Description of Sbrinz cheese, manufacturing features. Calorie content, benefits and harms when consumed. How they eat and cook, interesting things about the variety.
Sbrinz is a Swiss hard cheese made from fatty raw cow's milk. Its texture is so dense that when you try to cut it with an ordinary knife, the product is colored. To try, they prepare a special knife that helps to break off a piece. The aroma is pronounced, spicy, "cheesy", the taste is characterized as irisy-nutty, with a herbal aftertaste; yellow color; the crust is the same, natural. The diameter of the cylindrical head can reach 70 cm and the weight is 70 kg.
How is Sbrinz cheese made?
The preparation of the feedstock consists in reducing the fat content to 3, 8-3, 9%. During this process, milk is processed in a centrifuge. Heating or pasteurization is not carried out.
How Sbrinz cheese is made:
- Milk is first cooled, and then reheated to 27 ° C. A complex of lactobacilli is used as a starter culture. The introduction is carried out in the usual way: it is poured onto the surface, waiting for the powder to be absorbed, and then stirring to distribute it evenly throughout the volume of milk.
- The rennet is poured in and left for 40-45 minutes to form a dense clot.
- Cutting is carried out using a special device - "harp", which simultaneously mixes the cheese grains.
- During kneading, the temperature is increased to 57 ° C. The cheese grains are allowed to settle, a third of the whey is drained and replaced with cool water in the same volume. The curd layer is precipitated again, lowering the temperature to 55 ° C. This is the only way to get the most solid texture.
- Molds are laid out with a serpyanka and densely filled with curd mass. Long-term pressing - up to 3 days. During an experimental measurement of the pressure, it was found that it reaches 55 kPa, that is, half the atmospheric. It is difficult to create such pressure with the help of oppression.
- Salting is carried out in 2 stages. First, the surface of the future heads is rubbed with coarse salt, and then immersed in a 20% cooled solution for 9-10 days.
The production of Sbrinz cheese at the final stages is different from the creation of other varieties. Drying is carried out not 24-48 hours, but 1, 5-5 months. All this time, the heads are turned over not only from one flat surface to another, but also by rotating. A constant microclimate (19 ° C) is maintained in a ventilated room. The forming crust is wiped with a soft sponge dipped in linseed oil. At the first sign of mold, it is washed with brine. After the initial exposure, the heads are lowered into cellars with a temperature of 20 ° C and a humidity of 70-75%.
The first tasting can be carried out after 16 months, but the Spalen (short-aging) subspecies is not popular. It already tastes like Parmesan, and in texture - Gruyere, but the taste will really open up only after another six months.
Composition and calorie content of Sbrinz cheese
The fat content of the product in terms of dry matter is 45%, but in terms of lipids it can reach 70%. No wonder the raw material is only full-fat whole milk. No chemical additives are used in the manufacture of this grade. Rennet is from calf stomach only, not a pharmacy option. Calcium chloride is not added.
The calorie content of Sbrinz cheese is 426-429 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Protein - 30 g;
- Fat - 34 g.
Most of all vitamins: riboflavin and tocopherol, niacin and folic acid, beta carotene, pyridoxine and choline, thiamine and cobalamin. The peculiarity of the composition is a small amount of ascorbic acid. For this type of fermented milk product, the presence of a nutrient is atypical.
The mineral composition is represented by calcium and potassium, magnesium and iron, manganese and zinc, sulfur and selenium. Sodium - 1, 8 g per 100 g of product due to salting.
Fats in the Sbrinz cheese per 100 g
- Saturated fatty acids - 19 mg;
- Cholesterol - 106 mg
To burn the calories from just one 100g bite, you have to choose one of the following options: ride a bike over rough terrain for 1.5 hours, pedal for 2 hours, run for 40 minutes, swim nonstop for 70 minutes, walk 127 minutes fast pace.
Useful properties of Sbrinz cheese
Regular use strengthens the skeletal system, improves the quality of cartilage tissue, accelerates nerve-impulse conduction, helps to recover from stressful conditions, improves falling asleep and soothes against the background of emotional instability. Like all delicious foods, it promotes the production of serotonin. This is especially beneficial for women entering menopause. During this time, it is important to maintain the functioning of the nervous system.
Benefits of Sbrinz cheese:
- Prevents the development of osteoporosis.
- Normalizes acid-base and water-electrolyte balance, supports oxidative processes at all levels.
- It has antioxidant properties, increases organic immunity, improves food digestion and prevents putrefactive processes from developing.
- Strengthens the work of the myocardium and stabilizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Prevents the accumulation of "bad" cholesterol in the lumen of blood vessels.
- Reduces the rate of onset of age-related changes.
- Prevents the development of anemia.
- Increases the production of digestive enzymes, improves the absorption of not only the vitamin and mineral complex from this product, but also those vegetables and fruits that are consumed together.
There are no age-related contraindications for the use of Sbrinz cheese. The easily digestible protein is quickly absorbed, replenishes the vitamin and mineral reserve, and helps to recover from serious illnesses and the consequences of irrational diets.
Contraindications and harm of Sbrinz cheese
There are known cases of allergy to this product, but this has been noted in isolated cases.
The permissible daily portion is 60-80 g, but in case of obesity and the need to control weight, it should be reduced - the product is quite high in calories. You should also reduce the recommended amount by 2-3 times with a tendency to edema, high blood pressure and impaired urination.
Eating Sbrinz cheese harm can cause harm in people with milk protein intolerance, chronic pancreatitis and liver dysfunction. But healthy people can also feel unpleasant sensations: heaviness in the stomach and in the abdomen, heartburn and nausea when overeating. To make the tasting only a pleasure, you should combine this variety with fruits and herbs.
Sbrinz cheese recipes
The delicacy is served with grape juice, cider, red wines - Beaujolais, Chardonnay or Champagne, it is used to make dishes of the national cuisine of Italy - pizza, pasta and lasagna, as well as puddings and casseroles from the British. The Swiss themselves are limited to the use of cheese without additives, with fruits, jam or honey, nuts.
Slicing hard cheese Sbrinz for a cheese plate is done as follows: chipping off or cutting off a piece from a huge head, and then finely chopping the crust, and serving the middle in the wrong pieces. The Spalen subspecies, which matures less than 1.5 years, is laid out with beautiful spirals cut with a special knife.
The monolith is usually pounded before starting to cook. It is difficult to grate.
Recipes with Sbrinz cheese:
- Risotto … Asparagus, 300 g, peeled at the ends and cut into small pieces of 4 cm. 1 onion and 2 garlic prongs are fried in sunflower oil. Pure washed rice, 300 g, is also poured there. When all the grains become transparent, pour in 100 ml of white wine, preferably dry. When it has evaporated, pour in the pre-cooked vegetable broth with tablespoons. It is necessary to ensure that the rice is constantly cooked in the broth and does not dry out, at the same time the contents of the pan should not resemble soup. The gas is reduced to the minimum power. When the rice is almost ready, spread the asparagus. No more broth is added. Cover the pan with a lid. When the asparagus becomes soft, add 80 g of grated cheese, stir vigorously until it melts, pour in 180 ml of cream. As soon as it boils, they turn it off. Served in deep bowls, each serving is seasoned with pre-roasted crushed almonds.
- Asparagus salad … Pour half a glass of salad yogurt into a bowl, add 2-3 tbsp. l. green onions, chopped with a hand blender, seasoned with pepper and salt. White asparagus, 500 g, peeled, cut into pieces 8-10 cm long, boiled in boiling water with lemon juice. Fried almonds, pounded, but not very finely. Sbrinz, 100 g, rubbed. Ham, 80 g, cut into cubes. The asparagus is quickly discarded in a colander, laid out on a dish. Sprinkle with cheese until it has cooled down, lay out the ham. Garnished with almonds, parsley sprigs and seasoned with onion sauce. The salad is served warm.
- Cannelloni … Pasta, 12 pieces, boil until half cooked. Preheat the oven to 220 ° C. Mix for the filling 100 g of grated Sbrinza and Tilsiter cheeses, drive in 2 eggs, pour in 4 tbsp. l. milk, it is not necessary to boil, add 6 tbsp. l. wheat flour. Season with crushed garlic, add finely chopped parsley. Fill the cannelloni with the filling, grease the baking sheet with sunflower oil, lay them out. Bake for 15-20 minutes. At this time, they make the sauce: in a salad bowl, season 1/4 cup of wine with wine salt, 50 g, usual to taste, with a mixture of peppers. Zucchini is served as a garnish. Peel, cut into thin circles and fry on 2 sides, slightly add salt and sprinkle with garlic juice. When serving, the plates are heated.
- Polenta … Boil the meat broth in advance - you need 1 liter. Pour corn flour into the boiling broth in a thin stream, 200 g (if you made it yourself, do not grind it very finely), cook it for 2 minutes, add 150 g of grated Sbrinets and 30 g of butter, stir until the cheese melts. Remove from fire. For the sauce, finely chop a bunch of sage and fry with 2 crushed garlic cloves in 80 g of butter for 1-2 minutes. Put polenta on plates and season with aromatic oil sauce.
- Chicken cutlets … Chicken meat (optional breast, you can combine pieces) grind in any way with onions, garlic. Add bread soaked in milk, 1 egg, salt, pepper. All are mixed and shaped into patties. Fry on 2 sides in a pan. You can make regular cutlets and cut lengthwise or immediately mold into narrow "sausages". Mix in a salad bowl 60 g of crushed Sbrinets, 1 tsp each. marjoram and thyme. Cutlets are rolled in cheese sprinkles and wrapped in thin slices of not very fatty ham, preferably dry-cured. Grill until golden brown appears on the ham. Spread on a plate, season with lime juice and zest. Served with tomato salad.
See also recipes with Burenkaas cheese.
Interesting facts about Sbrinz cheese
This variety is presented as one of the oldest with the described manufacturing technology. Once upon a time it was he who was mentioned by Pliny the Elder under the name "cheese of the Helvetians", and it was his "hard flesh" that was destroyed by the warlike Celts living in the western territory of modern Switzerland. According to one of the hypotheses of origin, the Romans borrowed the recipe, enriched it, and from there he returned to his small homeland, to the region to which he owes its name. Brienz was famous for its fermented milk products in the XII-XIII centuries. In most cities in the region, fairs were constantly held, where cereals, overseas spices and rice were exchanged for livestock products. The local Sbrinz variety was especially popular.
But there is another version of the name, related not to the place of production, but to the quality of the product. Literal translation from the Lombard dialect "sbrinzo" - "hard cheese".
AOC Certificate of Quality Control for Manufacturing Technology and Origin was awarded in 2001. Regardless of where the heads are made - in private cheese dairies or in a dairy factory, it is necessary to thoroughly repeat the recipe.
In Switzerland, Sbrinz cheese is made in Bern, St. Gallen, Aarau, Schwyz and the Obvalden canton. Despite the fact that the recipe was sold to many countries, it was not possible to repeat the taste of the original product. In reviews of Sbrinets from Italy, Belarus, Canada and Russia, only the similarity with "real cheese" is mentioned. Probably, cheese makers have hidden some peculiarities of production, or it is impossible to reproduce the variety without milk from brown cows grazing in alpine meadows.
Watch a video about Sbrinz cheese:
