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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Netherlands

Boerenkaas

Boerenkaas is Gouda-type cheese made on the farm from the farm's own raw milk. The milk is renneted at about 30 °C within 40 hours of milking, the curd is washed with hot water to at most 37 °C, pressed, brined in 18–22 % salt and ripened at least 13 days at 12 °C or more. Made in 6 steps over 15 days. The longest step, ripen, takes at least 13 days (Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)) and runs at at least 12 °C (Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)). Salt is 18–22 % (Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)). Mixed lactic starter culture and Propionic and aroma-forming bacteria do most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main stepat least 13 daysSet[boerenkaas-tsg]Ripen
Temperatureat least 12 °CSet[boerenkaas-tsg]Ripen
Salt18–22 %Set[boerenkaas-tsg]Brine
AciditypH 5.2–5.4Set[boerenkaas-tsg]Ripen
Fully documentedCheese15 daysTSG (EU Traditional Speciality Guaranteed)Family: Washed-curd cheese family (Gouda as template)More washed-curd cheesesMore from Netherlands

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedThe dossier fixes temperatures, brine strength and ripening but no batch size.
Raw milk · Never heated above 40 °C; at least half from the farm's own herd[boerenkaas-tsg]
Cultures of lactic, propionic and aroma-forming bacteria[boerenkaas-tsg]
Rennet[boerenkaas-tsg]
Water · Hot water to wash the curd[boerenkaas-tsg]
Calcium chloride and sodium nitrate (allowed)[boerenkaas-tsg]
Salt · In brine of 18–22 % sodium chloride[boerenkaas-tsg]
Cumin, other seeds, herbs or spices (optional)[boerenkaas-tsg]
Starter: mixed culture of acidifying bacteria

Total time across the recorded steps: 15 days

Start
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30 °C

What changes: Starter and rennet go into raw farm milk at about 30 °C

Step 1 of 6
Rennet the raw milk
Time
up to 40 h
Set
Temperature
30 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

Output: curd.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

a mixed starter culture acidifies the milk

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

Boerenkaas follows the Gouda method but must be made on the farm from raw milk, used within 40 hours and never heated above 40 °C. Gouda Holland PGI cheese is made in factories from pasteurised milk.

Milk
Raw milk, mainly from the farm's own herd
Ripening
At least 13 days at 12 °C or more
Composition
Goudse Boerenkaas at least 48 % fat in dry matter, at most 42.5 % moisture at 12 days, 0.4–4 % salt in the dry cheese

Related ferments

Variants

  • Goudse BoerenkaasGouda shape; full-fat, at least 48 % fat in dry matter; pH 5.20–5.40 at 12 days.
  • Leidse BoerenkaasLeiden shape, red rind, cumin, 30+ or 35+ fat class.
  • Edammer BoerenkaasBall or loaf shape, 40+ fat class, moisture up to 47 %.
  • Boerenkaas van geiten-, schapen- of buffelmelkGoat, sheep or buffalo milk; at least 45+ fat class; pH 5.10–5.30 at 12 days.

Safety

Made from raw milk; the dossier requires phosphatase activity normal for raw milk, which proves it was not pasteurised.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

Until 1874 all Dutch milk was made into cheese on the farm. Factory processing then grew, and pasteurising cheese milk spread in the early 20th century; farms kept making raw-milk cheese. Rules from 1982 created the state mark, later the casein mark, for farm cheese from raw milk.

  1. [boerenkaas-tsg] Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Productdossier Boerenkaas, Gegarandeerde Traditionele Specialiteit (TSG product specification)spec
  2. [gouda-holland-pgi] Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Productdossier BGA Gouda Holland (PGI product specification), for the factory method compared herespec