Ah, Swiss cheese. Its big, beautiful, cheesy-hole-filled wheels putting Swiss-love-cups to shame. Do the holes in Swiss cheese confuse you? Do you think about how those perfect, contrite circles end up in such an innocent round of cheese? Ah, you won’t believe it until you know the truth behind the holes—I’ll take you through it!
Contents
The Art of Making Swiss Cheese Holes
Many may think Swiss cheese can’t be made without holes. But this is actually false—the only reason Swiss cheese has holes is because of how it’s made. Swiss cheese is made with a starter culture, which is a type of bacteria. As the cheese ages, the starter culture is working away—forming carbon dioxide gas and creating those (in)famous holes.
So, when it comes to making Swiss cheese with those beloved holes, the trick is in the starter culture. The starter culture used has to produce the right gas volume in order for holes to form. Most producers add rennet to help make sure the holes form properly.
Making it Even Cheesier
To make sure the holes in Swiss cheese are evenly distributed, the cheese is heated slowly. This releases the air pockets developed in the cheese, resulting in a perfectly-perforated wheel of cheese. Temperature, humidity, and the process itself will dictate how many holes form in the cheese. The average wheel of Swiss cheese will contain around 86 to 100 holes.
On top of that, in order for Swiss cheese to achieve its signature mild and nutty flavour, it needs to age for a minimum of six weeks. During this time, the cheese will lose up to half of its weight and gain its iconic flavour.
Reaching Peak Swiss Cheese Dotiness
The process of making Swiss cheese may seem simple, but it’s actually quite difficult to get that classic cheese flavour and beautiful holes, all in one wheel of cheese. To help ensure the cheese-maker produces the perfect cheese, specialized tools are used in the aging process.
Tools like cheese perforators are used to give the cheese a unique look. The perforator is a metal wheel with small blades that get inserted into the cheese to create the perfect look for Swiss cheese. This system can be automated, allowing for precisely formed holes.
To top it off, a type of aggressive cheese mold—Gruyere—is the star of the show when it comes to making Swiss cheese. Its rich flavor and hole-forming abilities make it an essential ingredient in the classic cheese.
So, there you have it, an inside scoop on the secrets of Swiss cheese holes! As you can tell, making Swiss cheese isn’t as easy as you may have thought—it’s actually a science. A delicious science. Now that you know, you’ll never look at Swiss cheese the same way ever again!