Author Topic: Failures I have known  (Read 39554 times)

cowboycheese

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #75 on: December 25, 2013, 09:31:23 PM »
Camempatty or Hamembertger? You be the judge.

My second try of Yoav's 10 step Camembert was going good until I chose not to do one of the 10 steps - namely stir the curd after cutting. I thought, very incorrectly, that it would be nice to try scooping curd like they do it in France - without stirring. I ended up with very weak curd development in the hoops. Even after 24+ hours they just collapsed like a failed cake. Never got stiff enough to stand on their own. The Geo and PC developed nicely and they ripened so fast that they became little ammonia patties before I could sample them. They felt like flat balloons with pancake batter in them.

FWIW - I turned around a few days later and made another batch and did what I was told for all 10 steps and poof - it worked. Doh!

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #76 on: December 26, 2013, 12:57:46 PM »
Was it raw milk?  I've done it without stirring the curd without any problem.  I do want to say that I like your patties and the thought of them on a hamburger, layered with red onion, lettuce, arugula, mayo, relish, ketchup......Yummmmmmmmm!!!  In a bun of course....

mjr522

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #77 on: January 05, 2014, 04:16:34 AM »
While I've seen lots of cracks in cheeses while drying, and some very small cracks right out of the brine, this was a first for me.  After the cheese had been in the brine for a few hours, I noticed small cracks.  When I finally pulled it out this evening, this is what greeted me.

This first one looks like a mouth...I should have drawn eyes and a nose.
[img width= height= alt=big crack in cheese]https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1540298_451961031596009_1066994035_o.jpg[/img]

[img width= height= alt=another big crack]https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/966485_451961024929343_1684932586_o.jpg[/img]

I think I have a good idea of the series of errors that led to this consequence.  First, I reverted to cheap milk (once I started stirring, the curd turned to mush).  Then, I pressed the cheese under the whey into a loaf shape (because the vat is square shaped, and I had strained it all against one side), but my mold is round, so I sliced it up to get it in the mold.  I've done this before, however, previously, after piling the slices into the mold, I continued to press it under the whey for a while.  This time, I just put it right into the press, and didn't leave it there for very long...not sure what I was thinking.  Now to decide what to do with this...

Pete S

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #78 on: January 05, 2014, 10:59:44 AM »
  I would smooth them over like I do with Stilton. when I have this problem (several times with late season milk) I broke the mass into irregular chunks to put it in the mold. I get a better knit that way then with the smooth surface of a slice. they always turned out fine.   Pete

Offline Boofer

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #79 on: January 05, 2014, 03:28:41 PM »
By your command.... ::)

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

Spoons

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #80 on: January 05, 2014, 05:48:32 PM »
LMAO!!!

mjr522

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #81 on: January 05, 2014, 06:48:20 PM »
Boofer: That's great--much better face than I would have drawn.

Pete: Are you saying you take the cheese out of the brine, with cracks in it, and then break it up into irregular pieces and put it back in the mold?   Or are you just talking about when it comes out of the vat in a loaf you break it into irregular pieces?  I didn't think I could take this as it is, break it up, and press it again into a shape I wanted.  I suppose people do that with cheddar, but that's after it's aged for a bit....  I might have to try that, just to see what happens, though I might give it a few days for the salt to diffuse throughout the cheese before breaking it up.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2014, 06:54:22 PM by Mike Richards »

Pete S

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #82 on: January 05, 2014, 08:43:35 PM »
 I  do it when it comes out of the vat ( instead of slicing it as you did) If you did it now I don't think it would knit.
What was your intentions for this cheese--- natural rind,  waxed, cream coat.
 I wax most of mine because that gives me the texture I prefer.  Pete

mjr522

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #83 on: January 05, 2014, 11:28:46 PM »
I hadn't decided yet.  I just got a cake caddy to use as a micro-cave, so I was considering doing a natural rind.  With these cracks, though, I don't think it would be such a good idea.  I'm not exactly sure what I'll do now.

[img width= height= alt=cheese in cake caddy]https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1492500_451961038262675_2045032994_o.jpg[/img]

Spoons

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #84 on: January 06, 2014, 12:56:31 AM »
Maybe cream wax it? Cream wax has mould inhibitor and still lets your cheese develop a rind. As long as your smiley crack's been well covered with cream wax, it should all be good.

mjr522

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #85 on: January 06, 2014, 01:09:48 AM »
That's probably what I'll end up doing (you can see the stack of cream waxed cheeses in the corner there).  I'm not sure if it is what Pete was suggesting, but I might get a knife hot and see what happens when I try to "smooth it over".  If I'm not able to make myself feel comfortable about doing a natural rind, I'll do the cream wax.

jwalker

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #86 on: January 06, 2014, 02:29:17 PM »
Mike , do you have access to a vaccuum bagger?

I had two cheeses dry out on the outside and they had cracks way worse than yours , I sprayed it with some brine and vacuum packed them , the action of the vacuum seemed seemed to suck the cracked rind back into shape , a week later I took them out of the bags and the cracks were gone , the cheese had fused back together , they were fine after that.

Cheese welding 101. ;D

mjr522

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #87 on: January 06, 2014, 02:53:21 PM »
I do have a vacuum bagger.  Unfortunately, I don't have bags that will accommodate a 10 inch cheese.  I've read about people making bigger bags from smaller bags, but haven't ever tried it myself.

Pete S

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #88 on: January 06, 2014, 10:35:23 PM »
 
Quote
[quote author  I'm not sure if it is what Pete was suggesting, but I might get a knife hot and see what happens when I try to "smooth it over".  If I'm not able to make myself feel comfortable about doing a natural rind, I'll do the cream wax.
[/quote]
  That is what I had in mind.
Quote
I do have a vacuum bagger.  Unfortunately, I don't have bags that will accommodate a 10 inch cheese.  I've read about people making bigger bags from smaller bags, but haven't ever tried it myself.
  You could cut it in wedges that would fit in your bags.   Pete

tnbquilt

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Re: Failures I have known
« Reply #89 on: February 05, 2014, 11:41:57 PM »
FWIW - I turned around a few days later and made another batch and did what I was told for all 10 steps and poof - it worked. Doh!
[/quote]

I have done that, and will probably do it again...