Author Topic: My 4th Wensleydale  (Read 10012 times)

JeffHamm

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My 4th Wensleydale
« on: October 22, 2012, 03:14:20 AM »
Hi,

My 3rd Wensleydale was my best cheddary type cheese, so I had to try this make again.  I used Dairy Dale milk, and this is supposed to be the same stuff as Anchor Brand, but sold as a budge milk (both put out by Fontera, just one in the expensive bottle, and the other in the cheaper bottle).  However, I had major curd shatter this time, which is unusual.  I do get a bit of soft curds from the budget store brand milk I usually use, but never complete disintegration.  Anyway, in the end, the cheese is now complete and the knit is really good.  Will see how it turns out.  It has good colour as well, so it should be ok.  Only time will tell.

- Jeff


Wensleydale Cheese: Sunday, Oct 21, 2012 (overcast, 22.5 C)

10 litres Dairy Dale whole milk + 1 Litre Nosh Blue
2 ice cube flora danica
3 ice cubes buttermilk
¼ tsp CaCl¬2 (50% solution)
1.77 ml 280 IMCU calf rennet
Mould: 6.25” diameter
2 tbs salt
1)   Warm milk to 32 C (time 7:30 temp 32.0 C)
2)   Add starter and ripen 1 hour 20 minutes (time 7:30 - 8:50 finish temp: ??.? C)
3)   Add CaCl (time 8:42)
4)   Add Rennet (time 8:53:00 – floc time 9:08:00)
5)   3.25x floc (time to floc 15 m 00 sec = wait 48 m 45 sec = cut time 9:41:45)
6)   Cut to 1 cm cubes (942:9:51)
7)   Rest 5 minutes (time 9:51 – 10:01; waited 10 )
8)   Hold temperature, stir gently for 1 hour 30 minutes (wait for acidity target; temp 30.0 C time 10:00 - 11:30; curd shattered.  Don’t use Dairy Dale again)
9)   Drain whey (they take 15-20 minutes to do this; for home maker, add 15 minutes to step 8? 11:30-11:45)
10)   Form a curd cake, and cut into blocks (time 11:45-12:00 2l of whey as press cut at 12)
11)   Turn every 10 minutes for 30 minutes (3 turns; as it raises to an acidity target if you have them; flip times 12:10 - 12:20 - 12:30)
12)   Cut into 5 cm cubes and keep curds warm 30 minutes (wait for acidity target if you have them) (time 12:55 – 1:30).
13)   Add salt
14)    mill into fine crumb (I went thumbnail size, and added salt after milling)
15)   Press in the pot 30 minutes (15 kg; 1.08 PSI 1:52 – 2:30)
16)   flip redress press in the pot 30 minutes  (20 kg; 1.43 PSI 2:30 - 3:45)
17)   flip redress press in the pot 1 hour (35.2 kg 2.53 PSI ?.?? - ?:??; skipped)
18)   flip redress press 24 hours (officially they build up to 40 psi!  So press as heavy as you can; 35.2 kg; 2.53 PSI; 3:45pm – 6:30 am flipped ????g – flipped ?:?? pm – out of press 3:45 pm 1624g  dimensions 15.6cm x 7.0 cm = 1337 cm3 = 1.21g/cm3) Fantastic Knit.  Nice colour
19)   air dry
20)   cave and age (minimum 4 weeks)
Made ricotta (got 256g, from approx 7 litres of whey – didn’t use a 2 litre jug of it; raised to 92.2C and added ¼ cup white vinegar).

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2012, 05:37:28 AM »
That's one sweet-looking wheel. Very pristine compared to the knobby things I keep turning out. ::)

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JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2012, 06:00:47 AM »
Thanks.  That's because you press naked.  The full dressed press isn't so nobbly.  (Please remember, this is a family friendly site).

- Jeff

bbracken677

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2012, 10:23:20 AM »
  (Please remember, this is a family friendly site).

- Jeff

LOL hmm....I have been wearing shorts and t-shirt while pressing cheeses this summer. Has that been my problem?    ;D

JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2012, 09:00:00 PM »
Hi,

This one was put in a vac. bag today.  It's weighed in at 1352g, with a density of 1.07g/cm3.  It's down 272g since brining, but the density has dropped from 1.21, so it's probably lost moisture but not shrunk in size.  I have a lot of cheddar types reaching the 1 year mark, so this may end up aging out for some time.   Nice.

- Jeff

P.S.  this is not brined, I should have said "It's down 272g since pressing, ..." but I was updating this at the same time as a butterkase make, and butterkase is brined. 
« Last Edit: January 05, 2013, 01:24:02 AM by JeffHamm »

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2012, 09:39:06 PM »
That is nice, Jeff. There's just something about that cheese "look". Kind of draws you in. Maybe it's the promise of future gustatory pleasure.

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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2012, 04:00:33 AM »
Jeff, what would "Nosh Blue" compare to in stateside milk? I can get raw full cream milk from a nearby farm and anything else in the store pasteurized but when you guys use brands it throws me off.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2012, 03:19:05 PM by Al Lewis »
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Offline Boofer

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2012, 02:34:21 PM »
I can get raw full cream milk from a nearby farm and anything else int eh store pasteurized but when you guys use brands it throws me off.
What is the name of the creamery, Al? Or is it just a local farm?

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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2012, 03:18:10 PM »
Local farm, Blackjack Valley Farm in Port Orchard, WA.  http://blackjackvalleyfarm.com/
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JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2012, 05:45:44 PM »
The milks are pasturized and homogenized, with about 3.3% fat and 3.3g protien (in 100 ml).  Nosh is a store, and they have set up their own brand of milk to sell near cost.  They are taking a stand against the supermarkets, who put a much higher mark up on milk then they do on soft drinks.  Dairy Dale is the budget brand put out by Fontera (who do most of the milk in New Zealand and onsell to brands).  But it may be that this milk is pasturized more harshly as I've not had curd shatter like this before when using other Fontera milk.

- Jeff

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2012, 07:30:20 PM »
Thanks Jeff! ;D
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JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2012, 08:17:19 PM »
I should add, most of the milk I use is 3.3% fat and 3.3g/100ml, sometimes 3.4g/100ml of protein.  There is a cream line milk available (Silvertop), and it does make the best curds.  I should use it a bit more often.  It's got a higher fat content (over 4% as I recall) too. 

- Jeff

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2012, 10:19:32 PM »
The raw milk I buy is just as it comes out of the cow.  Soon to be Guernsy cows. ;D  I can, and do, however buy whole pateurized/homoginized milk from the store and add heavy cream to it.
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bbracken677

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2012, 10:22:11 PM »
Soon to be Guernsy cows. ;D

hmm...so...what are they now? Is this some evolutionary thing?     


muahahaha!    :P

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: My 4th Wensleydale
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2012, 12:39:38 AM »
LOL BB  No the lady that owns it is getting some Guernsy cows in.  Not sure what she has right now, Holstiens I believe.
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