Plenty of people are interested in finding the best gouda cheese. We will help you with it, but let’s first get to know a little bit more about the peculiarities and types of gouda cheese.
Ancient records show that best Gouda cheese was produced on farms near the city of the same name in the vicinity of Rotterdam. This product has enjoyed immense popularity and success. Its production increased significantly when the dairy industry began to develop in the early 20th century. Today this product is produced commercially, but more than 300 farms around the Netherlands still produce the old-fashioned Gouda cheese. This type of Gouda cheese is called Boerenkaas (farm aged cheese). It is made from raw, cultured milk and prepared according to certain historical standards.
Characteristics of Gouda Cheese
In Article
- Country of origin: Holland.
- Region: Gouda.
- Texture: It has a hard, smooth, and very shiny surface. It can even be noted that the surface has shades similar to silver. The inner part is a dense structure without any holes. Is gouda a soft cheese? A fun and curious fact about it is that its texture can be variable, that is, it can be soft and very hard, it all depends on the age.
- What is the white powder on a surface? Even on the best aged gouda cheese, you can find crispy white powder all over the surface. It is often confused with the developing crunchy cheese crystals that sometimes form on the outside of the product as a result of the salt bath. However, the clumps inside the product are bits of tyrosine, an amino acid, and a hallmark of a well-aged cheese!
- Color: Despite the fact that the production of this product is almost identical everywhere, there are different shades of older Gouda cheeses. For example, we can find this product with a reddish, yellow, or orange hue.
- What gouda cheese taste like? The taste of young Gouda cheese is one of the features that makes this product a favorite for many people, as it has a buttery and nutty flavor and caramelly taste. The more the product is aged, the more its aroma changes from mild-sweet to strong-spicy. Many producers already in the habit of flavoring dutch gouda cheese with mustard, caraway seeds, etc.
- Crust: May change over the years, so we may find it both soft and overly hard. At the same time, it is worth noting the shade of the rind, which changes color from yellow/red/orange to black as the product ages.
- Shape: Round.
- Sizes: Diameter from 26 to 30 centimeters.
- Weight: 3 to 5 kg.
Ripening Duration
- Young cheese: 4 weeks of aging.
- Mature cheese: 8 to 10 weeks of aging.
- Aged cheese: 16 to 18 weeks of aging.
- Extra ripe cheese: 7 to 8 months.
- Old or fully ripe cheese: 10 to 12 months.
- Very old cheese: over 12 months.
Nutritional Value of Gouda Cheese
Goat gouda cheese cheese is a very nutritious product with slightly sweet flavor. Below we have given the nutritional value per 100 grams of this product:
- Energy: 1490 kJh.
- Caloric content: 356 kcal.
- Protein: 24.94 g.
- Carbohydrates: 2.22 g.
- Sugar: 2.22 g.
- Saturated Fat: 17.614 g.
- Monounsaturated Fat: 7.747 g.
- Polyunsaturated fat: 0.657 g.
- Cholesterol: 114 mg.
- Sodium: 819 mg.
- Potassium: 121 mg.
In addition, this product contains vitamin K2, which is very difficult to find in other foods. Its presence is due to bacterial cultures used to ferment milk in cheese. The bacteria produce a special type of vitamin K2, which is essential for human health, especially when combined in the diet with other fat-soluble activators A and RE.
Because of its high calorie content, it is important to keep the serving size in mind when eating. This product also has a high sodium level (348 milligrams per serving), which is 15% of the daily intake limit. Therefore, it is important to properly limit this intake, especially in people with fluid retention problems, hypertension, etc. The high sugar content of this cheese also warns of restricting consumption in people with diabetes.
However, it is a protein-rich food that aids in the recovery and development of muscle tissue, as well as tissue regeneration.
Calcium, which is abundant in cheese, supports healthy teeth and bones.
Large amounts of folic acid are recommended for pregnant women to avoid fetal malformations.
Aging and Storage
Gouda products can be aged from a few weeks to 24 months. As the cheese ages, its flavor grows stronger, which determines how long it needs to mature. To extend the shelf life of a piece of Gouda cheese after slicing, wrap it tightly in a plastic bag or aluminum foil.
You can also wrap the cheese in wax or parchment paper and then cover the cheese with plastic wrap before placing it in your cheese cave or refrigerator. Freezing this or any other type of cheese is not recommended in this case because it greatly affects the taste and the texture becomes crumbly.
For Those Eager to Buy Gouda Cheese: The Best Gouda Cheese Brands
What type of product are you interested in? Be it the best smoked gouda or chipotle gouda, you will definitely find something to your taste in our rating of popular cheeses.
igourmet Ewephoria Aged Sheeps Milk Gouda
This amazing product will definitely make your taste receptors tremble with satisfaction. It is usually aged for about nine months, which ensures an incredible taste and smell. It is quite sweet and nutty. It is an ideal choice for a romantic evening with your loved ones, eating fruit with cheese, a glass of good wine – and you are in paradise.
Dutch Mill Smoked Gouda
Smoked Maasdam features a mild, nutty flavor and a subtle smokiness. With a delicious, edible rind, the cheese is smoked over smoldering hickory chips, creating an earthy flavor profile with hints of dark Belgian beer. The pale yellow paste and smooth texture complete this cheese, which will lend a touch of warmth to any dish or cheese plate.
Frico Classic Dutch Red Wax Mild Gouda
This whole pasteurized cow’s milk cheese has a supple, smooth interior. Aged for a minimum of 2 months and gains tremendous flavor attributes with additional years of aging. The interior is a lackluster, straw-colored yellow with a scattering of small eyes.
Beemster Classic Aged Gouda
Aged Gouda, one of the world’s most sought-after cheeses, has been made Dutch Cheesemakers in the Netherlands for over 800 years. Beemster makes theirs in North Holland, where the grazing land is pure and lush. Easy to distinguish, it is the dairy world’s equivalent of a Rembrandt or Van Gogh. This edible opus magnum has been matured for eighteen months, allowing its body to develop a muted caramel color, matched by an intense flavor with a sweet finish.
The transformation that mild, somewhat ordinary Gouda undergoes during its aging process is simply amazing. Aged Gouda has many layers of nuanced flavor, and its texture lends itself well to shredding or chunking.
FAQ
What Is Gouda Cheese Good For?
In Holland, there are about eight dozen dishes with this cheese. Salads and soups, casseroles, and, of course, the famous Dutch cheese sandwiches are incredibly popular here. The dish from Rotterdam is made from gouda, crusty bread fried and greased with mustard, bacon, and fresh tomatoes. Apeldoorn hot sandwiches cannot be imagined without bread, apple slices, walnuts, and all the same slice of aromatic cheese.
What Does Gouda Cheese Go With?
It goes well with all types of meat and poultry, potatoes and vegetables. The Dutch often serve gouda with vegetable marinades and sausages. Having become popular all over the world, this cheese has harmoniously entered many national dishes of other nations. It is added to pizza, pasta, and risotto, and fondue from young cheese of this variety is very tender.
