Jarlsberg: A Mesophilic Offshoot Of Gouda

[linuxboy]

Oh, Boofer, you're in Parkland? If you can make it to downtown Seattle, go to Emerald Market Supply.

http://www.market-supply.com/
http://www.market-supply.com/34.htm

They sell to individuals. They sell prague powder for 90 cents or so a pound. Min quantity is 5 lbs. I've had my baggie for years. They also have sausage making supplies and spices.

[DeejayDebi]

Nice price and no shipping! Wsh I had a local sausage shop. My favorite is in NH.

[linuxboy]

Debi, have you talked to the guys at Baretta Provision? http://www.barettaprovision.com/index.html

They make custom cured meats, but also sell wholesale ingredients to restaurants. Maybe they'd have what you need at reasonable prices?

[DeejayDebi]

I had to google it. I've heard of Portland but never been there. It's about an hours drive. I have tried to buy it from local butcher shops but most won't sell it for some reason. The few that would were so pricey it was cheaper with shipping.

[Sailor Con Queso]

Sodium Nitrate (Saltpeter) has traditionally been added to cheeses, especially Dutch types, to eliminate late gassing from unwanted colifrorm and Clostridium bacteria. The actual inhibitor is Nitrite reduced from the Nitrate

FWIW - From Fundamentals Of Cheese Science page 211 - "NO2 (Nitrite) can also react with aromatic amino acids in cheese to produce nitrosamines, many of which are carcinogenic".

[DeejayDebi]

Saltpeter is a tricky curing agent to purchase it can be potasium nitrate or sodium nitrate. It is best to purchase prague powder#1 as it is always a very specific mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite and 16 parts salt. In our recipes the amounts would be insignificant.

Nitrates and nitrite are naturally occuring and found in ground water and highest in root vegetables due to decaying organic mater in the soil.

[Boofer]

Thanks, guys. Man, I love this forum.   

I found Prague Powder #1 on Amazon. One pound: $5.99.

-Boofer-

[DeejayDebi]

Boofer go VERY light with that stuff! Less is more. To much can be deadly! You'll notice in 7 gallons I only use 1/4 TEAspoon. And keep it up very high away from kids or critters. The pink coloring is to keep you from confusing it with salt but kids love the color. Look ike cotton candy. Be very careful!

[Boofer]

Thanks for the caution. I'm not making gunpowder...just cheese! 

For my customary 3-4 gallon cheese, I'll follow your lead and just add 1/8 tsp. This is not intended to be incorporated into all of my cheesemaking, I just wanted to see if it does make a difference.

There are no small children around my home and I will secure it where my wife won't mistake it for sea salt (which can also be pink-tinged).

-Boofer-

[Tropit]

I've been wondering about Jarlsberg.  I always thought that it was just the resulting product of a Swiss cheesemaker who lost his way and ended up in Finland.  Thanks for the enlightenment.   

Interesting that it doesn't use thermophilic culture.  I want to try that recipe some day.  (Save)

[Sailor Con Queso]

My recipes I have used all call for a Thermo culture, just like an Emmental. I've only cut into one young one so far and it was great.

[Gustav]

I'm intererested in making A jarlsberg tomorrow & think I will definately use this recipe. I just want to make sure of one thing... Sodium nitrate is the same thing as salt peter isn't it? The stuff one use to make gunpowder?  What specific role does it play in the cheese?

[Sailor Con Queso]

Answered previously above.

Sodium Nitrate (Saltpeter) has traditionally been added to cheeses, especially Dutch types, to eliminate late gassing from unwanted coliform and Clostridium bacteria. The actual inhibitor is Nitrite reduced from the Nitrate

FWIW - From Fundamentals Of Cheese Science page 211 - "NO2 (Nitrite) can also react with aromatic amino acids in cheese to produce nitrosamines, many of which are carcinogenic".

[linuxboy]

Don't use saltpeter. If you're having issues with secondary fermentation, use adjuncts like l plantarum that produce nisin and control gram+ bacteria.

[Gustav]

What will happen if I add propionic bacteria to gouda?