Author Topic: Emmentaler lets try this again  (Read 40360 times)

Alpkäserei

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #90 on: November 21, 2012, 07:12:02 PM »


Here are two cheeses that are about 4 1/2 months old (these are Alpkäse, and have quite a ways to go before they can be cut)
This is to give you an idea of what they ought to look like.

At this point, they are done washing and will not be wetted again. The rinds are drying off and forming a good hard coating. This will be important for such a long aged cheese as this, as the coating stabilizes the inside and also significantly slows moisture loss.
For an emmentaler, you may not age it so long and so you do not need a rind as thoroughly developed as this. Typical Swiss emmentaler has generally a light brown rind or even pale yellow because they do not age it for so long, so the rind is not as thoroughly washed.




Offline H-K-J

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #91 on: November 22, 2012, 01:02:10 AM »
There is a spot of blue on the top to night, I just went ahead and flipped it, I didn't wash it :-\
I  will flip it again tomorrow and wash that side to get rid of the spot then flip the following day and wash that side.
then let it sit with no wash for a few days, flipping each day and see if it needs washed or wiped or nothing.
there is some dark discoloration and a dusting of white mold, I think it is coming along I will just keep workin at it  :)
Alpkäserei
Your cheese looks Excellent!! 8) would love to try some  :P
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Alpkäserei

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #92 on: November 22, 2012, 02:00:46 AM »
If these pictures are more accurate to the color (which is difficult in pictures, especially digital ones) then these are exactly the rind stage you want for emmentaler. If this is so, do not smear them anymore.

At this point, wipe them so they are dry with a clean (linen if you have it) cloth. This should not have the funky dark rind that my cheeses have for the earlier explained reasons. These cheeses of mine have a coating developed to the point where it is almost like a waxy coating on the surface.

To maintain these cheeses, all you want to do is wipe them with clean water (not smear-water), perhaps with a small amount of salt.

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #93 on: November 22, 2012, 03:50:42 AM »
I do have a blue  spot  on the other side I will take a small mount o the wash rub and leave it alone
Just flip, for another week and then it will go into a cool area (50 to 55 deg F)
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #94 on: November 23, 2012, 03:00:38 AM »
Like I said I have a few spots of blue, I used a piece of medical gauze and just a little of the wash and just wiped down the blue enough to get rid of it.
It is now nice and clean and back to bed, Monday will be two weeks in the warm room, lookin good at the moment 8)
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #95 on: November 24, 2012, 04:44:25 PM »
I flipped the cheese yesterday and it felt dryer than it has been so I used some gauze dampened with the wash,
I have diluted the wash with a pint more water, didn't rub/wash the cheese very hard just made the surface damp.
there was a few spot's of blue mold (very small) I rubbed a little harder to get rid of, all in all I think it is looking very nice ^-^
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Alpkäserei

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #96 on: November 25, 2012, 03:07:25 AM »
How's the swelling at this point?

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #97 on: November 25, 2012, 04:11:29 PM »
The swelling is a little disappointing, I thought it would swell more than it has :(
The aroma is very nice, I think Monday makes two week's at the higher temp
I will see how the swelling goes in the finale seven day of warm temp's.
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bbracken677

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #98 on: November 25, 2012, 06:24:30 PM »
Are you keeping it cool?  I read somewhere that a swiss cheese is removed from the cooler environment after a couple of weeks and left a few days(?) at room temp so the gas producing can occur.

Of course...I have 0 (zero) experience with this type of cheese...so just wondering how that is handled, since I will be tackling one relatively soon.

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #99 on: November 25, 2012, 06:34:50 PM »
I had it in the cooler environment for 7 or 8 days to start the development of the rind then out for a 3 week warm period for eye development.
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bbracken677

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #100 on: November 25, 2012, 07:18:22 PM »
Cool...hoping you have success with this, since I will be following closely, more than likely, your recipe and process when I finally do make a swiss type.  :)

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #101 on: November 25, 2012, 08:20:13 PM »
Making my first attempt as I type this.  Just getting ready to transfer the hot curd into the whey filled mold.  Good luck!!
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bbracken677

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #102 on: November 25, 2012, 08:32:35 PM »
Good luck to you as well!  Post pics and make notes please!   :)

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #103 on: November 25, 2012, 08:36:06 PM »
YOU GO AL!! one more fer yer cave ;D
YES!! more cheese erotica!!! :P
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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Emmentaler lets try this again
« Reply #104 on: November 25, 2012, 08:38:59 PM »
Here's the recipe I found and am following.  I did a Jarlsberg a several weeks ago and after two weeks at 70 degrees I too am a little disappointed at the swelling but expect a different outcome from this cheese based on the amount of propionic shermanii used.  I doubled this recipe for a 4 pound cheese.

Ingredients:

2 gallons Fresh Milk from cows, goats, or both
1 teaspoon Propionic Shermanii Culture, dissolved in ½ cup milk
1 packet Direct-Set Thermophilic Culture (use 1/8 tsp. if using bulk packet)
Rennet, choose one:
½ teaspoon Liquid Animal Rennet, dissolved in ½ cup cool water OR
¼ teaspoon Double-Strength Liquid Vegetable Rennet, dissolved in ½ cup cool water OR
¼ Vegetable Rennet Tablet, dissolved in ½ cup cool water
2 pounds Sea Salt (non-iodized) or Cheese Salt
1 gallon Water
Olive Oil

Instructions:

Heat your milk to 87°F.   Add  the thermophilic culture and stir well.  Add Propionic shermanii culture and stir for at least 1 minute.  Cover and allow to ferment for 15 minutes.

Check temperature and make sure milk is no warmer than 90°F.  Stir to homogenize the milk, and slowly fold in the diluted rennet.  Using an up-and-down motion with your spoon will ensure that the rennet works its way through all the milk, so you can get the highest possible yield.

Allow the cheese to set for 30-45 minutes at 90°F, or until the whey begins to separate from the curd.  You should see a layer of mostly clear whey floating on top of the curd, and the curd should be pulling away from the sides of your pot.

Using a long knife, cut the curds into 1/4 inch cubes.

Take your whisk and stir the curd, slicing it into small pieces.  The pieces should all be roughly the same size.

Keep the curds at 90°F and stir with your wooden spoon, working out the whey, for 35 minutes.

Over the next 25 minutes, slowly heat the curds to 120°F, stirring frequently with your wooden spoon.  As you stir, the curds will shrink.  Keep the curds at 120°F for 30 minutes.  The curds should be small, and if you bite one it should squeak in your teeth.  A handful of curds, squeezed into a ball, should fall apart in your hands.
Pour the curds into a press lined with cheesecloth.  Work quickly; you do not want your curds to cool.  Press at 10 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.

Using a fresh piece of cheesecloth, flip the cheese and press, again, at 15 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes.

Repeat this process again, at 15 pounds of pressure for 2 hours, rinsing your cheesecloth in clean, cool water each time and hanging to dry.

Finally, press at 20 pounds of pressure for 12 hours, or overnight.

Mix two pounds of sea salt with 1 gallon of cold water to make a brine.  Place the cheese in the brine and let it soak for 24 hours.

Take the cheese out of the brine and age at 55-60°F for one week.  Flip and wipe daily with a damp cheesecloth dipped in salt water. 

Age the cheese in the kitchen (or another warm room) for 2-3 weeks.  Flip and wipe daily with a damp cheesecloth dipped in salt water.  The cheese should swell and will smell “Swiss-ey”. 

Place the cheese back in your aging fridge (or cheese cave) for 12 weeks or more (click here for practical methods for aging cheese).  Flip once or twice a week and remove mold with a cheesecloth dipped in salt water.  Wipe with the olive oil, once dry, to inhibit mold growth.
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