Brie de Meaux - Manufacturing

Manufacturing

The production territory of Brie de Meaux is limited to the departments of Seine-et-Marne, Loiret, Meuse, Aube, Marne, Haute-Marne and the Yonne.

Brie de Meaux is made with raw cow's milk. It takes about 25 liters of milk to make a large cheese. The fermented milk is placed in a tank for 16 hours, then put in bowl for curding which lasts one hour. It is then cut into small cubes with a slice-curd. Finally, it is molded by hand by thin layers with a brie shovel. The temperature in the room where casting is made must be increased to 33 °C for four hours to evacuate the whey, then at 24 C for six hours and finally at 19 °C. It is then drained on mats made of reeds. The next day, the cheese is then salted and they will then remain in the curing room for two days. Then, the cheeses are placed in a room at 12 °C in which they will begin to be refined. The characteristic white will begin to appear. After one week, the cheese will be placed in another refrigerator at 7 °C. It must wait 3 weeks minimum, typically 6 to 8 weeks to reach full maturity. Throughout the ripening period, cheeses are routinely turned by hand. The time of manufacture of Brie de Meaux is two months.