Gjetost (Norwegian Brown Cheese)

Gjetost (Brunost): Nutrition, History and Cooking Guide

Gjetost — also known as brunost ("brown cheese") or mysost — is a unique Scandinavian product that is technically not a cheese in the traditional sense but a preserved whey product. It is produced by boiling whey (and sometimes added cream or whole milk) over many hours until the milk sugar (lactose) caramelises through the Maillard reaction and the liquid reduces to a dense, fudge-like paste that is then moulded and allowed to solidify. The caramelisation process produces the characteristic golden-brown to deep brown colour and the intensely sweet, caramel, slightly goaty flavour that makes brunost one of the most distinctive dairy products in the world. In Norway, where it was developed in the 1860s — a woman named Anne Hov is credited with developing the first commercially successful brunost by adding cream to the whey — it is consumed daily by a very large proportion of the population, typically shaved in thin curls using a traditional cheese plane (ostehøvel) and eaten on bread, crispbread, or waffles. Gjetost means "goat cheese" and refers to brunost made with goat's whey; Gudbrandsdalsost is made with a blend of goat's and cow's whey.

Nutritional Value and Uses

Gjetost provides 466 kcal and 9.7 g of protein per 100 g, with 29.5 g of fat — very high in energy, reflecting the concentrated lactose, fat, and protein of the reduced whey. The carbohydrate content is high (approximately 42 g per 100 g) from the caramelised lactose — quite different from conventional cheese. Calcium is significant at approximately 400 mg per 100 g. Use as the Norwegians do — shave thin slices with a cheese plane over crispbread or toast, serve with waffles and jam, use in sauces for game (a small piece melted into a sauce for reindeer or elk adds complexity), or eat simply with butter on white bread. Available from Scandinavian food shops, some specialist delis, and online.