This Wiki Article discusses Stirring Tools used in different components of cheese making, depending on cheese type. This article is divided into the following sections:
Stirring Milk
- Use – Generally the same stirring tool is used at the beginning stages of cheese making to stir milk for several reasons:
- To minimize hot spots while heating milk.
- To distribute initial additives such as direct acids, starter cultures, annatto, calcium chloride, and rennet.
- After cutting rennet coagulated curds to help curds to expel whey and to stop clumping of cut curds.
- Material
- Food grade plastic or stainless steel.
- Wooden utensils are not recommend as they harbor and can introduce unwanted microorganisms into the cheese.
- Shape
- Preferably with holes to aid in diffusion of additives into the milk.
- Long enough so that tool does not sink below milk when left to rest in vat at an angle (not feasible with large vats).
- Examples – Long household holed spoon or skimmer.
Stirring Brine
- Use – To stir and help dissolve dry crystalline salt in water or whey when making brine.
- Material
- Food grade, normally suitable plastic.
- Wooden utensils are not recommend as they harbor and can introduce unwanted microorganisms into the cheese.
- Stainless steel is not recommended unless very high quality as it will corrode.
- Shape – Preferably with holes to aid in diffusion of additives into the milk.
- Examples – Long household holed spoon or skimmer.