Author Topic: Stilton Style (First), Question  (Read 12874 times)

rolsen99

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Stilton Style (First), Question
« on: December 29, 2012, 12:25:50 AM »
I decided to venture now into my favorite type of cheese, a Stilton style.  I used the Tim Smith recipe for Blue Stilton.  I used the ladle technique, drain for 90 minutes in colander, hang for 30 minutes, press between two boards over night at 8lbs (per the recipe, second guessing this now), break into 1 inch pieces, salt, put in mold, flip every 15 minutes for two hours, flip several times a day for several days, etc....

I made a slurry from a blue Stilton, see pics.

My concern now is that after almost two days, the gaps between the curds appear fairly large.  I did put some curds to the side to smooth the ends and sides prior to it going into the chamber.  Should I be concerned about the size of the gaps (see pics)?  Should I press it slightly?

Thanks for looking!

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2012, 12:31:01 AM »
Those curds needed to be broken up smaller than that I would say.
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Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2012, 12:37:27 AM »
I am thinking they may be a bit on the dry side. How do they feel?

As Al has suggested they may need breaking up and re-moulding.
If you do that I would recommend warming them up and keeping them warm while lightly pressing to help consolidate them. (commercial Stiltons have the advantage of a large curd mass during flipping to provide some pressing weight)

Hopefully some of the more experienced members can chime in soon with a definitive answer.
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rolsen99

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2012, 01:19:22 AM »
I am thinking they may be a bit on the dry side. How do they feel?

They are actually quite moist, but I don't have anything to compare them to.  They are by no means dry.  I would imagine if I took a spatula to them, they would fill in the gaps, that's how they "feel". 

Hmmmmmm, should I tear it apart?  Whats the downside?

Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2012, 01:21:37 AM »
How often have you been turning them?
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rolsen99

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2012, 01:29:43 AM »
I started out every 15 minutes for the first 2 hours beginning yesterday morning.  Since then, I have been turning about every 4 hours, except during the night.

Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2012, 03:57:43 AM »
That sounds about right.
Apart from Al's suggestion to break and re-mould, If it was my make, I would consider warming the curds and then pressing lightly to consolidate them.
One of the senior members, like HJK,  may have a better solution if you pm them.
-Bill
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rolsen99

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2012, 04:09:48 AM »
That sounds about right.
Apart from Al's suggestion to break and re-mould, If it was my make, I would consider warming the curds and then pressing lightly to consolidate them.
One of the senior members, like HJK,  may have a better solution if you pm them.

Thank you for your help, I appreciate it!

george

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2012, 12:05:29 PM »
Not meaning to contradict everyone else (but I am!) - I'd leave it alone till you smooth it.  It'll probably settle down incrementally over time anyway, and you WANT gaps in the middle (maybe not as big as you have, so just mill a little smaller next time).  It's a tradeoff - I'd be more afraid of messing it up and ending up with a really dry cheese from the re-milling than having a few extra holes in it.  Plus, extra gaps in the interior means you've already compensated in case you don't pierce enough.  It's a bright side!   

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2012, 02:43:14 PM »
I think you are right george, I don't think I would re-mill just let it go and treat it normaly,
if this doesn't work out the way you wanted change it on the next make ^-^
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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2012, 03:00:09 PM »
Not sure it's going to hold its shape when the mold is removed if all of the curds are that size.  Especially when flipping it.  Good luck though.
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rolsen99

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2012, 03:10:49 PM »
I think I will just chalk this one up to a lessons learned and see what happens.  It is smelling like a super funky blue, but not much blue is showing.  As soon as this one comes out of the mold I think I will make another.  What size should I mill them to next time?  Would 1/2 inch be better?

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2012, 03:45:30 PM »
I mill mine to about the size of the end of my thumb.  Then I salt them and put them straight into the mold.  I did find that doing a larger cheese, read as taller, caused the curd to compress better under it's own weight.
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rolsen99

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2012, 03:55:43 PM »
Al, should I be concerned that I don't have blue showing after 4 days?  Also, the smell is blue, but very funky.  Can you tell what I should be smelling?  Thanks for your help!

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Stilton Style (First), Question
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2012, 04:08:33 PM »
This last 6 pound Stilton I did was pure white on both ends until the 5th morning.  Then I woke up to this…..  Now it is out of the mold and both ends have this amazing blue on them with none on the sides so I guess I have to wait the full 5 days for that before putting this one into the cave.
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