substitute for a recipe you should try use Emmental, Beaufort, Jarlsberg, or Raclette.

Emmental is a similar tasting and texture. Also, Raclette has a similar taste and texture and can be enjoyed in a similar manner.

Wine Pairings

Suggested wine pairings include light red wines such as Pinot Noir and Beaujolais work wonderfully. A couple slices of smoky speck and a handful of well-preserved walnuts also go well with this Swiss cheese.

Best Uses For Gruyere Cheese

The best uses for Gruyere would of course be in some tasty gourmet recipes.

The reason for this is simple, the delicate and sensuous tastes that cannot be compared to anything else. Gruyère cheese is perhaps one of the best for baking.

With its distinctive yet not overpowering taste, it adds a certain savouriness that doesn’t overshadow other ingredients. It is also great for melting and is perfectly suited for fondues, alongside some Emmental. Well, below are some recipes you should most definitely try out.

Maca roni and Cheese:

Of all recipes known to man, Mac and Cheese has to be perhaps the most famous of all, followed by fondue. In my books, nothing beats a tasty bowl of hot gooey Gruyere Mac and Cheese. The best part about this recipe is that you don’t need to be the Chef De Cuisine to make it.

This Martha Stewart mac and cheese recipe is my go to pasta dish. My whole family absolutely loves it and it is so quick and easy to make.

This is a great homely dish, if you ever need to impress a couple of guests. You can make this Macaroni and Cheese your “pièce de résistance” and watch everyone’s face light up.

Stuffed Tomatoes with Gruyere Cheese:

Life’s too short not to stuff tomatoes with savoury fillings. The white breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, herbs, onion, black pepper and eggs work wonderfully with Gruyere Cheese.

This is one of those occasional treats everyone is always bugging me to make time to time. Can’t have too much of a good thing now, can we?

Photo: Tara Fisher

A Ham and Gruyère cheese Melt:

From the mention of ham you can already tell that this “bistro-ready” delight is a winner. This is the perfect snack for when you need to get everyone’s taste buds excited for more. You can also serve this with onion rings or some curly fries, and a Budweiser to complete the whole “bar food” experience.

Photo: Elise Bauer

Do you have any questions or comments? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you! We hope you enjoy our Gruyere cheese recipe as much as we do.

Curd Nerd Forum

References

https://cheese.com/le-gruyere-aop/

http://www.cooksinfo.com/gruyere-cheese

https://www.murrayscheese.com/gruyere

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All About Gruyere Cheese + Recipe To Make At Home | Curd Nerd (2024)