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Author Topic: going to try this cheddar  (Read 7056 times)

Offline H-K-J

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going to try this cheddar
« on: November 09, 2012, 10:26:28 PM »
I decided to make dthelmers fast ageing cheddar, just so I can cut something soon and have a good chunk, it also looks easy enough that maybe I can make it :-\
                                               FARMHOUSE CHEDDAR
                                             dthelmers  Fast ageing

5 gallons of P/H milk
¼ teaspoon MM100
¼ teaspoon TA 61-62 (Streptococcus thermophilus)
3/16 tsp. dry calf rennet (mixed in ¼ cup distilled water)
1 teaspoon of calcium chloride
2 tablespoons of kosher salt

Heat the milk to 76ºF and add MM100

Let ripen to pH 6.4, about 3 hours. It will smell buttery.

Increase temperature to 92ºF and add S. Thermophilus. Let ripen for a half hour.

Sprinkle rennet into mixture by pouring through perforated spoon, stir for 30 seconds, about fifteen up and down strokes with a strainer.

If using the flocculation method, the multiplier is 3. Otherwise, check for a clean break at 30 minutes.

Cut the curd into 3/8” cubes and let rest for 10 minutes.

Heat to 102ºF taking 20 minutes to do it, stirring very gently at first, then more thoroughly as the curd hardens and shrinks.

Target drain is pH 6.0. If you’re not using a pH meter, this is when the curd really wants to mat and feels more solid, like well-cooked scrambled eggs.

Drain through cheese cloth in a colander, lifting, turning and pressing the curd to get whey to flow out.

Gather up the corners of the cheese cloth and put in a mold and press at about 2 psi (light to medium pressure) for one hour. (107 lbs. on 8.25 diameter mold)

Take out of the mold and tear into olive sized pieces. Toss with the salt, and place back in the mold and press at about 3.5 psi (heavy) over night. (187 lbs. on mold)

Let air dry, turning over twice a day for several days until the surface feels like a clammy Handshake, Age in the cheese cave at 55°f, Tastes OK at one week, better at two, better texture at 3.

One question I have is about the weight's in the press  do these seem right for this cheese or should I bump them up or bring-em down?

 any thought's or changes anyone can suggest?

H-K-J
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2012, 07:12:36 PM »
Well OKeee ::)
Started a 7:30 this morning, Sterilizing, milk out of the fridge gettin the chill off, setting up my double boiler.
Started heating the milk about 8:40, temp started at 55º F, reached 74º F, at 9:10 and sprinkled the MM 100 on the top let sit till 9:20, stirred in culture temp was 77º F and started the 3 hour wait. Checked the temp about an hour in, it had reached 78º F, took it out of the double boiler and will wait it out till it is time to warm up to 92º F for the TA 61-62 about another hour and a half to go. :)
« Last Edit: November 12, 2012, 03:37:40 PM by H-K-J »
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2012, 06:37:39 PM »
We finished it up yesterday, heated to 92º F sprinkled in then stirred to mix the TA and let it ripen for 30 min. added the rennet.
I had one of the fastest flok time's ever, never had one faster than 13 min and no more than 16 min on any cheese, this one was 8 min, I did add just a little more rennet than normal wanted the faster time but surprised me when it went off so quick :o
cut the curd let it rest, started heating it up to 102º F and stirring constantly till it hit target temp drained, slapped it in the press inside a pot that was inside a pot with hot water and wrapped that with a heating pad and towel, pressed at 105 lbs. for one hour, took it out broke it up, tossed with 2 heaping table spoons of pickling salt (as fast as I could, didn't want to loose the heat) back into the mold and pressed at 160 lbs. (3 lbs/sq.in) for two hours, still heating the pot. removed, re-wrapped, back in the heated pot pressed for 4 hours with 240 lbs. (4.5 lbs/sq.in) removed, re-wrapped, flipped, replaced in press, pressed at 375 lbs. (7+ lbs/sq.in) over night :P
At first I was worried about how it was going to knit, not to worry, :D
Being my first try at any cheddar I am happy with the way it went and as usual I had my freak-out time, yet all-in-all I think it went fairly well 8)
« Last Edit: November 12, 2012, 10:53:30 PM by H-K-J »
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2012, 06:34:22 PM »
Today makes 5 days of drying the rind/cheese out, should I vacuum bag it now? the rind seems dry.
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Tobiasrer

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2012, 06:57:25 PM »
I have no advive, have my first cheese just gone in the cave!
But looks good!
Its the heating blanket and all that needed or are you just through?
Deffinatley wanna know how it goes!
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2012, 09:09:50 PM »
What is happening with the heating wrap and blanket is in a thread Sailor started, explaining why and what for ^-^
just a precaution I was taking to make sure the curd would knit after milling.
Go to this link Sailor explains it better than I can; A New Technique For Pressing Cheddar :) (Thank you Sailor) It works fantastic.  :D
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Sailor Con Queso

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2012, 09:32:26 PM »
Well that's an oldie. ;)

Be aware that the additional heat will also accelerate bacteria growth and acid production.
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2012, 01:08:35 AM »
I pressed with the heat for the first hour then milled the curd as the recipe required and salted as fast as possible so I wouldn't have to much loss of heat.
then pressed in the heated pot for two hours redressed and flipped and pressed again with heat for two more hours then flipped and pressed naked for one hour, then flipped and pressed overnight 14 hours.
It looks good one side has some obvious but very small cracks, like I say it has been drying for 5 days, feels dry,
hopefully the added time in the heated pot didn't do anything bad now I wonder if it is time to vacuum bag and start the ageing process at 50 to 55 deg?
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bbracken677

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2012, 01:26:46 PM »
Personally I would say bag that sucker now! (before it gets too dry).  If I dried a cheese here for 5 days it would be closer to a brick than a cheese.  lol
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2012, 03:32:15 PM »
Yes I believe I will, sometime today, it seems to be pretty dry.
Hope I didn't wait to long :o
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bbracken677

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2012, 03:34:47 PM »
Probably not...am pretty sure your humidity is higher than ours is and your cheese is twice the size of the ones I make. Looks really good!
Does the cheese have a little give to it when you press on it with your thumb?
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2012, 12:05:45 AM »
Yup, it does have a little give to it
bagged it yesterday and off to 55 deg. bed ;D
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bbracken677

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2012, 12:12:04 AM »
Cool! I have a few cheddars in the cave aging...I think I dried the first one or 2 too much before caving them. The latest ones have that little "give" to them.
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2012, 12:24:50 AM »
I should have added these on the last post ???
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bbracken677

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Re: going to try this cheddar
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2012, 12:35:06 AM »
Very nice looking! I have not mastered the smooth knit yet, but I am progressing.
My best knits to date are my gouda and colby...the cheddars are still challenging me. I recently added a cast iron pot to my pressing operation with some success...I heated the pot and then pressed the forms inside the pot, covered with a towel to help maintain the heat.
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