Growth in distinctive herb cheeses: opportunities and practical tips for cheesemakers

Practical tips: how to process herbs in cheese

Processing herbs in cheese curds requires precision. The dosage, the right time to add them and the influence on the ripening process together determine the taste and quality of the cheese. We provide a number of essential guidelines and practical tips.

Advice on dosage for herbs

When dosing, it is important to take the nature of the herbs into account. Some have a stronger taste and contain coarser pieces, which means that the amount in dosage can vary. Of course, taste is debatable, but this advice is a good starting point:

• For herbs and lightly aromatic spices, such as fenugreek, it is recommended to use a dosage of around 100 grams per 10 kilograms of cheese.
• For strongly aromatic spices, such as cloves, use a dosage of around 50 grams per 10 kilograms of cheese.

Pre-soaking herbs

Blanching herbs briefly releases aromas better and reduces unwanted micro-organisms. Use the following procedure:

• Bring 10 litres of water to the boil. For highly aromatic herbs, use a narrow cooking pot that can be covered at the top.
• Add the correct amount of herbs and blanch for 5 minutes.
• Cool this mixture to wash water temperature. Do not throw away this wash water; you will use it in a later step.

There are also herbs that are added directly to the cheese without pre-soaking. This is the choice of the cheesemaker. If the herbs are added directly, it is important that the residual mass is well mixable and pumpable. The stirring time can then be shortened by about 5 minutes.

Adding herbs during cheese production

To properly process herbs into cheese, it is not only important to follow the right steps, but also to pay the right attention to them. This prevents careless mistakes. Consider the following points:

• Drain the first whey.
• Add the pre-processed herbs with the liquid together with the washing water at the desired temperature.
• Make sure that 10 liters less washing water is added. This is because water is already added from the herb and spice mixture.
• Mix the mixture well through the curd (approximately 10 minutes).
• Make sure that no air is trapped during mixing.
• Drain the washing water through a sieve and leave as many herbs as possible in the cheese.

Coating of the herb cheese

Not only the taste, but also the finish of cheese plays a major role in the consumer’s experience. Well chosen coating protects the cheese and enhances its appearance and recognisability. Colored coatings make the product distinctive and ensure that it stands out on the shelf. Red is associated with spicy, yellow with spicy and black with luxury and exclusivity. At the same time, processing herbs requires extra attention during coating. This is how an optimal result is achieved:

• It is important to let the cheese dry first before coating it.
• Herbs with ‘coarse’ pieces in them (such as tomato pieces in Italian herb mix) can cause mold on the cheese rind. Unfortunately, this cannot be prevented. One option to reduce this is to use a less coarse blend.
• After pressing, the cheese can be checked and washed to remove the large pieces on the outside.
• If a mold spot does appear, it can be washed away with vinegar.