Choosing a substitute for Gruyere cheese depends on taste and how it will be used in cooking. Gruyere is a semi-hard cheese with a nutty flavor and is often used in baking. Substitutes such as Emmental, Jarlsberg, Fontina, or French Beaufort can be used in recipes that call for Gruyere.
A cheese substitute for gruyere can be a relatively foolproof choice, or perhaps a serious cooking mistake. It mainly depends on two criteria. The lesser of the two concerns the taste, its complement or compatibility with the rest of the table offerings. The more important issue is how the cheese will be used, especially if cooked. A basic understanding of cheeses will help you make a good choice, but for some recipes that specifically insist on Gruyere, you’ll need to know more about how cheeses are graded and graded.
Gruyere takes its name from a city and a region in Switzerland. There is a French government office that specifies and enforces internationally whether a cheese can claim this label. It is made from cow’s milk, coagulated from a small amount of natural digestive juices extracted from the stomach of an unweaned calf. The solid curds, separated from the liquid whey, are pressed into moulds. It is first pickled in a saline solution, then smeared with specific bacteria to start the fermentation process.
The duration of the maturation of this cheese must be five or ten months. In addition, the temperature and humidity of its ripening chamber, sometimes a natural mountain cave, also have narrow requirements. It is an unpasteurised cheese, produced without boiling. Some countries around the world, including the United States, have regulatory restrictions on such dairy products, so Gruyere cheese may be less available in some locations. To substitute gruyere, you’re basically going to try to match its character.
Gruyere is a pale yellow, semi-hard cheese with a bacterially thickened outer rind. The initial brine produces a clean taste that is just slightly salty and sour. The relatively short curing time gives the nut some color and earthiness. It will appear quite dry and have a grainy texture. This quickly melts into a thick, smooth cream in your mouth.
If you simply try to match the physical attributes, you’re well on your way to choosing a good gruyere substitute. Pale white cheeses are too dairy-like, while darker cheeses are too acidic from prolonged fermentation. The firmness of cheeses often corresponds to the concentration of aromas, especially its saltiness. Dried cheeses generally melt easily into a creamy liquid, while wet cheeses can hold their shape even at high temperatures. These tips may be all you need to select a good substitute on a French dessert platter of cheeses, fruits, nuts and wine.
Gruyere, however, is particularly popular as a baking or baking cheese. Fondue, a simmering communal pot of melted cheese sauce into which skewers of bread, vegetables, and other foods are dipped, might call for gruyere. Other classic recipes, like baked French onion soup and chicken cordon bleu, are often best made with it.
In order to choose a Gruyere substitute in these cooking situations, your best bet is to research and compare the respective moisture and fat contents of the two cheeses. Year-old Gruyère is about 36% water and 32% fat. Its delicate taste and melted texture are closely matched by cheeses such as Emmental, Jarlsberg, Fontina or French Beaufort.
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