Jarlsberg: A Mesophilic Offshoot Of Gouda

[DeejayDebi]

I made my 1st Jarlsberg cheese today. I have been toying with various recipes for a few months now. I found a lot of conflicting information about making this cheese so I did some additional internet research and found a nice study done in Norway to help clear up some of the issues I have been having coming up with a recipe.

First of all according to the study this is a mesophilic cheese not a thermophilic cheese so both recipes I had (200 Cheeses and Dansco) were off in the making ingredients process. Both recipes used Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus as ingredients. Both recipes I had were almost identical to making gouda. Hmmmmmmm ….

According to the study one of the differences between Emmental and Jarlsberg is that Jarlsberg uses:

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris only (CHOOZIT™ Probat 222 or Mesophile Aromatic Type B culture)

Emmental on the other hand uses:

Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris (This would have been CHOOZIT™ Alp D or LH100 + TA61+ MM100) requiring higher acidification temperatures.

From the study I learned a few things about Jarlsberg and Gouda that lead me to develop the recipe I used today:

Raising the cooking temperature results in less whey in the cheese curd and this gives a harder cheese.
The addition of water to the cheese whey allows for regulation of the cheese acidity without simultaneously changing the level of moisture in the cheese.

After pressing and drying for 16 hours, the cheese is transferred to brine that is almost saturated with salt, usually 20%, at about 10˚C.

As a result, cheese to which nitrate was added obtained a better score for general quality and eye formation than cheese made without nitrate addition. The aroma and taste of the cheese were superior, with intermediate levels of nitrate addition and whey dilution.

The addition of salt at an early stage in cheesemaking, for example to the whey, can therefore help control the growth and activity of butyric acid bacteria in the cheese.

The study also showed that it was possible to achieve maximal propionic acid fermentation by combining a particular level of whey dilution with a particular brining time. No other information in the study about this – but they mentioned another paper I am looking for further details.

[DeejayDebi]

This was what I came up with:

Jarlsberg - Adapted from Danlac/200 cheeses/Norwegian Study

Ingredients:
7 gallons pasteurized milk
3/4 teaspoon Probat 222
3/4 teaspoon Proprionibacteria 50
1/4 teaspoon sodium nitrate (experiment based on the study)
2 teaspoons calcium chloride
1 teaspoon vegetable Rennet

Procedure:
Warm milk to 98°F.
Add cultures and mix well. Let sit for 45 minutes.  Target pH: 6.50 + 0.05 Actual pH: 6.5
Add calcium chloride to 1/4 cup of pure water. Mix well and add to milk.
Add rennet to 1/4 cup of pure water. Mix well - setting time about 15 - 18 minutes.
Coagulation time: 30 - 40 minutes.
Cut curds to pea size stirring for 30 to 40 minutes.
Target pH before washing: 6.40 - 6.45.  Actual pH: 6.3
Drain about 30% of the whey. (2.25 gallons)
Add same amount of water as whey removed (30%) at about 140 °F.
Scalding temperature should be about 98 to 108 °F. Scald for 15 - 30 minutes stirring gently.
Add curds to cheesecloth lined molds and press under whey for 10 minutes with 4 pounds of weight.
Increase weight to 8 pounds and press for 15 minutes.
Remove from whey and continue pressing over night.
pH target before brine bath should be 5.40 +/- 0.2
Brine in 1 gallon water and 2 pounds of salt for 24 hours at 50°F. 
Target pH after brine bath:  5.30+/- 0.1
Age at 66°F for 4 weeks.
Package in special foil for large eye formation cheese, or coating

Ripening:

Winter  Cool  Storage:  47 - 50 °F for  10 - 12 days
Winter warm storage:  64 °F for 4 weeks
Summer Cool Storage:  50 - 57 °F  for 7 - 10 days
Summer warm Storage:  68 - 72 °F for  4 - 5 weeks

Mild cheese is aged 4 to 6 weeks. A Medium cheese is aged 8 to 12 weeks.
Eyes will begin to form after about 2 weeks.

Possibilities to enhance eye formation:
higher inoculation amount of propionic acid bacteria type 2
higher scalding temperature up to 104 - 105 °F
shorter salting time with a weaker salt concentration
higher pH after salting: not under pH 5.30 - 5.40
shorter ripening time in cool storage, with a higher temperature, e.g. 7 days at 52 - 57°F
longer ripening time in warm storage, e.g. 5 - 6 weeks at 72 - 75 °F

Just a few pictures of the operation:

1st pressing  4 pounds,10 minutes
2nd pressing 8 pounds,15 minutes
cheeses after removing from molds to flip
Over night pressing with about 24 pounds

[Cheese Head]

Debi, great work on compiling a Jarlsberg cheese making recipe and on making your first double batch!

Indeed it does appear to be a washed curd type cheese, not what I thought, great detective work.

In your original post you say:

Gouda on the other hand uses:

Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris (This would have been CHOOZIT™ Alp D or LH100 + TA61+ MM100) requiring higher acidification temperatures.

I haven't read through the 128 study article you found, but the above is news to me as the Gouda recipes I reviewed all had just mesophilic cultures!? To save me some time, roughly where in that study can I read that?

Also, great pictures, is your whey really that yellow, or is it the camera (mine is normally green)?

Thanks again!

[DeejayDebi]

The recipe the Norwegians used was a combination of thermophilic and mesophilic and cooked at higher temperatures as a result. The comparison during the process although it keeps saying Gouda is Emmental i.s. Swiss.

The Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus are thermophilic cultures used to produce Emmental cheeses, but not used in Gouda. Sorry for the confusion. They seem to go back and forth comparing Gouda to Emmental and Gouda to Jarlsberg. I should edit that.

Oddly enough the Jarlsberg recipe I got from Dansco listeded chozit Alps which contains these cultures. Which is what lead to MY confusion. I may just make another batch next weekend using their exact recipe to see what the difference is.

[DeejayDebi]

Here are the cheeses after the all night pressing.

then in the brine for 24 hours.

[Cheese Head]

Two happy cheeses .

[DeejayDebi]

Almost a shame to cut them eh? 

[Tea]

Debi just wondering how these cheese turned out, as I am interested in a jarls a try.

[Sailor Con Queso]

Jarlsberg is definitely more related to Emmental or Gruyere than Gouda. Ironically, Emmental is often labeled as Gruyere in the U.K. Jarlsberg is a washed curd cheese so it is less acidic than Emmental. Jarlsberg uses less Propionioc starter, so it produces CO2 slower than Emmental. The result is smaller & fewer holes and a bit milder flavor than some other Swiss types.

The procedure for making Jarlsberg is very similar to Gruyere with 4 important differences.

1- Technically, Gruyere does not call for any Propionic starter. HOWEVER, Francois has said in a previous thread that he adds Propionic to his Gruyeres.

2- Jarlsberg ripens for around 45 minutes compared with about 10 minutes for Gruyere.

3- Jarlsberg curds are cut to "pea size". Gruyere is cut to rice size. The slightly larger curds of Jarlsberg will retain more moisture.

4- Gruyere is cooked to 114F. Jarlsberg is washed to 108F. Again, the lower cook temp will make Jarlsberg moister.

Mixing Meso and Thermo cultures is a technique that helps force quicker ripening (I'm sure Francois can jump in on this one). The use of mixed culture types can make interpretation of recipes, especially older recipes, very confusing and inconsistent.

[DeejayDebi]

John-
The whey always looks yellow when I try to lighten up the pictures. My kitchen is very dark.

Tea -
They are still aging in the cave. Sure look good though. I try to give most of my cheeses at least 6 to 8 months before eatting them. Unless they are fresh. These won't be ready until January 15th.

Sailor -
I have never eatten Gruyere or made it but I have a recipe or two. I might try it soon. I have to make more Muenster 1st. My sons thank you for cat sitting. while I was gone.

[Sailor Con Queso]

Never had French Onion Soup? Gruyere is the stringy cheese that melts on top. Great cheese.

[DeejayDebi]

Really? I thought it was mozzarella ... 

[Sailor Con Queso]

I'm sure some people use Moz, but REAL French Onion Soup is always made with Gruyere. Moz is very bland compared to Gruyere.

[Boofer]

Debi - Where do you get the sodium nitrate? 

Thanks for the excellent Jarlsberg rendition. I would really like to try that. The French baby Swiss "Madrigal" I referenced elsewhere on this forum has a sweet, nutty taste and texture similar to Jarlsberg. If I could hit anywhere close to that ballpark, I'd be happy.

I remember years ago, when I lived in Germany, the local apothecaries (drugstores) sold elements and such across the counter. I can recall buying magnesium ribbon, potassium permanganate, and other notions from the German pharmacist.

Where to go today?

-Boofer-

[DeejayDebi]

I use it for making sausage and salami. Go here:

http://www.sausagesource.com/catalog/ssm-acj-8oz.html