Gaviera Cheese

Gaviera cheese is a delightful take on the classic Greek Graviera, which itself is inspired by Swiss Gruyere. This hard, Greek-style cheese is perfect for traditional dishes like saganaki. While the aging process takes a while, the effort put into crafting this cheese pays dividends in flavor and authentic texture.

Ingredients

🥛 6 L Whole Cow's Milk, at least 3.25% fat, Indigenous Dairy
🐐 2 L Goat's Milk, CapriLac
🧫 1/4 tsp Thermophilic B (ST + LB) starter culture
🧫 1/64 tsp Sacco LPR A protective culture
💧 3/8 tsp 2 ml Calcium Chloride, diluted in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water
🍶 3/8 tsp 2 ml Single Strength Liquid Rennet IMCU 200, diluted in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water
🧂 18% Brine solution for brining
🧂 Cheese salt for refreshing brine

Instructions

1- Sanitize Equipment:

• Begin by thoroughly sanitizing all the equipment to ensure a clean working environment for cheese-making.

2- Combine Milks:

• In a large stainless steel pot, mix 6 L of whole cow's milk and 2 L of goat's milk.

3- Heat Milk:

• Utilize a steady heat source or a kitchen water bath with an Anova precision cooker to gradually heat the mixed milks to 32°C / 90°F.

4- Add Cultures:

• Evenly sprinkle 1/4 tsp Thermophilic B starter culture over the milk.
• Follow by sprinkling 1/64 tsp Sacco LPR A protective culture over the milk.
• Allow cultures to rehydrate for 5 minutes, covering the pot to prevent contamination.

5- Stir Cultures:

• Stir the cultures into the milk thoroughly, ensuring even distribution from top to bottom for about 1 minute.

6- Ripen Milk:

• Allow the milk to ripen for another 10 minutes.

7- Add Calcium Chloride and Rennet:

• Add the diluted Calcium Chloride and, after stirring well, follow with the addition of the diluted Rennet.
• Stir for no more than a minute.

8- Set Milk:

• Cover the pot and let the milk set for around 40 minutes before checking for a clean break.
• If needed, wait an additional 10 minutes.

9- Cut and Heal Curds:

• With a curd knife, cut the set curd into columns.
• Use a whisk to cut further until they are about the size of rice grains.
• Let the curds heal for 5 minutes.

10- Stir and Heat:

• Over an hour, heat the curds gently to 46°C / 114°F while stirring continuously to ensure even cooking.

11- Drain Curds:

• Rest the curds to settle at the pot's base.
• Drain into a cheese mold lined with cheese cloth.

12- Pressing Process:
- First Pressing: Press curds at 10kg / 22 lbs for 30 minutes using a cheese press.
- Second Pressing: After turning and redressing, press for an additional hour at 10kg / 22 lbs.
- Third Pressing: Again turn and redress, then press overnight for 18 hours at 15kg / 33 lbs.

13- Brining:

• Prepare an 18% brine solution and submerge the cheese for 8 hours, turning halfway.

14- Air Drying:

• Dry the cheese for 3 days on a mat, with twice-daily turning.

15- Aging:

• Finally, vacuum pack the cheese using a Sunbeam FoodSaver and allow it to ripen for five months at 10-12°C / 50-54°F.

Prep Time: Approximately 2 hours (excluding ripening, drying, and aging)
Cook Time: Total pressing sequence of approximately 20 hours
Total Time: 5 months (including drying and aging)
Servings: Variable depending on use
Equipment: Anova Precision Cooker, large stainless pot, cheese mold, cheese cloth, cheese press, Sunbeam FoodSaver

Cooking Tips

• Ensure sanitation to prevent contamination.
• Use precise measurements for cultures and salts for optimal cheese texture and flavor.
• Maintain vigilance on temperature stability for the best cheese curd set.

#cheesemaking #gaviera #homemadecheese #saganaki #greekcuisine

Gavin Webber: https://www.youtube.com/@GavinWebber

#gavinwebber

Gaviera Cheese