Author Topic: Cheddar - New Press!  (Read 3874 times)

Offline scasnerkay

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Cheddar - New Press!
« on: December 03, 2012, 01:29:15 AM »
This is Cheddar # 3 for me, and the second time trying the fast ripening recipe from dthelmers.
I have now learned that if the pH is low at renneting, I really have to keep an eye on flocculation, because it is going to go fast! The previous make it went right past my attention.
I also have a new "Sturdy Press" which I was happy to try out with this make, rather than my very precarious stacking of weights on top of a home-made cutting board version of a press. This press, I felt safe going to bed with the weight on the cheese!

Fast Cheddar 12-1-12

2 Gallons pasturized/non-homogenized cream top milk pH 6.7
1/8 tsp mm100
1/8 tsp Thermo C
¼ tsp calcium chloride in ¼ cup water
1.75 ml liquid calf rennet in ¼ cup water
1 heaping Tablespoon salt

Targets: Rennet at 6.5 to 6.4, Pitch at 6.1 to 6.0, Milling at 5.5 to 5.4
Flocculation multiplier of 3
Calibrated thermometer and pH meter ahead of time.

11:45  Milk to temp at 76 degrees. Stirred in MM100. Covered and kept to temperature.
1:00  Milk at 76, pH 6.6
2:00  Milk at 76, pH 6.6
2: 45  pH at 6.5, began heating to 92 degrees
3:05  Temp at 92 degrees, stirred in Thermo C and let rest 30 mins
3:35  Temp 92, pH 6.4, stirred in calcium, then rennet.
Flocculation in 6 mins. Multiplier of 3, so check for clean break at 18 mins from renneting.
Clean break, and cut curd ½ inch, rested 10 mins.
4:05 Slow gentle stirring and slow heating with goal of 102 degrees in 20 mins.
4:25 Temp 102, pH 6.3
4:40 Temp 102, pH 6.2
4:50 Temp 102, pH 6.1 with a squeaky feel and matting when compressed, sticking to overturned hand. So whey drained off, and returned curd mass in cloth to over pot, keeping warm. Whey draining off measured at 5.9
5:05 Cheddaring with cutting mass in 1 inch slices, stacked, and keeping warm in pot repeating every 10 mins or so.
5:15 Whey measured at 5.8
5:30 Whey 5.7
5:45 Whey 5.5, Milled curd and salted. Packed curd into cloth lined form, and placed in pot to keep warm with 10 # on top.
6:00  Very carefully turned and redressed, not knitting very well, so placed 20 # on top in pot with toweling to keep warm.
6:30  Turned and redressed, beginning to knit. Into press with about 30 #
7:10  Turned and redressed, knitting well, pressed at about 50 #
10:00 Turned and redressed, looking very nice, back in press with 75 #
7:00 am   Out of press, weighing in at 1#, 14 oz.

Susan

bbracken677

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2012, 01:31:38 AM »
Sounds like a good make! Grats on the sturdypress too...I have the same and am really liking it!

Offline scasnerkay

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2013, 04:28:03 AM »
My son said " I sure wish we had some cheddar for sandwiches!" So I succumbed to the pressure and opened this make at a little over 5 weeks.  Well, the flavor is good, sort of a mild nice cheddar with a very pleasant after taste. Melted well also. Half of the cheese was re-sealed and went back into the cave for a few more weeks.
Susan

Hovard

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2013, 08:01:39 AM »
5:45 Whey 5.5, Milled curd and salted. Packed curd into cloth lined form, and placed in pot to keep warm with 10 # on top.
6:00  Very carefully turned and redressed, not knitting very well, so placed 20 # on top in pot with toweling to keep warm.
6:30  Turned and redressed, beginning to knit. Into press with about 30 #
7:10  Turned and redressed, knitting well, pressed at about 50 #
10:00 Turned and redressed, looking very nice, back in press with 75 #
7:00 am   Out of press, weighing in at 1#, 14 oz.

scasnerkay, thank you for info. Can you give the diameter of your mould?
Also the question - 10 #, 20 # - is it pounds or what ( i'm ukrainian and not understand ).
Thank you beforehand.

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2013, 01:18:05 PM »
Hovard,  I love your little photo!   ;D

Hovard

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2013, 01:43:56 PM »
Hovard,  I love your little photo!   ;D

 ;) I really love three things in this life - my family, my cows and my bike. This way, it's completely my psychologic avatar  ^-^

Offline Boofer

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2013, 02:31:17 PM »
Also the question - 10 #, 20 # - is it pounds or what ( i'm ukrainian and not understand ).
Thank you beforehand.
Sometimes the "#" is used where pounds (lbs) are in play.

I too like your avatar. Every time I see it, I find myself doing a double-take and looking at it again. How did you get the cow to sit still for the photo? ;)

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Hovard

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2013, 03:07:48 PM »
Sometimes the "#" is used where pounds (lbs) are in play.

Thank you very much.

I too like your avatar. Every time I see it, I find myself doing a double-take and looking at it again. How did you get the cow to sit still for the photo? ;)

Of course, it's not my cow and not my bike  :) I think, someone made good work in Photoshop.

Offline scasnerkay

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2013, 11:46:08 PM »
The diameter is 11.5 cm.
I still cannot think in metric system, so I have pounds of force/weight.
Susan

Hovard

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Re: Cheddar - New Press!
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2013, 03:31:17 AM »
The diameter is 11.5 cm.
I still cannot think in metric system, so I have pounds of force/weight.


Pounds isn't a problem. Thank you for diameter. Now I can calculate PSI correctly.