Wiki: Cheddar Cheese Making Recipe

This is a generic recipe for making Cheddar. Traditionally Cheddar was shaped into large drums and aged with a loose cloth covering it rather than a wax. This recipe is a slight variation of traditional cheddar recipes in that it includes a stirring step instead of a traditional cheddaring step that involves cutting the curds into strips and draining them. The results are almost identical but it saves the cheese maker a couple of hours of time. As with many hard cheeses, this cheese must be aged at least 3 months and 9 months or more will produce a superior quality cheese as it will get sharper with age.

Ingredients – American

• 1 US Gallon Fresh Milk.
• Mesophilic Starter Culture of your choice.
• Rennet diluted in 1/4 cup/50 ml water, amount depending on package directions and your experience with that brand.
• 1 Tablespoon non-iodized Salt.

Directions

1. Using a double boiler, warm the milk to 90F / 32 C.
2. Add mesophilic starter culture and mix thoroughly with a whisk, the culture must be uniform throughout the milk.
3. Allow the milk to ripen for one hour.
4. Dilute rennet in 1/2 cup cool water.
5. Slowly pour the rennet into the milk stirring constantly with a whisk.
6. Stir for 1 minute.
7. Allow the milk to set for 1-2 hours until a firm curd is set and a clean break can be obtained when the curd is cut.
8. With a long knife, cut the curds into 1/4 inch cubes.
9. Allow the curds to sit for 15 minutes to firm up.
10. Slowly raise the temperature of the milk to 102F / 39C. It should take as long as 45 minutes to reach this temperature. During this time, gently stir the curds every few minutes so they don’t mat together.
11. Cook the curds at 102F / 39C for another 45 minutes. During this time, gently stir the curds every few minutes so they don’t mat together.
12. Drain the whey by pouring through a cheesecloth lined colander. Do this quickly and do not allow the curds to mat.
13. Place the curds back into the double boiler at 102F / 39C. Stir the curds to separate any particles that have matted. Add the tablespoon of salt and mix thoroughly.
14. Cook the curds at 102F / 39C for one hour, stirring every few minutes.
15. Carefully place the curds into your cheesecloth lined mold.
16. Press the cheese at about 20 lbs / 9 kg for 45 minutes.
17. Remove the cheese from the press and flip it.
18. Press the cheese at about 40 lbs /18 kg for 3 hours.
19. Remove the cheese from the press and flip it.
20. Press the cheese at about 50 lbs / 23 kg for 24 hours.
21. Remove the cheese from the press. Place the cheese on a cheese board and dry at room temperature for 3-5 days, until the cheese is dry to the touch.
22. Wax the cheese and age it in your refrigerator for 3-24 months. The longer the cheese is aged the sharper the flavor it will develop. Be sure to flip the cheese every few days.