Granular cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Granular cheese |
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| Country of origin | Multiple |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurised | Sometimes |
| Texture | Granular, usually hard |
| Aging time | Minimum: 2 months Usual: 12 months |
Granular cheese, also known as stirred curd cheese and hard cheese, is a type of cheese produced by repeatedly stirring and draining a mixture of curd and whey. It can refer to a wide variety of cheeses, including the grana cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano (pictured) and various others. Many types are commonly used in the production of processed cheese, especially American cheese, which by law must consist of Cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, cheese curd, or granular cheese.
Examples
Instances of granular cheese types are:
- Appenzeller (Switzerland)
- Bergkäse (Austria/Germany/Switzerland)
- Cheddar (UK)
- Dubliner (Ireland)
- Grana Padano (Italy)
- Manchego (Spain)
- Pecorino (Italy)
Production
Although granular cheese can be created using any method that achieves the designated standard for physical and chemical properties, there is one method that is generally used. First, the milk or cream may be warmed and treated with hydrogen peroxide and catalase, producing water and oxygen gas. Then, a lactic acid-producing bacterial culture is added, and the product is treated with clotting enzymes to form a semisolid mass. This mass is cut, stirred, and heated to separate the curd and the whey. Increasing the amount of time between cutting and heating will increase both the final moisture content and the milkfat content of the cheese, thereby increasing the yield. There follows an alternating cycle of draining of the whey and stirring. After most of the whey has been drained, the curd is salted, drained, and pressed into the desired form. The remaining product may be cured if the original dairy products were not pasteurized. A common method of curing is to dry the cheese on racks for about a week, then to wax it and place it in coolers until the time of consumption.
Taste
Granular cheese is rich and tangy. Although unpasteurized granular cheese is ready to eat after 60 days of curing, it has a very mild flavor unless aged further to increase sharpness. The cheese is sharpest after 12 months of aging, after which it is usually sold. Granular cheese can contain cheese crystals, semi-solid to gritty crystalline spots.
