So, you want to know, do you remove the rind from Gouda?
I’m sure you’ve eaten the rind of various kinds of cheese before.
However, one look at Gouda cheese, and you are filled with confusion.
Should I remove it?
Can I eat it?
Am I able to cook with it?
Who knows?
So, in this article, I’ll explain what you need to know about the various Gouda cheeses and their rinds.
Whether you should remove the rind will depend on which variety of Gouda cheese you are eating. Essentially, for all cheeses, if the rind is man-made, then it should be removed. However, if the rind forms as part of the cheesemaking process, it can be eaten. Therefore, the red wax of traditional Gouda should always be removed, whereas the brown rind on smoked Gouda can be eaten or used for cooking.
1. Should I Always Remove the Rind From Traditional Gouda?
The general rule of thumb with cheese rind is that if it is partly or fully man-made, then don’t eat it.
When it comes to traditional Gouda, the red rind is actually wax and, therefore, fully man-made.
So yes, you should remove the rind on traditional Gouda.
In effect, this is a synthetic rind that has specifically been added to Gouda to prevent a natural rind from forming.
You see, rinds form naturally as part of the cheesemaking process.
Plus, the more aged a cheese is, the more of a rind it is likely to have.
So, Gouda is actually coated in wax and then set out to dry and age.
As I say, this stops a natural rind from forming.
Furthermore, the addition of the wax rind will ensure that Gouda doesn’t dry out due to being exposed to air.
That being said, this doesn’t mean there won’t be a natural rind under the red wax coating.
In order to remove the rind from Gouda, you can either cut it away with a knife or simply peel it off with your fingers.
You’ll find that the wax coating is fairly easy to peel off, as it’s not actually bonded to the cheese.
And just in case you weren’t aware (although you shouldn’t need telling), Babybel, which are, in fact, mini Goudas, should also always have the red wax removed, as it is definitely not edible.
How to Cut Red Wax Off Gouda
2. Can I Eat and Use Smoked Gouda Rind For Cooking?
Another extremely popular variety of cheese is smoked Gouda.
Now, things are a little here, and you’ll notice that the rind of smoked gouda isn’t the typical bright red more commonly associated with the traditional variety.
In fact, it’s a brown rind, which seems to perfectly complement smoked Gouda cheese.
The rind on smoked Gouda is edible, although whether you enjoy the taste is a matter of personal preference.
For me, if I’m simply eating a wedge of smoked Gouda, then I’ll remove the rind.
However, if I use Gouda in a sandwich, there are a couple of ways to enjoy the rind.
Firstly, you can just leave it on the cheese, and if you grill your Gouda sandwich, you’ll notice it takes on a lovely crispy texture.
Then again, you can also remove the rind and then place it in the cheese while it melts.
This simply enhances the flavor of the cheese, as far as I’m concerned.
You can also use smoked Gouda rind when cooking.
It adds a new dimension and flavor to soups, pasta sauces, etc.
Realistically, Parmesan rinds will probably work better, but there’s still no harm in adding smoked Gouda rind to a variety of cooked dishes.
Final Thoughts
So, I hope you understand that whether you remove the rind from Gouda will depend on the type of Gouda.
Traditional gouda cheese is covered in a red wax coating.
This is man-made, and therefore it is definitely not edible.
You can simply cut off the red rind or peel it off with your fingers.
Admittedly, there will be a natural rind left underneath if you peel off the red wax, but as the rind is natural, it is edible.
This is also why the brown rind on smoked Gouda is edible.
Basically, it is completely natural, forms part of the Gouda, and will actually enhance the flavor of the cheese.
That being said, the taste is a matter of personal preference, so you’ll have to try it for yourself.
You can also add smoked Gouda rind to various recipes, such as soups and pasta.
Then again, just add it to a sandwich and enjoy.
Going back to what I mentioned earlier, here’s another article I wrote discussing why Babybel cheese has wax.