🟫 Brunost
Also known as: brown cheese, mysost, geitost, gjetost
Norwegian "brown cheese" of whey, milk and cream cooked down to a caramel colour; by standards it is a whey cheese.
Brunost (“brown cheese”) is the Norwegian general name for mysost, a family of products made from whey, milk and/or cream. Whey left over from cheesemaking is boiled down for a long time (roughly tenfold), with milk and cream added; the milk sugars caramelise, and the mass turns brown, thick and sweetish. It is then cooled while being stirred constantly and pressed into blocks.
Boiling whey down into a brown paste has been known in Scandinavia for at least 2,500 years. Modern firm, rich brunost is usually associated with the dairymaid Anne Hov from the Gudbrandsdal valley (19th century), who began adding cream to the whey. The most popular variety is Gudbrandsdalsost, made from a mix of cow’s and goat’s milk; there is also pure-goat “ekte geitost”.
Brunost is often called “technically not a cheese”, because it is made by boiling down whey rather than by curdling casein; however, international standards classify such products as whey cheeses. It is cut into thin slices with a special cheese slicer and eaten on bread, waffles and flatbreads, or added to sauces for game. It is one of the symbols of Norwegian cuisine.
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 29.5 g |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9.65 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42.6 g |
| Energy | 466 kcal |
| Calcium | 400 mg |
How it connects to milk
🟫 Brunost → made from → 🥛 Cow's milk → type of → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Made from
- 🥛 Cow's milk, 🥛 Goat's milk, 🧀 Whey
- How it is made
- 🔄 Condensing
- Where it is traditional
- 🌍 Northern Europe
- Which peoples make it
- 🧑🤝🧑 Norwegians
- Product type
- 🏺 Traditional dairy products
- Part of
- 🧀 Cheese
Frequently asked questions
Why is brunost brown?
During long boiling of whey with milk and cream, the milk sugars caramelise, giving it its colour and sweetish taste.
Is brunost actually cheese?
It is made by boiling down whey rather than curdling milk, so it is called “technically not a cheese”, although standards classify it as a whey cheese.
How do you eat brunost?
In thin slices on bread, waffles or flatbreads; it is also added to sauces.
Similar
🧀 Leipäjuusto · 🧀 Queso fresco · 🧀 Ricotta · 🧶 Oaxaca cheese · 🥣 Rømme · 🧀 Parmesan
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.