Gouda Recipe

Prepare milk

Pour 8 liters of whole milk into a large stainless steel pot. Slowly heat the milk over low to medium-low heat, stirring gently and frequently to avoid scorching, until it reaches 32°C (90°F).

Add calcium chloride (optional)

If using pasteurized (but not raw) milk, dilute 1 tsp calcium chloride in 30 ml cool, non-chlorinated water and stir into the milk evenly when it reaches 30–32°C.

Inoculate with starter

Sprinkle 1 tsp mesophilic starter culture evenly over the milk's surface. Allow it to rehydrate 2–3 minutes, then stir gently for 1 minute to distribute. If using the thermophilic adjunct, sprinkle it and stir in the same way.

Ripen

Hold the milk at 32°C (90°F) for 40–45 minutes to allow the culture to acidify the milk. Stir gently every 5–10 minutes to maintain even temperature.

Add rennet

Dilute 9 ml liquid rennet in 60 ml cool, non-chlorinated water. Stir the milk gently for 1 minute while adding the diluted rennet. Stop stirring and allow the milk to set undisturbed for 45–60 minutes, until you get a clean break.

Cut the curd

Once set, cut the curd into 1–1.5 cm (3/8–1/2 in) cubes using a long knife or curd cutter. Make parallel cuts in both directions and then diagonal if you prefer more uniformity. Let the cut curds rest for 5 minutes.

Cook the curds (scald)

Gradually raise the temperature to 38–42°C (100–108°F) over 30–40 minutes, increasing about 1°C every 3–4 minutes, gently stirring the curds occasionally to prevent matting. Hold at 38–42°C for another 20–30 minutes until curds have firmed and started to knit together.

Wash the curd (Gouda wash)

Gently remove 1.5–2 liters of whey and replace with an equal volume of hot water at 55–60°C (131–140°F) to lower the curd temperature and remove lactose — this produces typical Gouda texture and sweetness. Stir gently for 10 minutes, then allow curds to settle for 5–10 minutes.

Drain whey

Pour curds and whey into a cheesecloth-lined colander or mold table to drain off whey until curds reach a firm, cohesive state (10–30 minutes), saving whey if desired.

Cheddaring (optional small-batch method)

For authentic Gouda body, stack slabs of curd to expel whey and develop acidity: transfer drained curds to a flat surface lined with cheesecloth, let them mat for 10–15 minutes, then cut into slabs and stack, turning every 10–15 minutes for 1–2 hours until pH is around 6.4–6.6. If you cannot cheddard, gently mill curd into 1–2 cm pieces.

Mill curd

Cut or break the cheddared curd into walnut-sized pieces (1–2 cm). This creates uniform pieces for pressing. Keep curds warm (around 38°C) while working.

Salt the curd

Evenly mix 150 g non-iodized cheese salt into the milled curd by sprinkling and gently tossing to distribute. Alternatively, dissolve salt in a small amount of whey and mix in for more even distribution.

Fill the mold and press

Pack the salted curd into a cheese mold lined with cheesecloth, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Press at about 5–10 lbs (2–5 kg) for 15 minutes, flip the cheese, re-dress, and press again at 20–30 lbs (9–14 kg) for 12 hours. Increase pressure to 40–50 lbs (18–23 kg) and press for another 6–12 hours to expel remaining whey and form a smooth wheel.

Prepare brine

Dissolve 700 g non-iodized pickling/canning salt in 4 liters of cool water to make a saturated brine. Refrigerate or cool brine to about 10–12°C (50–54°F).

Brine the cheese

Remove the pressed wheel and uncloth it. Submerge the cheese in the brine for 6–12 hours per kilogram of cheese (a typical 1–2 kg Gouda wheel will brine 12–24 hours). Turn the wheel every 4–6 hours for even salting. Brining time affects final salt content—adjust for taste.

Dry the rind

After brining, air-dry the cheese at 12–15°C (54–59°F) and 80–85% humidity for 2–4 days until the surface is tack-free. Turn the cheese daily to dry evenly.

Waxing

Melt about 200 g cheese wax in a double boiler to 70–75°C. Warm the wheel to room temperature, then brush on a thin coat of wax to seal the rind (or dip the whole wheel). Allow the wax to set, then add a second coat if needed to ensure a complete seal.

Aging

Age the waxed wheel in a cool, humid cellar or cheese cave at 10–12°C (50–54°F) and 80–85% relative humidity. For young, semi-soft Gouda age 4–6 weeks. For classic Gouda flavor and firmer texture, age 3–6 months. For aged, crystalline Gouda, age 9–12 months or longer, turning weekly.

Serving & storage

Before serving, remove wax and allow cheese to come to room temperature for 30–60 minutes. Store aged Gouda wrapped in wax or cheese paper in the refrigerator at 4–8°C; consume within several weeks once cut.