Copycat Jarlsberg Cheese Dip Recipe - The Food Hussy (2024)

FAQs

What is Jarlsberg dip made of? ›

If you're not familiar Jarlsberg is actually a Norwegian cheese – it was made by Swiss cheesemakers who then moved to Norway – which is why most people think it's Swiss cheese. It's very similar. Jarlsberg Dip is a dip made of shredded cheese, mayo and seasonings and has a nice nutty flavor.

How is Jarlsberg® produced? Cheese production involves separating milk, which gives casein and whey. To enable cheese production, lactic acid bacteria must develop. In the production of Jarlsberg®, propionic acid bacteria (the Secret Recipe!) is used to give the cheese its characteristic taste and holes.

Use Jarlsberg as you would other mild Alpine cheeses. It can be sliced and served on hot or cold sandwiches or on cheese boards or snack plates. Jarlsberg melts well and can be grated into casseroles, quiches, frittatas, gratins, and other baked dishes to enhance flavor and texture.

To complement Jarlsberg Cheese's sweet, nutty flavor and open texture, choose light, fresh white wines rather than reds. Dry or semi-dry whites made from Chardonnay or Riesling grapes are your best bets. Think Chablis, White Burgundy, or a light, spicy Gewürztraminer. Jarlsberg Cheese also works well with most beers.

Jarlsberg® melts beautifully, which makes it perfect for gratins, pies, pizzas, burgers, quesadillas and cheese melt sandwiches. The mild nuttiness of Jarlsberg® is a perfect companion to most herbs and spices. In addition to the unique flavour, it offers just the right chewiness when melted on top.

Gruyere, vegan gouda and Cream cheese are the top jarlsberg cheese substitute. Comte is also a good alternative.

Researchers from Norway have found that eating a daily portion (around 57 g) of Jarlsberg could help stave off bone thinning without boosting harmful low density cholesterol, and that the health benefits are unique to this very particular cheese.

The story of the cheese that we today call Jarlsberg® goes all the way back to the 1950s. It all started in the small Norwegian village called Ås and a professor, Ole Martin Ystgaard, who was leading a long-term research project at the Dairy Institute at the Agricultural University of Norway.

Because of its high vitamin K₂ content, Jarlsberg appears to be a good candidate for such studies. 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (DHNA) has been shown to have anti-osteoporotic effects and increase bone mineral density in ovariectomised mice.

Jarlsberg has the consistency, texture, and hole-formation of Swiss Emmental, but a sweeter flavor that is more nut-like than its Swiss-made counterpart. Another difference worth noting is the density and weight distinctions between the two.

Why is it called Jarlsberg cheese? ›

It was named for a Norwegian nobleman, Count Wedel Jarlsberg, who owned land near Oslo in an area where an earlier version of the cheese was produced in the early 1800s, or for the eponymous county. The recipe was developed from formulae originating with Swiss cheesemakers who moved to Norway at that time.

Gruyère is known for its nutty flavor, while Emmental has a milder taste and characteristic holes. Jarlsberg, on the other hand, is a Norwegian cheese with a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor. Each cheese has its unique profile, influenced by factors like region, production methods, and aging.

Eat the cheese, dipping accompaniments like cubed bread, cooked potatoes, sliced apples, pears, cornichons, pickled pearl onions, and salami into the pot.

The salty, fattiness of the ham, the buttery taste of the Jarlsberg, and the acid sweetness of the lingonberry jam work just wonderfully together. Plus they're pretty, too! ​You can serve these as part of a smorgasbord, like I did, or alone for a fancy lunch.

Firm: Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyère, Stilton, Jarlsberg, Manchego. These cheeses can hold their own in flavor, and a slice will be stiff enough to top and eat without a cracker.

Jarlsberg is marketed as a Swiss cheese because of its characteristics, though it tends to be sweeter and stronger than Emmentaler. Beneath the yellow-wax rind of Jarlsberg is a semi-firm yellow interior that is buttery, rich in texture with a mild, nutty flavor.

I read recently that eating 2 slices of this Norwegian cheese daily is better at bone-building than most other cheeses, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. Blood samples showed that the Jarlsberg group had higher blood levels of vitamin K2 and raised osteocalcin.