Gruyère (cheese)

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This article is about a variety of cheese. For the district in Switzerland, see Gruyère (district).

Gruyère

Country of origin

Switzerland

Region, town

Canton of Fribourg, Gruyères

Source of milk

Cows

Pasteurised

Texture

cooked, pressed, hard

Aging time

5-12 months

Certification

Swiss AOC 2001

Gruyère is a hard yellow cheese made from cow's milk, named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland, and made in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and Berne. Before 2001, when Gruyère gained Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée status as a Swiss cheese, some controversy existed whether French cheeses of a similar nature could also be labeled Gruyère. (French Gruyère-style cheeses include Comté and Beaufort.) Gruyère is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavor that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming with age more assertive, earthy, and complex. When fully aged (five months to a year) it tends to have small holes and cracks which impart a slightly grainy mouthfeel. To make a 35 kg round of Gruyère cheese, about 400 L of milk is used.

Gruyère is generally regarded as one of the finest cheeses for cooking, having a distinctive but not overpowering flavor. In quiche, Gruyère adds savoriness without overshadowing the other ingredients. It is a good melting cheese [1], so particularly suited for fondues, along with Vacherin and Emmental. It is also traditionally used in French onion soup, as well as in Croque Monsieur, a classic French toasted ham and cheese sandwich. It is a fine table cheese, and when grated, it is often used with salads and pastas.

To make Gruyère, raw milk is heated to 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit), and then curdled by the addition of liquid rennet. The curd is cut up into pieces the size of a grain of rice and stirred, releasing whey. The curd is cooked at 43 °C (110 °F), and raised quickly to 54 °C (130 °F). The pieces shrivel up, and the mixture is placed in molds to be pressed. After salting in brine, the cheese is ripened for two months at room temperature. Gruyère can be cured for 3 to 10 months, with long curing producing a cheese of intense flavour. See [2], [3]

Gruyère-style cheeses are very popular in Greece where they are known as γραβιέρα (graviera).