Americans are big cheese fans, consuming around 42 pounds per person every year. Cheese’s immense popularity stems from its incredible variety, rich flavors, and culinary versatility. From comforting mac and cheese to grated toppings for pasta and the perfect sandwich slice, cheese is a staple in many diets, enjoyed as snacks, appetizers, and main ingredients alike. Yet, despite this widespread love for cheese, the fascinating process of how cheese is made often remains a mystery.
This article aims to unravel the magic behind cheesemaking, providing a detailed explanation of how cheese is produced in modern agriculture. We’ll explore the fundamental question, “How Is Cheese Made?”, delve into the essential ingredients, and illuminate each step of the cheesemaking journey. By the end, you’ll gain a newfound appreciation for the skill and dedication involved in creating the cheeses you love.
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Core Ingredients: What is Cheese Made Of?
While cheesemaking techniques vary across the globe and even within the United States, the fundamental ingredients remain remarkably consistent: milk, cultures, coagulants, and salt. Flavor enhancements come from additional ingredients like spices, herbs, and sometimes even wine. The unique character of each cheese arises from the specific source and combination of these ingredients, as well as the critical aging process. Even cheeses made with identical ingredients can develop distinct profiles based on different aging methods.
Let’s examine the four primary ingredients that form the basis of most cheeses:
1. Milk: The Foundation of Flavor
Milk is the cornerstone of all cheese, lending its inherent flavors and textures to the final product. The type of milk used significantly impacts the cheese’s characteristics. Here are some common types of milk used in cheesemaking:
- Cow’s Milk: The most prevalent choice for cheesemaking, cow’s milk is readily available and offers an ideal balance of fat and protein. Popular cheeses like Swiss, Cheddar, and Gouda are crafted using cow’s milk.
- Sheep’s Milk: Though less common for direct consumption due to its high lactose content, sheep’s milk excels in cheesemaking. It forms the base for renowned cheeses such as Roquefort, Feta, Petit Basque, and Manchego.
- Goat’s Milk: Goat’s milk imparts a distinctive tangy flavor to cheeses, exemplified by varieties like Le Chevrot and French Bucheron, collectively known as chèvre.
- Buffalo Milk: While not as widely used, buffalo milk holds a prestigious place in cheesemaking, traditionally used for authentic mozzarella. However, most commercially produced mozzarella today utilizes cow’s milk for broader availability.
Cow, sheep and goat milk used to make cheese
Beyond these common types, cheesemaking also incorporates more unusual milks for regional specialties. Camel’s milk, for instance, is used to produce caravane cheese, originating in Mauritania. Cheeses can also be made from horse or even yak’s milk, showcasing the diverse possibilities in cheesemaking.
2. Cultures: Transforming Milk
To initiate the transformation of milk into cheese, cheesemakers often introduce starter cultures—beneficial bacteria that play a crucial role in the process. These living bacteria consume lactose, the sugar in milk, converting it into lactic acid. As lactic acid levels rise, the milk’s acidity increases, which is essential for curdling, preservation, and flavor development in the cheese.
Cheesemakers select from various starter cultures, depending on the desired cheese type. The most common categories are mesophiles and thermophiles. Mesophilic cultures thrive at moderate temperatures, making them suitable for a wide range of cheeses. Thermophilic cultures, on the other hand, are preferred for long-aged, hard cheeses that require higher temperatures during ripening and cooking stages.
3. Coagulants: Forming the Curd
Milk requires a coagulant to solidify into cheese curds. This crucial ingredient can be an acid, but more frequently, it is rennet. Rennet, an enzyme complex, is often produced through microbial bioprocessing, a modern and efficient method.
Traditionally, rennet-based cheeses relied on rennin, the primary enzyme in rennet, originally sourced from the stomachs of young mammals like calves. Rennin, also known as chymosin, naturally aids in milk digestion in these animals.
4. Salt: Flavor and Preservation
Salt is a fundamental ingredient added to most cheeses, serving multiple vital functions. It enhances flavor, regulates moisture content to achieve desired textures, controls bacterial growth, and acts as a natural preservative, extending the cheese’s shelf life. Cheesemakers typically opt for non-iodized salt or cheese salt, as iodine can negatively impact the cheese’s flavor and texture.
The Transformation: Turning Milk Into Cheese
The origins of cheese and its invention remain shrouded in history, but the cheesemaking process itself is well-understood. It is a natural transformation guided by skilled artisans known as fromagers or cheesemakers. The term cheesemonger refers specifically to someone who sells cheese.
Today, most cheese production occurs in specialized cheese factories. While the precise process varies depending on the cheese type, all cheesemaking generally follows a similar sequence, especially in the initial stages. Here’s a step-by-step overview of how cheese is made:
- Preparing the Milk: Initial processing to prepare the milk for cheesemaking.
- Acidifying the Milk: Adding cultures to initiate fermentation and increase acidity.
- Curdling the Milk: Introducing a coagulant to form curds.
- Cutting the Curd: Slicing the curd to separate curds and whey.
- Processing the Curd: Stirring, cooking, and washing the curd to adjust acidity and moisture.
- Draining the Whey: Removing the liquid whey to leave the cheese curd.
- Cheddaring (for specific cheeses): A unique process of stacking and flipping curd slabs to further expel whey.
- Salting the Cheese: Adding salt for flavor, preservation, and texture control.
- Shaping the Cheese: Molding the cheese into desired forms.
- Aging the Cheese: Ripening the cheese for days, months, or even years to develop flavor and texture.
A Detailed Look: The Cheesemaking Process Explained
Let’s delve deeper into each stage of the cheesemaking process, exploring the nuances of transforming milk into a diverse array of cheeses:
Step 1: Milk Preparation – Setting the Stage
Milk quality is paramount for exceptional cheese. Cheesemakers often begin by standardizing the milk, adjusting the protein-to-fat ratio to suit the specific cheese being made.
Milk preparation frequently includes pasteurization or mild heat treatment. Heating eliminates undesirable microorganisms that could spoil the cheese and also prepares the milk for starter cultures to thrive. After heat treatment or pasteurization, the milk is cooled to a precise temperature, optimal for the chosen starter cultures. For raw milk cheeses, the milk is heated only to the temperature required for the culture.
Step 2: Acidification – Culturing the Milk
The next critical step is acidifying the milk by adding starter cultures. While milk naturally acidifies over time due to bacteria, modern cheesemaking standardizes this process using specific cultures.
The cheesemaker warms the milk to a temperature that encourages bacterial growth and introduces the starter culture. The milk then rests, allowing the ripening process to unfold. During ripening, the milk’s pH decreases, and initial flavors begin to emerge. Increased acidity also promotes curdling and inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. For certain soft cheeses, food acids like citric acid or lemon juice may replace starter cultures for acidification.
Step 3: Curdling – Forming the Cheese Solid
At this stage, the milk is still liquid, and cheesemakers initiate texture transformation through curdling. Curdling can occur naturally, and some mammals, like calves, produce rennin in their stomachs to digest their mother’s milk.
In cheesemaking, curdling is controlled using rennet, a lab-produced equivalent of rennin. Rennet triggers a reaction with milk proteins, causing them to coagulate and form solid curds, separating from a liquid byproduct called whey. Lactic cheeses, in contrast, use minimal or no rennet, relying primarily on bacterial action for curdling over a longer period.
Step 4: Cutting the Curd – Separating Curds and Whey
After curdling, the mixture of curds and whey is left to settle and ferment. The curd mass, now a solid gel-like structure, is cut using long curd knives that reach the vat bottom. Cutting facilitates whey expulsion.
Cheesemakers typically make a series of crisscrossing cuts—vertical, horizontal, and diagonal—to break the curd into smaller pieces. The size of the curd pieces directly influences the cheese’s moisture content. Larger curds retain more moisture, resulting in moister cheeses, while smaller curds yield drier cheeses.
Step 5: Curd Processing – Texture and Flavor Refinement
Following curd cutting, further processing refines the texture and flavor. This often involves cooking, stirring, or both. Heat and agitation promote acid development and further separate curds and whey. Longer cooking times result in drier cheeses.
Curd washing is another processing technique where some whey is replaced with water, impacting both flavor and texture. Washed curd cheeses tend to be more elastic and have a milder flavor profile. Examples include Gouda, Havarti, and Swedish Fontina.
Step 6: Whey Drainage – Isolating the Cheese Solid
Once the curds and whey are adequately separated, the whey is drained, leaving behind the solid cheese curd. Curd size can vary based on the cutting process. Whey drainage methods differ; some cheeses rely on natural drainage, while harder, lower-moisture cheeses may be pressed using molds or presses. Pressure application expels more whey.
Step 7: Cheddaring – A Unique Moisture Removal Technique
For certain cheeses, like Cheddar, an additional step called cheddaring removes even more moisture. The curd slab is cut into sections, which are then stacked. The weight of the stacks presses out whey.
This stacking and restacking process is repeated, further reducing moisture content and leading to a denser, more crumbly texture in the final cheese. Fermentation also continues during cheddaring. Once complete, the curd slabs are milled into smaller pieces.
Step 8: Salting – Seasoning and Preserving
Now resembling cheese, the curd is salted for flavor enhancement and extended shelf life. Salt can be mixed directly into the curd pieces or applied through a brine bath, where cheese is submerged in a salt solution, as is common with mozzarella. Salt can also be dry-rubbed on the exterior of formed cheeses, contributing to rind development.
Flavor complexity can be further enhanced by adding spices and herbs, such as horseradish, garlic, paprika, and various others. However, the primary focus usually remains on developing the cheese’s inherent flavors.
Step 9: Shaping – Molding the Cheese
With ingredients incorporated, the cheese is ready for shaping, revealing its final form. Despite moisture removal, the curd remains malleable. Cheesemakers press the soft curd into molds to create consistent shapes.
Molds can be basket-shaped (open at one end) or hoop-shaped (bottomless, encircling the curd). In both cases, milled curd is pressed into the mold and left to solidify into the desired shape. Most molds are round or rectangular, resulting in cylindrical or block cheeses.
Step 10: Aging – Ripening to Perfection
Certain cheeses, like Cheddar, Brie, and Parmesan, require aging to reach their peak. Aging takes place in controlled, cool environments. During aging, biochemical changes cause the cheese to firm up and flavors to intensify. Aging durations can range from days to years. Mold development during aging can also contribute unique colors and flavors.
After aging, the cheese is ready for consumption and is sold in various forms, like wheels, blocks, or wedges.
The Importance of Aging: Why is Cheese Aged?
Aging is a crucial phase in cheesemaking, profoundly impacting a cheese’s:
- Flavor: Aging is the primary driver of flavor development. Enzymes break down proteins and fats, creating a complex array of flavor compounds, ranging from mild and creamy to sharp, nutty, tangy, or pungent.
- Texture: Moisture evaporation during aging leads to firmer and crumblier textures. Protein and fat breakdown also influence texture, sometimes resulting in smoother, more spreadable consistencies.
- Aroma: As proteins and fats break down, aromatic compounds develop, giving aged cheeses their characteristic, often intense aromas, enhancing the multisensory eating experience.
- Microbial Balance: Aging relies on the activity of beneficial microorganisms—bacteria and molds—that inhabit the cheese. Different cheese varieties require specific microbial communities to achieve desired characteristics.
- Rind Formation: Natural rinds, protective outer layers, form on some cheeses during aging. These rinds are often edible and contribute flavor and texture, though they can be removed. Other rind types, like bloomy, washed, or flavored rinds, require specific interventions to develop.
- Depth: Aged cheeses generally possess more complex and deeper flavors. The interplay of compounds formed during aging creates nuanced tastes that cheese connoisseurs appreciate.
- Preservation: Historically, aging was a method of preserving excess milk, allowing for cheese consumption when fresh milk was scarce.
The Art of Cheese Aging: How Is Cheese Aged?
Cheese aging, or ripening, is a meticulously controlled process, not simply letting cheese sit. Even minor variations can affect the final cheese. Aging typically occurs in cool, humid environments.
Two primary types of ripening are employed:
- Interior-Ripening: These cheeses are coated with artificial rinds like wax, which directs aging from the inside out. Cheddar and Swiss cheese are examples of interior-ripened cheeses.
- Surface-Ripening: Surface-ripened cheeses are not sealed, allowing a natural rind to form with bacterial help. Aging progresses from the outside in. Brie and Muenster are surface-ripened cheeses.
Cheesemakers can manipulate surface ripening to encourage specific mold growth:
1. Red Mold (Washed Rind)
Red mold cheeses, like French Morbier, Reblochon, and Taleggio, have reddish rinds. Often called washed rind cheeses, they are aged in humid environments and frequently washed with liquids like wine or salty brine. Washing softens the cheese, especially thinner varieties.
2. White Mold (Bloomy Rind)
White mold cheeses, also known as bloomy rind cheeses, develop a fuzzy white mold coating from sprayed or rubbed-on white penicillin mold during aging. This process results in soft, creamy, and often pasty cheeses. Brie and Camembert are popular examples.
3. Blue Mold
Blue cheeses, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Stilton, feature blue or green mold streaks both on the rind and within the cheese, imparting a signature sharp flavor. Mold spores are introduced during cheesemaking, and air tunnels are poked into the cheese during aging to encourage mold growth throughout.
Aging Process Examples: Different Cheeses, Different Aging
Explore the diverse aging processes for various aged cheeses:
- Parmesan: Undergoes extended aging, often over a year, involving brining and air-drying for a hard texture and concentrated flavor. Controlled aging rooms facilitate enzyme activity, creating its nutty flavor and crystalline texture.
- Asiago: Comes in fresh (pressato) and aged (d’Allevo) types. Aging involves salting, air-drying, and maturation in aging rooms for months to over a year. Flavor evolves from mild and buttery to robust and tangy.
- Cheddar: Pressed after curd formation, cut, salted, and pressed again. Aging transforms its texture to crumbly and intensifies its sharp flavors.
- Gouda: Curds are pressed, drained, brined, and then aged in aging rooms for a year or more, developing a firmer texture, richer flavors, and caramel undertones.
- Gorgonzola: A creamy blue cheese. Puncturing introduces air for mold growth, and aging occurs in cool, humid conditions, resulting in a creamy consistency and tangy flavor.
- Alpine-Style: Originating from mountainous regions, these cheeses are pressed, brined, and aged for months to years. Regular flipping and brushing create distinct rinds and firm, dense textures with nutty, fruity, and earthy notes.
- Brick: A semi-soft cheese with an orange rind. Pressed, brined, and aged for weeks to months, with brine washing during aging to develop its unique aroma.
Fresh Cheese: No Aging Required
Fresh cheeses like Feta, Ricotta, and fresh Mozzarella are known for their smooth, creamy textures and mild flavors. The key difference is minimal to no aging.
While fresh cheeses still undergo most of the cheesemaking steps, the extent varies. Cottage cheese, for example, is made by simply draining some whey. Other fresh cheeses require more extensive straining and shaping. The relative simplicity of fresh cheesemaking makes it popular for home cheesemakers.
Cheese Variety: How Are Different Cheeses Made?
Each cheese type follows a unique process, even with subtle variations. Here’s a summary of how different cheese categories are made:
- Fresh Cheese: Heating milk and adding an acid like lemon juice or vinegar. Examples: Feta, Cottage Cheese.
- Stretch-Cured Cheese: Submerging curds in hot water and stretching them. Examples: Mozzarella, Burrata.
- Soft-Ripened Cheese: Pressing curd clumps, draining moisture, and adding mold for a white, moldy rind. Examples: Brie, Camembert.
- Semi-Soft Cheese: Lightly pressing curds, aging to develop natural or washed rinds. Examples: Havarti, Muenster.
- Semi-Hard Cheese: Pressing curds to remove most whey, aging longer than semi-soft cheeses. Examples: Cheddar, Edam.
- Hard Cheese: Heavily pressing curds and long aging periods. Examples: Asiago, Parmesan.
- Processed Cheese: Shredding, blending, and emulsifying natural cheeses with salt and other ingredients.
Discover Artisanal Cheese Excellence at S. Clyde Weaver
At S. Clyde Weaver, cheese is our passion. With a century of experience, we curate and craft exceptional artisanal cheeses, alongside meats and delicacies, to enhance tables across America. Our selection includes high-quality Cheddar, Swiss, and Gouda, as well as creamy cheese spreads. We age some of our cheeses for years, using time-honored methods dating back to 1920, to achieve perfect texture and flavor.
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